RE: [MV] USS Arizona and the Belgrano

From: Rayfield , Robert S Jr Mr DUSA-IA/Techmatics (RayfieldRS@hqda.army.mil)
Date: Wed Jul 05 2000 - 13:08:04 PDT


The exact number and type of guns in PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38) and ARIZONA
(BB-39) at the time of Pearl Harbor were (12) 5 inch 51 caliber guns
(single) and (8) 5 inch 25 caliber guns (single). This is a correction from
previously stating that she had (22) vice the (20) 5 in guns. This is the
secondary battery that ARIZONA was sunk with, and upon overhaul after the
attack, these guns were completely removed from PENNSYLVANIA and she was
modified to carry (16) 5 inch 38 cal DP guns in four twin mounts each side
amidships.

8 inch guns at Subic would have been for WW II-era 8 in gunned heavy
cruisers during Vietnam War (SAINT PAUL CA-73; NEWPORT NEWS CA-148, CANBERRA
CA-70/CAG-2 and BOSTON CA-69/CAG-1). No U.S. battleship that I know of
carried 8 in guns. They routinely pulled corrective maintenance at Subic
Bay.

There were also some 16 in 50 cal barrels at Subic for NEW JERSEY (BB-62)
during her deployment to RVN.

Stew Rayfield
Major USMC (Ret)
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven P. Allen [mailto:spallen@rolemail.ccis.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 3:20 PM
To: mil-veh@skylee.com
Subject: Re: [MV] USS Arizona and the Belgrano

Umm, Arizona didn't have 8" guns. These were probably 5"/51s that were
removed from her during the '32 refit; most US BBs lost between 3 and 8 of
these secondary guns during the interwar years. The 5"/51 was a large gun,
possibly mistakeable for a medium caliber weapon.

Steve Allen

At 11:06 AM 7/5/00 -0600, Eugene Pantano wrote:
>In the Phillippines...Subic Bay Naval Station to be exact...there were all
>four 8" rifle barrels from Arizona....they were there as "replacements" for
>any of the other battle wagons that might need them...I bet when we left
>there with our tails between our legs...that the barrels were left
>behind...Anyone know about their fate ??? 1SG PANTANO
>
>
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