USS North Carolina - "The Showboat"

[@gayprepperz6862]

I love talking with US service men about their service. I was a waiter in a Welsh Pub in St. Louis, and one evening a man walked in wearing a ball cap with the USS Nautilus on it. When I asked him if he had served on it, he said "Yes, I was part of the crew that sailed around the world and under the North Pole ice cap." I spent every minute I could get away from my tables to listen to anything he had to say about that adventure. People who lived and participated in the great events of the World Wars, and immediately following them, are getting more scarce. I never waste an opportunity to listen to the few remaining that I have the pleasure and honor to meet!

[@HarryWHill-GA]

As a boy, I remember in raising funds in school to make USS North Carolina (BB-55) into a museum ship. My dad took us down to Wilmington to see it arrive. I got to take my family on a tour of the ship. When the tour guide found out I was on active duty we got to see more than the usual tours. I did as much of the explaining as he did. My brother lives about 3.5 miles from the North Carolina today.

[@TheValorVault]

Thank you for your service and thank you for being one of those children that help bring her here to Wilmington. I have toured her many times over the years and break my neck trying to catch a view every time I go over the 421 bridge into Brunswick County.

[@StsFiveOneLima]

Clearly you are older than me :-) But I know my school participated in this effort. I love the short trip to see her.

[@hudsonball4702]

I remember saving my money in the 90's to help with restoration!

[@erichammond9308]

There's a story of some Japanese businessmen who visited Wilmington in the 1980's. Their guide offered to give them a tour of the battleship, but one older gentleman said "the last time I saw that ship, it sailed into sight and leveled my hometown" - needless to say the offer was not repeated.

[@TheValorVault]

Yes sir, I have heard of that story as well over the years. Thank you for sharing!

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Apparently the gentleman's memory is clouded with age. Since neither her or the Washington bombarded Japan islands.

[@erichammond9308]

​@@patrickradcliffe3837The USS North Carolina did participate in the bombardment of Hitachi.

[@EdwardCurl]

​@@erichammond9308you're absolutely correct the other gentleman must not do any research and just pull things up out his backside.

[@erichammond9308]

@charlieb308 That's kinda harsh, the war was hardly the fault of a teenage kid who was 10 or 11 when the war started.

[@StsFiveOneLima]

My girl. I have been visiting her for 42 years. How amazing that has been.

[@ColKorn1965]

I used to live in Leland NC when I was little. There was a program back then called the "Sound and Light Show" at the battleship. It was an audio recording enhanced by oil and gas burners on the big guns and antiaircraft guns. We could hear it from our home.😊

[@williamstyers4264]

I remember the fundraising at my elementary school in Gastonia, NC. I had a cousin who lived in Wilmington at the time the USS North Carolina was brought there. My Uncle took me down there for a visit and we were lucky enough to be in one of the first day's tours. Unforgettable experience!

[@Pyro1776]

My grandfather served aboard the BB55… I loved making the trip every year for the reunions… I have some pretty unique souvenirs from her.

[@scottdunn2178]

Dad was on her from her commission in April '41

[@OrbitFallenAngel]

One of my friends Dad's served aboard the USS North Carolina during WW2. I always look for videos about it so that I can share it with her. Thanks for uploading this video!! ❤🇺🇸

[@heeves8262]

I had the privilege of visiting the North Carolina in the summer of 1969, at age 10. It was an experience I did not soon forget. I enlisted in the Navy in 1978, my best vocational decision.

[@ronaldholden7551]

What a coincidence, I was 10 years old in 1969 and visited the North Carolina for the first time.

[@lakelawyer]

It was said that during the many times the North Carolina was paired with the Enterprise, that there was no pair of ships in the Pacific more feared by the Japanese Navy

[@TheValorVault]

That's awesome. I definitely heard something similar from a former crew member 20+ years ago. His name is eluding my memory right now, but he definitely worked on the port side 40 mm on the fantail and told stories as me and my friend trained the guns around. He was a hoot and reminded me of my grand dad.

[@Yo-Yo888AA]

​@@TheValorVaultAre you going to be covering the stories of some of the other ships of WWII? (particularly Heavy Cruisers)? I'd love to see the USS SALT LAKE CITY CA-25 (aka. The Swayback Maru or One Ship Fleet) Featured. This was my Grandfather's Lady and She was at most of the battles mentioned in this video.

[@TheValorVault]

@@Yo-Yo888AA yes

[@Yo-Yo888AA]

@@TheValorVault excellent! I have my Grandfathers WWII Cruisebook that he received after the war that has a map of all of her travels during the war and relative specs as far as miles traveled, fuel used etc. But the maps look like a toddler has just drawn lines all over it. They were Everywhere.

[@flkoolguy]

I have been to the North Carolina at Wilmington. It is an amazing sight to see. It really is a step back in time when you tour her.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

1:29 the reason for the four gun 14" turret design was that if the escalator clause was invoked the three gun 16" 45 had the same size turret ring and size.

[@stulynn2005]

I highly recommend it as well Visiting the ship was so good I went two days in a row

[@blusnuby2]

Fabulous painting of The Showboat !

[@dwaynecalloway5867]

Our Home Big girl. Probably one of the best battleship tours in the world. A beautiful, massive ship.

[@JohnCrawford-c4l]

My wife’s uncle was a plank owner serving in North Carolina for the entire war. He thought he was one of 17 plank owners that served throughout the war. His stories were amazing.

[@hudsonball4702]

The floating restaurant that the NC bumped into was also a WWII coveted cargo ship. The guy who owned it was told repeatedly he needed to have it temporarily moved to give the NC room. He didn't do it. he also sued the state for damages but had his case thrown out since he was warned MANY times to move his business out of the way.

[@rufusmclean9770]

I remember when i was in school the fund raiser. I last visited the ship 6 years ago. I may purchase a 9 foot lot model of the ship and build it.

[@EEnnisjr]

Amazing visit, and definitely worth a visit.

[@patrickvanslambrouck8436]

Been there in 1979 👍. I hope to do it again someday.

[@clarencehopkins7832]

Excellent stuff bro,

[@jaimerivera150]

Ive been there when i was a kid for a field trip and i need to go visit again.

[@briantaylor6562]

Love the last of the battle ships!!! The Navy isn't the same without them🎉

[@TheValorVault]

Definitely, I wish they still operated some!

[@gayprepperz6862]

Perhaps with the advent of the rail gun we may see a reincarnation of a battleship sort. The Zumwalt will be the first (most likely), but as the technology is perfected we may see a sort of "all big gun" ship like a reincarnation of the Dreadnought.

[@briantaylor6562]

@@gayprepperz6862 that would be cool!!!!

[@GabrielWhite-wj3ir]

Can’t hack a battleship

[@scottyprice339]

I grew up going there. I actually live 45 minutes from there. And yes. It's a great city and that's a great place to start.

[@jimdavidsmith4374]

I enjoyed the video, but have two corrections. At time 2:37, you state the secondary battery as being 25 INCH 5 inch guns. They were .25 CALIBER 5 inch, later changed to 5" .38 cal. They barrel length of the 25 cal was 5 x 25, or 125 inches. 5 x 38 cal was 190 inches. You mis-pronounced the name of the German battleship Tirpitz, as Tripitz.

[@RayyMusik]

I think it‘s a robo voice.

[@Hawkeye2001]

I've been on board many times. The old girl needs work in many areas that show age and slow deterioration. Yet her vital areas are well maintained and should show her strengths for future generations.

[@scottdunn2178]

Dad was on her from her commission in April 1941 ⚓️

[@NC1F_Matt]

Just came across this. If you have a amateur radio license, you can sign up to operate radios from the ship's comm central (Radio 1) from the Official website or from the local Ham radio club's website, the Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club. Doesn't cost anymore than you regular ship's ticket. It's pretty inspiring to operate a radio on board and there are a lot of Hams out there who are very excited to make a contact with someone on the battleship!

[@AFluffyBunny4]

Enterprise and Washington should have been saved and turned into Museum Ships! These two ships had the most impressive and impactful careers of any other ships in WWII!

[@matthewsmith2078]

I thought USS Enterprise was. I’m pretty sure I visited her in Charleston SC

[@matthewsmith2078]

I thought USS Enterprise was. I’m pretty sure I visited her in Charleston SC

[@bobcastro9386]

@@matthewsmith2078 U.S.S Yorktown (1944) at Patriot's Point.

[@PierreManslapper]

The Enterprise you visited was CVN 65 USS Enterprise, the first nuclear powered carrier in the world, and the second carrier to carry the name. The original, and one he is talking about, was CVN 6 USS Enterprise, which after defeating Japan and going on a victory tour of the US, was scrapped in New Jersey in the 1950’s

[@markmchenry]

I've been on board twice,a wonderful ship. I am planning to return soon.

[@markmchenry]

And the smell of machine oil.

[@charlespace7278]

I am one of those school children who collected dimes in the drive to raise the money needed to locate the North Carolina to Wilmington. We are all proud of our battlewagon and the sailors and marines who manned her.

[@WesWhaley-tw5ms]

I've have toured her and was amazed. Hard to believe that it took only 90 days to build.

[@nathanmeece9794]

It took a lot longer to build than 90 days. Construction started in 1937 and was commissioned in 1941.

[@gmatgmat]

The North Carolina had problems with vibration caused by engines, propellors and I guess engine mounts. It took a while to find an acceptable solution so the ship made short trial runs. So much that the public seeing the ship sailing down the river so often called the ship the “Showboat.”

[@jamesmurray8558]

Kids in Alabama did the same thing with the Alabama. I still have the card from that.

[@scottcollins5060]

She's beautiful and she was deadly!!

[@martindolinski1335]

Love the big battle ships!!!

[@chrissnape9537]

I know this sounds like an oxymoron, but she is a gorgeous vessel. All be it a killing machine. I too have enormous appretiation for those who served. My family were all army officers. Even my dad was a gunnery officer in the Canadian army. He volunteered to go to Korea. They said you can go but it must be in a tank. Thankfully he declined, i would have as well. Being trapped inside when one of those which has caught fire what a nightmare. The men if not wounded have very little time to get out before the ammo cooks off. Once you get out whatever that just blew you up is waiting for you. One fun fact all British tanks still come equipped with a small stove its not but it boils watter so the chaps can have their tea. Very British, but also very cool

[@enteriprse33]

USS NORTH CAROLINA OR BB55

[@kristelvidhi5038]

Why would the US need the Iowas if they had good enough battleships like the South Dakotas and North Carolinas? If they made more of the North Carolinas and make them stronger and more technologically advanced, those ships would get more glory by lasting for decades in service.

[@TheValorVault]

Well, the US Navy wanted a group of battleships that were capable of 30+ knots to counter the converted fast battleships of the IJN (Kirishima, Hiei, etc...) which could also use that speed to to possibly out flank an enemy surface force if the opportunity arose. The NCs and SoDaks were rated for 27.5 knots but none of them hardly ever got to that speed during their careers due to the vibration problems that occurred when they did try. The propulsion plant of the Iowa's also did not fit inside either hull of the earlier designs. In the mid 1950s, the Navy considered adding a similar propulsion plant to North Carolina and Washington but it meant the removal of their rear turrets due to displacement issues, but even then there was still not enough room in their hulls to place the power plant necessary to reach the desired speeds. Considering the SoDaks were as cramped as they were, I don't believe they ever considered doing the same to them.

[@kristelvidhi5038]

@@TheValorVault they could've modified the SDs and NCs, make them stronger and better, as well as make more of them. Because USS Massachusetts and USS Washington where the most heroic battleships of WW2. If they had more ships of those classes and they lasted for decades, it would've added so much more to their Historical deeds.

[@enteriprse33]

Resolute or vv 55

[@enteriprse33]

CLONE WARS ERA

[@sergiodesouzajunior3962]

Compro 20 encouraçados dessa classe para a marinha do Brasil rio de janeiro

[@cephelps6339]

Fam I of saw that Ship and been like Na America got it I’m done I’m so sorry 😅😅😅😅

[@laithnightchild437]

Nothing said about the ghost 👻

[@Cjephunneh]

This ship had 16 inches guns not 14 inches

[@TheValorVault]

Yes 100%, the only thing I mention in the video about 14 inch guns is that she was originally designed with them before the Navy changed them to 16 inches once the escalator clause was invoked, which is 100% accurate. I also state that due to this, she was only armored against 14" shells because her armor was already in place and she would have been too heavy (over 35,000 tons) if they added additional armor.

[@russellforte7305]

Say "North Carolina" one more time...

[@AlyssaReynolds-u7i]

Gonzalez Brian Lewis Jeffrey Jackson Deborah

[@FoStealth]

Been to see the floating museum of her and she's a pretty sight to see. Doesn't matter what temperature it is outside, seeing her is like seeing an oasis in the desert