USS Pennsylvania BB 38

The USS Pennsylvania BB 38 was a Pennsylvania-class battleship and the lead ship in her class of dreadnaughts. She was launched on March 16th, 1915 from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company located in Philadelphia, PA. The Pennsylvania was commissioned on June 12th, 1916 and placed under the command of Captain Henry B. Wilson. In January of 1917, she became the flagship of Admiral Henry T. Mayo and his Atlantic Fleet.

During World War I, she mainly patrolled the eastern seaboard of the United States although in December of 1918, she assisted the transport ship George Washington in carrying President Woodrow Wilson to Brest, France for a peace conference. On August 22, 1922 she departed the east coast and steamed towards San Pedro, California to be appointed to the U. S. Pacific Fleet. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 The Pennsylvania was present and accounted for and one of the first ships to open fire on the enemy. At the end of the battle, she had lost 15 men including an executive officer while another 14 were missing and 38 wounded.

On January 31st, 1944 the Pennsylvania initiated in the bombardment of Kwajalein Island and supported ground troops landing there on February 1st. On June 10th, she joined up with fellow battleships, cruisers, escort carriers and destroyers en route for the assault and occupation on the Mariana Islands. That night, a destroyer in the screen reported sound contact and an emergency turn was ordered. The Pennsylvania collided with the high-speed transport Talbot and sustained minor damage. Talbot put into Eniwetok for emergency repairs immediately following the incident.

When departing the Pacific war zone on February 22nd 1945, she steamed via the Marshall Islands and Pearl Harbor to San Francisco arriving on March 13th. She entered the Hunters Point Shipyard and underwent a complete overhaul. The Pennsylvania steamed back to Okinawa to take part in the last leg of operations at the closing of the war. She was used as a target during the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll during Operation Crossroads where she was sunk off Kwajalein on February 10th 1948. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Record on February 19th, 1948. The Pennsylvania received eight battle stars during her service at World War II.

The USS Pennsylvania BB 38 and her crew were under constant threat of attack from enemy ships as well as the facing the endless perils of violent weather, but those were not the only problems that lay with the crew on a daily basis. Asbestos was widely used in submarines and ships during that time period and the crewmembers were constantly in danger of inhaling these airborne asbestos fibers. Specifically within the insulation that deals with piping. Any members of the crew of the USS Pennsylvania BB 38 that are concerned they may have been exposed to these deadly asbestos fibers should watch after their respiratory health very closely. Asbestos has been directly linked to mesothelioma cancer, and any veteran who may have been diagnosed with this disease should begin mesothelioma treatment immediately.

Last modified: December 09 2009.