Also referred to as "Big Mamie," the USS Massachusetts BB-59 earned the reputation of being the "workhorse of the Fleet" for her consistently stellar service in World War II. Not only did she regularly participate in combat operations, but the USS Massachusetts also protected aircraft carriers during her six years of service (from 1941 to 1947).
The USS Massachusetts in WWII
In her first operations, the USS Massachusetts focused on supporting missions occurring at the Solomon Islands during the beginning of the U.S.'s involvement in World War II. Subsequently, she:
• joined a Fleet that performed raids on the Gilbert Islands, Makin, Tarawa and Abemama
• guarded aircraft carriers in Nauru and Tarawa
• covered landings at and joined a strike on Kwaialein
• supported raids in Guam and the Caroline Islands
After undergoing a variety of repairs at Pearl Harbor, the USS Massachusetts headed to Leyte Gulf to protect aircraft carrier landings. In her next phase of missions, the USS Massachusetts:
• participated in a strike on Okinawa
• provided protection to troops at Formosa
• fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf
• joined in further strikes on Manila, Formosa, Okinawa and Iwo Jima
In the final days of WWII, the USS
Massachusetts bombarded the Japanese iron and steel industrial center and then returned to combat in Kamaishi. Here, she is believed to have fired the last 16-inch shot of WWII combat.
The USS Massachusetts Post-WWII
After her extensive service in World War II, the USS Massachusetts went to Puget Sound for massive repairs and modernizations.
Ultimately, however, the end of the war would trigger the final days of the USS Massachusetts, as she was decommissioned in 1947.
Interestingly, unlike other battleships that are usually sold for scrap after being decommissioned, the USS Massachusetts was purchased by the state of Massachusetts and preserved at Fall River.
For her heroic service and the lives lost aboard the USS Massachusetts in combat, she received 11 battle stars.
Asbestos Exposure aboard the USS Massachusetts
Asbestos was a key component on many battleships built before and during WWII. Unfortunately for those who built and worked aboard these ships, asbestos is highly toxic and known to cause fatal illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
If you worked on or aboard the USS Massachusetts, let us help you. Contact us today for more resources and information on asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.
