USS Colorado BB 45
The USS Colorado BB 45 was the leading ship of the Colorado-class battleships and was officially launched on March 22, 1921 from New York Shipbuilding Corporation. She was sponsored by Mrs. M. Melville and along with Captain R. R. Belknap in command she was commissioned on August 30th, 1923. On December 29th, 1923 she set out on her maiden voyage steaming towards Portsmouth, England and then to France and lastly to Italy and Gibraltar before she about faced and headed back home to New York on February 15th, 1924. After the necessary repairs, she traveled to San Francisco, California where the USS Colorado BB 45 would join forces with the U. S. Pacific Battle Fleet participating with training exercises and celebratory ceremonies, and occasionally returning back to the eastern seaboard for fleet problems.
The ship was based at Pearl Harbor on January 27th, 1941 where she would join in exercises along the Hawaiian shores. On May 31st, 1942 the USS Maryland and the USS Colorado BB 45 formed a line of defense not far from the Golden Gate Bridge in order to prevent any possible Japanese attack against San Francisco. Upon the declaration of U.S. involvement in World War II, the Colorado found herself steaming back towards Pearl Harbor where she completed preparations for action on August 14th, 1942 and set out to join the fight in the Pacific. Between November 8th, 1942 and September 17th, 1943 she patrolled the waters around the Fiji Islands in order to prevent Japanese forces from expanding.
She provided pre-invasion bombardment and fire support for the invasion of Tarawa on October 21st and then for the invasions of Kwajalein and Eniwetok until February 23rd when she returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs and a general overhaul. Afterwards, the Colorado joined with other ships heading to the Mariana Islands in preparation for the invasions of Saipan, Guam and Tinian where the USS Colorado BB 45 would provide fire support and shore bombardment of enemy forces as a preliminary to the landing of U. S. ground forces on November 20th 1944. During the battle she was hit by two kamikazes that killed 19 of her men and wounded 72 but continued onward to successfully complete her mission. The USS Colorado BB 45 was decommissioned on January 7th, 1947 and later sold for scrapping. She received seven battle stars for W.W. II service.
The USS Colorado BB 45 along with her crew suffered many dangerous threats on a daily basis, but not only from deadly weather or the risks of enemy attack though. Asbestos-laden materials were widely used on ships as well as submarines at that time, and crews were at serious risk of inhaling dangerous asbestos fibers. Asbestos was prominently located in the ship's insulation, specifically, the insulation created among piping. Any crewmembers that may be concerned they may have been exposed to deadly asbestos while aboard the USS Colorado BB 45 should watch their respiratory health closely. Asbestos is linked to development of mesothelioma cancer, and any veteran who develops this aggressive disease should speak with their doctor to determine the best method of mesothelioma treatment.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
