World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseWashington had her shakedown and training cruises under the command of Captain Howard H. J. Benson on the east coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico. She was the flagship was Rear Admiral John W. Wilcox's Battleship Division 6 of the Atlantic Fleet. On 26 Mar 1942, she became the flagship of Task Force 39, still under Admiral Wilcox, and sailed for Scapa Flow in Britain.

ww2dbaseIn the morning of 27 Mar, Wilcox was found face down in the water; rescue efforts by cruiser Tuscaloosa, two destroyers, and aircraft from Wasp failed, and efforts were abandoned at 1228. The reason of Wilcox being washed overboard was never fully explained. Some thought it might be a heart attack, while others pondered the possibility of a suicide. Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen took over the command of the task force from cruiser Wichita. The task force arrived at Scapa Flow on 4 Apr, and Giffen transferred his flag to Washington.

ww2dbaseIn late Apr 1942, Washington was designated the flagship of Task Force 99. She led the task force in reconnaissance and patrol duties in the North Atlantic. On 12 May, she was inspected by American and Danish politicians. Upon returning to Scapa Flow, she was made temporarily the flagship of Admiral Harold R. Stark on 4 Jun for the 7 Jun inspection by British King George VI. On 14 Jul, at Hvalfjordur, Giffen transferred his flag back to cruiser Wichita as the battleship began her voyage back to the United States. She received an overhaul at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York.

ww2dbaseUpon completion, Washington sailed out of the New York Navy Yard for the Pacific Ocean on 23 Aug 1942, escorted by three destroyers. She arrived at Nukualofa Anchorage, Tongatabu, Tonga Island on 14 Sep, and Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee broke his flag on Washington as his flagship of Battleship Division 6 and Task Group 12.2. She set sail with the group and formed the escort force around Task Force 17, which was centered around the carrier Hornet, as it participated in the Solomon Islands campaign. As a part of Task Force 64, she participated in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Japanese battleship Kirishima, heavy cruisers Atago and Takao, light cruisers Sendai and Nagara, and a screen of nine destroyers escorting four transports met with Task Force 64, which consisted of battleships Washington and South Dakota, supported by destroyers Walke, Benham, Preston, and Gwin. At 0016 on 13 Nov 1942, Washington opened fire first, followed by South Dakota, engaging in a battle that marked the first battleship-to-battleship battle of the Pacific War. Both sides took heavy casualties, but Washington escaped nearly unscathed. She landed nine 16-in shells and forty 5-in shells on Kirishima, disabling her; Kirishima was scuttled about two and half hours later due to the heavy damage. She remained in the South Pacific to support the Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal Campaigns until 30 Apr 1943.

ww2dbaseBetween 8 and 28 May 1943, Washington participated in battle practice in Hawaiian waters. Upon completion of the exercises, she was put into the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for overhaul.

ww2dbaseWashington returned to active duty on 27 Jul 1943, joining Task Group 56.14 for the convoy to New Hebrides. Upon reaching the destination, she detached from the task group on 6 Aug and operated in the region in support of carriers. On 31 Oct, she joined Task Group 53.2 under Lee and performed exercises until 6 Nov.

ww2dbaseIn Nov 1943, from Fiji, Washington sailed with Task Group 50.1 for the Gilbert Islands. She escorted fleet carriers as the carriers launched aircraft to soften Japanese defensive positions before the landings. On 26 Nov, while escorting the carriers during the Makin operation, the group successfully fended off attacking Japanese aircraft. Toward the end of the Gilberts Campaign, Lee kept flag on Washington as the commander of Task Group 50.8 on 6 Dec. The group bombarded Nauru on 8 Dec. She spent the last days of 1943 conducting gunnery practice at Efate.

ww2dbaseAfter becoming a part of Task Group 37.2/Task Group 58.1, Washington escorted carriers as the aircraft attacked Taroa and Kwajalein in late Jan 1944. On 30 Jan, Washington, Massachusetts, and Indiana bombarded Kwajalein. On 1 Feb, while maneuvering at night, Washington rammed Indiana as Indiana crossed in front of Washington. Both ships were sent to Majuro for temporary repairs. Washington received further temporary repair at Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and permanent repairs at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, United States. She returned to Majuro on 30 May, immediately becoming Vice Admiral Lee's flagship once again.

ww2dbaseIn Jun 1944, Washington escorted the carriers as the aircraft attacked the Mariana Islands while she taking part in bombardments against Saipan and Tinian. She participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 Jun, assisting in the great destruction of Japanese air power that later came to be known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. On 25 Jul, Washington, along with Task Group 58.4, sailed to the Palau Islands to raid Japanese shipping in preparation for the upcoming amphibious assault. Immediately after Palau, battleships Washington, Iowa, Indiana, Alabama, light cruiser Birmingham, and a destroyer screen formed Task Group 58.7 under Lee to sail to Eniwetok Atoll of the Marshall Islands for refueling and replenishing, where the task group remained until end of Aug 1944. In Sep 1944, Washington supported the invasion of the Palau Islands. On 10 Oct, she escorted carriers for air raids on Okinawa, in the same function between 11 and 14 Oct against Luzon and Taiwan, and again on 21 Oct between against Visaya Islands. From 5 Nov 1944 to 17 Feb 1945, she operated in the general region roughly enclosed by Okinawa, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. From 19 Feb to Mar 1945, her guns provided naval gunfire support for the Iwo Jima landing operation. On 18, 19, and 29 Mar, she screened carriers as the carrier aircraft attacked targets on the Japanese home island of Kyushu. On 24 Mar and 19 Apr, she bombarded Okinawa with her guns. She set sail from San Pedro Bay, Leyte, Philippine Islands on 1 Jun 1945 for Puget Sound Navy Yard in the United States on 6 Jun 1945, ending her WW2 service.

ww2dbaseWashington underwent a refit between 28 Jun and Oct 1945 at Puget Sound Navy Yard. She participated in Navy Day celebrations at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 27 Oct, then made one trip between Britain and the United States, carrying American servicemen home as part of Operation Magic Carpet. She was placed in reserve in New York and never saw active service again. She was sold for scrap on 24 May 1961. She left the legacy of being one of the few WW2-era battleships to see ship-to-ship combat, and additionally the only WW2-era battleship to fatally defeat another, Kirishima, in combat. She also had the distinction of never losing a single life in direct combat in the course of WW2.

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