The Battleship USS Massachusetts [Paperback]

The American battleship USS Massachusetts is one of the best known units of its class during World War Two. It was built at Fore River (Quincy) Shipyard in Massachusetts in 19391942 and was one of four South Dakota type battleships. The crew serving on USS Massachusetts humorously nicknamed their ship the Big Mamie.Building started in July 1939; the launching took place on the 23rd of September 1941. The godmother of the ship was former Navy Secretary Charles Francis Adams wife. The equipping took more than half the year and on 12th of May 1942 the unit was introduced into the service. The first commander of the ship was Captain Francis E. M. Whiting.Service of USS Massachusetts teemed with interesting events from the beginning. After finishing all tests, trials and crew trainings, the ship left home waters in October 1942. It was assigned to securing the landing of Allied forces in North Africa. This is when the ship gained its fame after winning the battle with the unfinished French battleship Jean Bart stationed in port of Casablanca. The damage caused by USS Massachusetts was so severe that French unit was never finished and didnt enter operational service. During that fight, she also caused extensive damage to the ports infrastructure and damaged some transport units.The crucial event of the units service was the battle with a group of French warships which managed to escape from Casablanca. Massachusetts, together with assisting cruisers sank the French cruiser Primauguet as well as two destroyers: Boulonnais and Fougueux; another one  Malin  was severely damaged.The battleship took its further service on the Pacific waters, quickly becoming the work horse of the fleet. It took part in dozens of different operations against Japanese forces. USS Massachusetts participated in countless escorts of aircraft carriers, supported the forces landings with its guns, and covered the convoys with the AA fire. The battleship repeatedly shlÃ)