U.S.S. Colorado (BB-45)
Career
Ordered: 29 August 1916
Builder: New York Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down: 29 May 1919
Launched: 22 March 1921
Commissioned: 30 August 1923
Decommissioned: 7 January 1947
Struck: 1 March 1959
Fate: Sold for scrap, 23 July 1959
Class & type: Colorado class battleship
Displacement: 32,600 tons
Length: 624 ft 3 in (190.27 m)
Beam: 97.5 ft (29.7 m)
Draft: 38 ft (12 m)
Speed: 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h)
Armament:
8 × 16 in (406 mm)/45 cal guns
12 × 5 in (127 mm) guns
8 × 3 in (76 mm) guns
2 × 21 in (533 mm) topedo tubes
Armor: Belt: 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm)
Barbettes: 13 in (330 mm)
Turret face: 18 in (457 mm)
Turret sides: 9–10 in (229–254 mm)
Turret top: 5 in (127 mm)
Turret rear 9 in (229 mm)
Conning tower: 11.5 in (292 mm)
Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm)
USS Colorado entered service upon her commission in August 1923. After a
kickoff voyage to Europe, the ship reported to the Pacific in 1924. That was
her home for much of the rest of her life. She took part in various
operations designed to maintain naval combat readiness for the next couple
of decades. She was part of the naval visit to New Zealand and Australia in
1925. She also participated in the search for Amelia Earhart in 1937. Due to
a scheduled overhaul, USS Colorado missed the attack on Pearl Harbor.
With her overhaul complete, USS Colorado patrolled the West Coast in 1942.
Later that year, she reported for duty at Pearl Harbor. For the next few
months, her job was to deter any further Japanese offensive actions while
forces at home prepared. Beginning late in 1943, the ship participated in
the invasions of Tarawa, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, the Marianas, and Tinian. USS
Colorado sustained casualties at Tinian when enemy fire hit the top deck. In
November 1944, she was part of the force at Leyte. During that time, two
kamikaze planes hit her. However, she continued operations with action at
Mindoro, Lingayen Gulf, and Okinawa. Once the war ended, the Navy
decommissioned her in January 1947 and sold her for scrap in 1959.