View source for USS West Virginia (BB-48)

{{Short description|Dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy}}
{{Other ships|USS West Virginia}}
{{good article}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
 | image   = USS West Virginia BB-48.jpg
 | image_caption = USS ''West Virginia'' (BB-48) after her reconstruction, in July 1944
 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
 | hide_header =
 | country = [[United States]]
 | flag = {{USN flag|1946}}
 | name = ''West Virginia''
 | namesake = [[West Virginia]]
 | ordered = 5 December 1916
 | builder = [[Newport News Shipbuilding]]
 | laid_down = 12 April 1920
 | launched = 19 November 1921
 | commissioned = 1 December 1923
 | decommissioned = 9 January 1947
 | struck = 1 March 1959
 | identification = [[Hull number]]: BB-48
 | fate = Sold for scrap, 24 August 1959
 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 | hide_header =
 | header_caption = (Original configuration)
 | class = {{sclass|Colorado|battleship}}
 | type =
 | displacement =* {{convert|32693|LT|lk=in|0}} (design)
                 * {{convert|33590|lt}} (full load)
 | length = {{cvt|624|ft}}
 | beam ={{cvt|97|ft|6|in}}
 | draft = {{cvt|30|ft|6|in}}
 | power =
*8 × [[Water-tube boiler#Babcock & Wilcox boilers|Babcock & Wilcox boilers]]
*{{cvt|28900|shp|lk=on}}
 | propulsion =
*4 × [[General Electric]] [[turbo-electric transmission|turbo-electric drive]]
*4 × [[Propeller]]s
 | speed = {{cvt|21|kn|lk=on}}
 | range ={{cvt|8000|nmi}} at {{cvt|10|kn}}
 | complement =
* 64 officers
*1,241 enlisted
 | armament =
*  8 × [[16"/45 caliber gun|{{cvt|16|in|0}}/45 caliber guns]]
* 16 × [[5-inch/51-caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in|0}}/51 caliber guns]]
*  8 × [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|{{cvt|3|in|0}}/50 caliber guns]]
*  2 × [[Mark 8 torpedo|{{cvt|21|in|0}}]] [[torpedo tubes]]
 | armor =
* [[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|8|-|13.5|in|abbr=on|0}}
* [[Barbette]]s: {{convert|13|in|abbr=on|0}}
* [[Gun turret#Warships|Turret]] face: {{convert|18|in|abbr=on|0}}
* [[Conning tower]]: {{convert|16|in|abbr=on|0}}
* [[Deck (ship)|Decks]]: {{convert|3.5|in|abbr=on|0}}
 | aircraft =
 | notes =
 }}

|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 | hide_header =
 | header_caption = (Final configuration)
 | beam ={{cvt|114|ft}}
 | sensors = [[CXAM radar|CXAM-1 radar]]
 | armament =
*  8 × {{cvt|16|in|0}}/45 caliber guns
* 16 × [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in|0}}/38 cal guns]]
* 40 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]] guns
* 43 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
 |aircraft=
 }}
}}

'''USS ''West Virginia''''', [[hull number]] '''BB-48''', was the fourth [[dreadnought battleship]] of the {{sclass|Colorado|battleship|4}}, though because {{USS|Washington|BB-47|2}} was cancelled, she was the third and final member of the class to be completed. The ''Colorado'' class proved to be the culmination of the [[standard-type battleship]] series built for the [[United States Navy]] in the 1910s and 1920s; the ships were essentially repeats of the earlier {{sclass|Tennessee|battleship|5}} design, but with a significantly more powerful [[main battery]] of eight {{convert|16|in|adj=on|0}} guns in twin-[[gun turret]]s. ''West Virginia'' was built between her [[keel laying]] in 1920 and her [[ship commissioning|commissioning]] into the Navy in 1923. The ship spent the 1920s and 1930s conducting routine training exercises, including the typically annual [[Fleet Problem]]s, which provided invaluable experience for the coming [[Pacific War|war in the Pacific]].

''West Virginia'' was moored on [[Battleship Row]] on the morning of 7 December 1941 when Japan [[attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked Pearl Harbor]], bringing the United States into [[World War II]]. Badly damaged by [[torpedo]]es, the ship sank in the shallow water but was later refloated and extensively rebuilt over the course of 1943 and into mid-1944. She returned to service in time for the [[Philippines Campaign (1944–1945)|Philippines Campaign]], where she led the American [[line of battle]] at the [[Battle of Surigao Strait]] on the night of 24–25 October. There, she was one of the few American battleships to use her [[radar]] to acquire a target in the darkness, allowing her to engage a Japanese squadron in what was the final action between battleships in naval history.

After Surigao Strait, the ship remained in the Philippines to support troops fighting during the [[Battle of Leyte]] in 1944 and then supported the [[invasion of Lingayen Gulf]] in early 1945. The ship also took part in the [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Battles of Iwo Jima]] and [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]] later that year, providing extensive fire support to the ground forces invading those islands. During the latter operation, she was hit by a ''[[kamikaze]]'' that did little damage. Following the [[surrender of Japan]], ''West Virginia'' took part in the [[occupation of Japan|initial occupation]] and thereafter participated in [[Operation Magic Carpet]], carrying soldiers and sailors from Hawaii to the mainland United States before being deactivated in 1946. She was decommissioned in 1947 and assigned to the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet]], where she remained until 1959 when she was sold to [[ship breaker]]s and dismantled.

==Design==
{{main|Colorado-class battleship|l1=''Colorado''-class battleship}}
[[File:USS West Virginia (BB-48) inboard and outboard profiles 1930s.png|thumb|left|Profile drawing of ''West Virginia'' as she appeared in 1930]]

In 1916, design work was completed on the next class of battleships to be built for the [[United States Navy]] beginning in 1917. These ships were nearly direct copies of the preceding {{sclass|Tennessee|battleship|4}}, with the exception of the [[main battery]], which increased from twelve {{convert|14|in|adj=on|0}} guns to eight {{cvt|16|in|0}} guns. The ''Colorado'' class proved to be the last class of battleships completed of the [[standard-type battleship|standard type]].{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=137}}

''West Virginia'' was {{cvt|624|ft}} [[Length overall|long overall]] and she had a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|97|ft|6|in}} and a [[Draft (nautical)|draft]] of {{cvt|30|ft|6|in}}. She [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{cvt|32693|LT|MT|lk=on|sp=us}} as designed and up to {{cvt|33590|LT|MT}} at full load. The ship was powered by four [[General Electric]] [[Turbo-electric transmission|turbo-electric]] drives with steam provided by eight oil-fired [[Babcock & Wilcox boiler]]s. The ship's propulsion system was rated at {{convert|28900|shp|lk=on}} for a top speed of {{convert|21|kn|lk=in}}, though on speed trials she reached {{cvt|31268|shp}} and a speed of {{cvt|21.09|kn}}. She had a normal cruising range of {{cvt|8000|nmi}} at {{cvt|10|kn}}, but additional fuel space could be used in wartime to increase her range to {{cvt|21100|nmi}} at that speed. Her crew numbered 64&nbsp;officers and 1,241&nbsp;enlisted men.{{sfn|Friedman 1986|p=118}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=445}}

She was armed with a main battery of eight [[16"/45 caliber gun|16 in /45 caliber Mark 1 guns]] in four twin-[[gun turret]]s on the centerline,{{efn|/45 caliber refers to the length of the gun in terms of [[caliber (artillery)|caliber]]. The length of a /45 caliber gun is 45 times its bore diameter.}} two forward and two aft in [[superfire|superfiring pairs]]. The [[secondary armament|secondary battery]] consisted of sixteen [[5-inch/51-caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|adj=on|0}}/51 caliber guns]], mounted individually in [[casemate]]s clustered in the superstructure [[amidships]]. She carried an [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] battery of eight [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|adj=on|0}}/50 caliber guns]] in individual high-angle mounts. As was customary for [[capital ship]]s of the period, she had a {{cvt|21|in|0}} [[torpedo tube]] mounted in her hull below the [[waterline]] on each [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]. ''West Virginia''{{'}}s main [[armored belt]] was {{convert|8|–|13.5|in|abbr=on|0}} thick, while the main armored deck was up to {{convert|3.5|in|abbr=on}} thick. The main battery gun turrets had {{convert|18|in|abbr=on|0}} thick faces on {{convert|13|in|mm|abbr=on}} [[barbette]]s. Her [[conning tower]] had {{convert|16|in|abbr=on|0}} thick sides.{{sfn|Friedman 1986|p=118}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=445}}

==Service history==
===Prewar career===
[[File:USS West Virginia at 1927 naval review NARA 19-LC-19C.jpg|thumb|left|''West Virginia'' during a [[naval review]] in 1927]]

The [[keel]] for ''West Virginia'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] at the [[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding]] Company of [[Newport News, Virginia]] on 12 April 1920. While under construction, she received the [[hull number]] BB-48 on 17 July. Her completed [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] was [[ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 19 November 1921 and she was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 1 December 1923. ''West Virginia'' was to have been the fourth member of the class, but her [[sister ship]] {{USS|Washington|BB-47|2}} was cancelled due to the [[Washington Naval Treaty]] that was signed in 1922.{{sfn|Friedman 1986|p=118}}{{sfn|DANFS}} Captain [[Thomas J. Senn]] was the ship's first commander. On entering service, she began [[sea trials]] and a [[shakedown cruise]], followed by repairs at Newport News. She then sailed north to the [[New York Navy Yard]] for further alterations. She then steamed south to [[Hampton Roads]], and while en route her steering gear malfunctioned. She underwent an overhaul there to correct the problem and she got underway again on 16 June 1924; while cruising through Lynnhaven Channel at 10:10, the [[telegraph]]s for the engine room and steering compartment lost power, rendering the ship unmaneuverable. Senn had to use [[voice tube]]s to communicate with the engine room, ordering the port engines to full power and the starboard to stop in an attempt to steer the ship away from the shore. But ''West Virginia'' drifted in the channel and ran aground, though she was not damaged in the accident. A subsequent inquiry into the incident faulted incorrect navigational data that exaggerated the size of the navigable part of the channel, exonerating Senn and the ship's navigator.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 30 October, ''West Virginia'' became the [[flagship]] for the [[ComBatPac|Commander, Battleship Divisions]], [[Battle Fleet]]. The ship spent the 1920s conducting routine training exercises and maneuvers with the fleet, punctuated by periodic overhauls; each year's training schedule culminated in the major [[Fleet Problem]]s that tested operational and strategic doctrine that proved to be critical in the operations conducted against Japan during [[World War II]]. These operations took place in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as far north as Alaska and as far south as Panama. In 1925, while Captain [[Arthur Japy Hepburn]] commanded the ship, her gunners scored first place during a competition for short range shooting. ''West Virginia'' won the [[Battle Efficiency ribbon]] that year as well. Later in 1925, the fleet conducted joint Army-Navy maneuvers in Hawaii to test the defenses of the islands before embarking on a major cruise to visit Australia and New Zealand. ''West Virginia'' won Battle Efficiency ribbons in 1927, 1932, and 1933.{{sfn|DANFS}} During [[Fleet Problem X]] in March 1930, ''West Virginia'' was "bombed" by aircraft from the [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Lexington|CV-2|2}}. In [[Fleet Problem XI]], held the following month, she and the battleship {{USS|Tennessee|BB-43|2}} accidentally engaged the carrier {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}}, a fellow member of the "black" fleet, mistaking her for the "blue" fleet carrier ''Lexington''. The simulated friendly fire cost "black" fleet their carrier and led to calls for improved communication between ships and better ship identification training.{{sfn|Nofi|pp=124, 133–134}}

[[File:Uss west virginia bb.jpg|thumb|''West Virginia'' in [[San Francisco Bay]], c. 1934]]
In the early 1930s, the ship underwent a minor modification. Her battery of 3-inch anti-aircraft guns were replaced with [[5-inch/25-caliber gun|5-inch /25 cal. guns]] and [[M2 Browning|.50-caliber machine guns]] were installed on her fore and main masts. She also received [[aircraft catapult]]s on her [[quarterdeck]] and atop the rear superfiring turret.{{sfn|DANFS}} During [[Fleet Problem XIV]] in February 1933, ''West Virginia'' and the battleship {{USS|Arizona|BB-39|2}} were "damaged" in a surprise attack by "black" fleet [[submarine]]s.{{sfn|Nofi|p=169}} Plans to modernize ''West Virginia'' dated to the mid-1930s, when the navy considered modifying the ship extensively; the [[Bureau of Construction and Repair]] planned to add [[anti-torpedo bulge]]s that would have restored a considerable amount of buoyancy to the hull, raising her {{cvt|20|in}} at the cost of an additional {{cvt|2000|LT|MT|0}} displacement. The work was not carried out, and in 1937 further plans to modernize ''West Virginia'', her sister ships, and the two ''Tennessee''-class ships, were considered. The proposed modifications included new boilers and fire control equipment and the previously suggested bulges. Further development of the modernization program in 1938 was rejected due to its cost and the fact that, even as modernized, the vessels would be inferior to the new {{sclass|North Carolina|battleship|5}} and {{sclass|South Dakota|battleship|1||1939}}s being built.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=207}}

Following the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Admiral [[Ernest King]] led a board to evaluate anti-aircraft defenses of the fleet's ships, and it recommended adding blisters to restore [[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]], the adoption of [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|5 in /38 cal.]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s, and a strengthening of the ships' decks. The [[Chief of Naval Operations]] decided that, as a result of the likelihood of war, only the bulges would be fitted, and ''West Virginia'' was slated to undergo the work from 10 May to 8 August 1941, though the modification was not carried out.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=207}} The Navy conducted the final iteration of the series, [[Fleet Problem XXI]], in April 1940, by which time tensions with Japan over the latter's initiation of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] had led the United States to transfer the fleet from California to [[Pearl Harbor]] in Hawaii as a deterrent to further aggression by Japan. The fleet spent 1941 occupied with extensive training to prepare for the anticipated war with Japan, even after the diplomatic situation increasingly worsened in the final months of the year.{{sfn|DANFS}} During this period, the Navy sought to improve the anti-aircraft batteries of the fleet's battleships, but production of the new [[1.1-inch/75-caliber gun|{{cvt|1.1|in}} guns]] was slow, so old 3&nbsp;in guns were reinstalled as a temporary measure. The ship also had eleven .50-cal. machine guns by this time. In June, men aboard ''West Virginia'' fabricated an experimental [[gun shield]] for the 5&nbsp;in guns, which were to be applied to other ships. ''West Virginia'' was to have had her 1.1&nbsp;in guns installed in February 1942.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=354–355}}

=== World War II ===
[[File:Attack on Pearl Harbor Japanese planes view.jpg|thumb|[[Battleship Row]] during the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]]; the large column of water visible in the center is one of the torpedo hits on ''West Virginia'']]

==== Pearl Harbor ====
{{main|Attack on Pearl Harbor}}

On the morning of 7 December 1941, ''West Virginia'' and the rest of the fleet were moored at [[Battleship Row]] in Pearl Harbor; ''West Virginia'' was tied alongside ''Tennessee''. Japanese aircraft appeared over the harbor shortly before 08:00, beginning the surprise attack on the base. [[Torpedo bomber]]s hit the ship with seven [[Type 91 torpedo]]es on her port side, while [[bomber]]s hit her with a pair of  {{cvt|16|in}} armor-piercing shells that had been converted into bombs. The first bomb hit the port side and penetrated the superstructure deck, causing extensive damage to the casemates below. Secondary explosions of the ammunition stored in the casemates caused serious fires there and in the galley deck below them. The second bomb struck the rear superfiring turret roof; it penetrated but failed to explode. It nevertheless destroyed one of the guns, the [[OS2U Kingfisher]] [[floatplane]] on the catapult atop the turret, and knocked a second aircraft down to the main deck. That Kingfisher spilled gasoline on the deck that then caught on fire.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Wallin|p=233}}

One of the torpedoes hit aft, disabling the [[rudder]], at least three hit below the belt armor, and at least one hit the belt, damaging seven armor plates. These torpedoes opened two large holes in the hull, from frames 43 to 52 and from 62 to 97; at least one torpedo passed through the holes after the ship began to [[angle of list|list]] and exploded on the second armor deck.{{sfn|Wallin|pp=233–234}}{{sfn|Rohwer|p=122}} The torpedo hits caused extensive damage and the ship avoided [[capsize|capsizing]] only through prompt damage control efforts initiated by Lieutenant [[Claude V. Ricketts]], then the ship's assistant fire control officer. Captain [[Mervyn S. Bennion]] was mortally wounded by bomb fragments from a hit on ''Tennessee''; for remaining aboard the ship and assisting in its defense until he died, he received the [[Medal of Honor]].{{sfn|DANFS}} After receiving his wounds, Bennion was carried from the bridge by crew members including mess attendant second-class [[Doris Miller]]. Shortly afterwards, Miller was ordered to man an anti-aircraft gun on the conning tower despite no training in the operation of the weapon, Miller was awarded a [[Navy Cross]] for his actions.{{sfn|Cressman|p=29}} As the ship filled with water and slowly sank on an even keel, the crew was evacuated, though a group volunteered to return to fight the fires that had broken out. Fuel oil leaking from the destroyed ''Arizona'' caught fire and engulfed ''West Virginia'' in flames, which was also fed by her own leaking fuel oil.{{sfn|Hone|p=56}} The fires were eventually put out the next day.{{sfn|DANFS}} A total of 106&nbsp;men were killed in the attack.{{sfn|Johnson}} Among them were three sailors (Ronald Endicott, Clifford Olds and Louis Costin), who survived in an airtight storeroom until 23 December, according to a calendar found by salvage crews on which sixteen days had been crossed off in red pencil.{{sfn|Gregory}} On 6 December 2019, the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] announced that eight of the thirty-five unknown remains from ''West Virginia'' had been identified.{{sfn|Pearl Harbor Identifications}}

{{gallery
|title=''West Virginia'' during and after the attack
|align=center
|width=160 | height=170
|File:Pearl Harbor Japanese recon photo of battleship row 80G30551.jpg
|Japanese reconnaissance photo showing Battleship Row; ''West Virginia'' is leaking fuel from torpedo hits
|File:Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - NARA - 197288.jpg
|''West Virginia'', engulfed in flames
|File:USS West Virginia;014824.jpg
|A motor launch pulls a man from the water
|File:Photograph of the damage done to the USS West Virginia, sunk in the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor - NARA - 306536.jpg
|''West Virginia'' (right) sunk alongside ''Tennessee'' after the attack
|File:USS West Virginia 5-30-42, Dud bomg found at Fr. 63 Portside 2nd deck. Approx. weight 1750 lbs. (FCP) - NARA - 296916.jpg
|Shipyard worker inspecting interior damage in 1942
}}

==== Repairs and modernization ====
{{multiple image
| align     = right
| direction = vertical
| width     = 300
| image1    = USS West Virginia (BB-48) off Pearl Harbor in April 1943.jpg
| caption1  =''West Virginia'' leaving Pearl Harbor, April 30, 1943
| image2    = USS West Virginia (BB-48) 1944 7.jpg
| caption2  = ''West Virginia'' in July 1944
}}

Workers fixed patches over the two torpedo holes and pumped ''West Virginia'' dry, refloating her on 17 May 1942. She was then taken into Dry Dock No. 1 in Pearl Harbor on 9 June for an inspection; it had been initially believed that she had been hit by five torpedoes, but a sixth impact had been discovered during the patching, and this inspection revealed the seventh hit. The shipyard workers then began temporary repairs to make the ship seaworthy, and during this period they discovered the remains of 66 or 70&nbsp;men who had been trapped below decks when she sank. Some of these had survived for several days in air bubbles with emergency rations and fresh water, but their oxygen and supplies ran out long before the ship was refloated.  After completing repairs, ''West Virginia'' got underway for the [[Puget Sound Navy Yard]] in [[Bremerton, Washington]] for a thorough reconstruction.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Wallin|p=238}}

Almost immediately after the attack, the navy began considering the extent to which the old battleships should be modernized, with proposals to replace the lattice masts with other structures that could accommodate the heavier radar equipment being fitted to the fleet's ships. Since ''West Virginia'' and {{USS|California|BB-44|2}} had been badly damaged in the Pearl Harbor attack and thus could not be quickly returned to service like the other battleships, they would have the bulges that had been planned before the war installed, which would offset the loss of freeboard incurred by the addition of {{cvt|1400|LT|MT}} of deck armor. Plans were also made to install a battery of the dual-purpose 5-inch guns, but the work was deferred as a result of the length of time necessary to reconstruct the ship. In addition, the limited number of drydocks on the west coast slowed the pace of reconstruction, and ''West Virginia'' had to wait until ''Tennessee'' and ''California'' were rebuilt; work on ''West Virginia'' was not completed until September 1944.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=357–358, 375}}

Work on ''West Virginia'' saw the ship radically altered. In addition to the torpedo bulges, her superstructure was completely revised, with the old heavily armored conning tower being removed and a smaller tower erected in its place to reduce interference with the anti-aircraft guns' fields of fire. The new tower had been removed from one of the {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser|1}}s that had recently been rebuilt. The foremast was replaced with a tower mast that housed the bridge and the main battery director, and her second funnel was removed, with those boilers being trunked into an enlarged forward funnel. The ship's weapons suite was also overhauled. She received air-search [[radar]] and fire-control radars for her main and secondary batteries, the latter being replaced by a uniform battery of sixteen 5-inch/38 cal. guns in eight twin mounts. These were controlled by four [[Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System|Mk 37 directors]]. The light anti-aircraft battery was again revised, now consisting of ten quadruple [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{cvt|40|mm}} Bofors guns]] and forty-three 20&nbsp;mm Oerlikons.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=92}}

By early July 1944, the ship was ready to begin sea trials in her post-refit condition. She loaded ammunition on 2 July and departed for trials off [[Port Townsend, Washington]], with the evaluations continuing until 12 July, at which point she returned to Puget Sound for repairs. She then steamed south to [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]] for a shakedown cruise before departing for Hawaii on 14 September in company with a pair of escorting [[destroyer]]s. After arriving there on 23 September, she joined [[Battleship Division 4]] (BatDiv 4) and the carrier {{USS|Hancock|CV-19|2}}, all of which sailed on to [[Manus Island|Manus]] in the [[Admiralty Islands]] to begin preparations for the upcoming operations in the [[Philippines]]. The ships arrived in [[Seeadler Harbor]] on 5 October and the following day, ''West Virginia'' became the flagship of [[Rear Admiral]] [[Theodore D. Ruddock]], the commander of BatDiv 4.{{sfn|DANFS}}

==== Operations in the Philippines ====
{{main|Philippines campaign (1944–1945)}}

===== Leyte =====
{{main|Battle of Leyte}}

On 12 October 1944, ''West Virginia'' and the rest of the fleet sortied to begin the invasion of the Philippines, starting with the island of [[Leyte]]. ''West Virginia'' was assigned to Task Group (TG) 77.2, the [[naval gunfire support|shore bombardment]] force for the operation that was commanded by Rear Admiral [[Jesse B. Oldendorf]]. While en route later that day, ''West Virginia'' steamed astern of ''California'' and the latter vessel's [[Paravane (weapon)|paravanes]] cut the anchor chain for a [[naval mine]], forcing ''West Virginia'' to steer around it; gunfire from a nearby destroyer detonated the mine safely. The invasion fleet arrived in [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]] early on 19 October and at 07:00, ''West Virginia'' and the rest of TG&nbsp;77.2 moved into their bombardment positions. They opened fire on targets around [[Tacloban]], shelling Japanese positions and providing covering fire for the [[Underwater Demolition Team]]s that were preparing the invasion beaches for much of the day before withdrawing that evening. In the course of the day's bombardment, she fired a total of 278&nbsp;shells from her main battery and 1,586&nbsp;rounds from her secondary guns.{{sfn|DANFS}}

The next morning, ground forces from [[Sixth United States Army|Sixth Army]] went ashore and ''West Virginia'' remained on station throughout the day to provide naval gunfire support. The fleet came under Japanese air attack, though the ship's anti-aircraft gunners were not able to shoot any aircraft down. On 21 October, while moving into her bombardment station, she lightly [[ship grounding|grounded]], damaging three of her propellers. The damaged blades caused vibration that limited her speed to {{convert|16|kn}} (or {{cvt|18|kn}} in emergencies). She nevertheless remained on station for the next two days to support the invasion as the soldiers fought their way inland, providing fire support and anti-aircraft defense as the fleet continued to be attacked by Japanese aircraft. Each night she and the rest of TG&nbsp;77.2 withdrew from the beaches.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Rohwer|p=366}}

=====Battle of Leyte Gulf =====
{{Main|Battle of Leyte Gulf}}
[[File:USS West Virginia (BB-48) firing during the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|''West Virginia'' firing in the darkness in the Surigao Strait]]

The landing on Leyte led to the activation of [[Operation Shō-Gō 1]], the Japanese navy's planned riposte to an Allied landing in the Philippines.{{sfn|Wilmott|p=47}} The plan was a complicated operation with three separate fleets: the Northern Force under Vice Admiral [[Jisaburō Ozawa]], the Center Force under Vice Admiral [[Takeo Kurita]], and the Southern Force under Vice Admiral [[Shōji Nishimura]]. Ozawa's carriers, by now depleted of most of their aircraft, were to serve as a decoy for Kurita's and Nishimura's battleships, which were to use the distraction to attack the invasion fleet directly.{{sfn|Wilmott|pp=73–74, 110–123}} Kurita's ships were detected in the [[San Bernardino Strait]] on 24 October 1944, and in the ensuing [[Battle of the Sibuyan Sea]], American carrier aircraft sank the powerful battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Musashi||2}}, causing Kurita to temporarily reverse course. This convinced Admiral [[William F. Halsey]], the commander of Third Fleet, to send the [[fast carrier task force]] to destroy the Northern Force, which had by then been detected.{{sfn|Wilmott|pp=73–74, 110–123}} While these maneuvers were occurring, Nishumura's force approached the [[Surigao Strait]] to attack the invasion fleet from the south. His fleet consisted of the battleships {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamashiro||2}} and {{ship|Japanese battleship|Fusō||2}}, the heavy cruiser {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Mogami|1934|2}}, and four destroyers, supplemented by Vice Admiral [[Kiyohide Shima]]'s Second Striking Force, consisting of the heavy cruisers {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Nachi||2}} and {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Ashigara||2}}, the light cruiser {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Abukuma||2}}, and four more destroyers.{{sfn|Tully|pp=24–28}}

As Nishimura's flotilla passed through the strait on the night of 24 October, they came under attack from American [[PT boat]]s, followed by destroyers, initiating the [[Battle of Surigao Strait]]. One of these US destroyers torpedoed ''Fusō'' and disabled her, though Nishimura continued on toward his objective.{{sfn|Tully|p=152}} ''West Virginia'' steamed at the head of the American line. Observers aboard ''Tennessee'' spotted the flashes in the distance as the light American craft attacked Nishimura's force, and at 03:02, her search radar picked up the enemy ships at a range of {{cvt|44000|yd}}. ''West Virginia''{{'}}s radar picked them up fourteen minutes later, by which time the range had fallen to {{cvt|42000|yd}}. Oldendorf gave the order to open fire at 03:51, and ''West Virginia'' opened fire first a minute later, followed by ''Tennessee'' and ''California'', concentrating their fire on ''Yamashiro''; the other American battleships had trouble locating a target with their older, less-effective radars and held their fire. ''West Virginia'' probably hit ''Yamashiro'' on her bridge with her first [[salvo]], though Nishimura and his staff were not injured at that time. ''Yamashiro'' was quickly hit several times by several American vessels that concentrated their fire on her. With ''Yamashiro'' badly damaged and burning furiously, the Americans then shifted fire to ''Mogami'', which was also hit several times, suffering severe damage.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Tully|pp=194–196, 201–202}}

[[File:USS Artisan ABSD-1 04.jpg|thumb|alt=The ship on a floating dry dock for repairs|''West Virginia'' aboard the floating drydock {{USS|Artisan|AFDB-1|6}} for repairs on 13 November 1944]]

At about 04:00, ''Mogami'' and then ''Yamashiro'' turned to retreat, both burning; the destroyer {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Shigure|1935|2}} fled with them, though she had not suffered any serious damage. Shortly thereafter, Oldendorf ordered his battleships to make a 150-degree turn, and ''West Virginia'' complied at 04:02, leading the other battleships on the new course, which ran parallel to ''Yamashiro''{{'}}s line of retreat. Confusion aboard ''California'' led her to fall out of position, and in so doing, mask the rest of the battleships and force them to cease firing to avoid hitting her. Shortly thereafter, reports of Japanese torpedoes in the water prompted the American battleships to turn to the north at 04:18 to avoid them.{{sfn|Tully|pp=208–210}} This marked the end of the action, as the remaining Japanese ships retreated in the darkness. In the course of the action, ''West Virginia'' fired sixteen salvos at the Japanese ships; this proved to be the last ever battle between battleships.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=375–376}}

=====Later operations=====

On 29 October 1944, ''West Virginia'', ''Tennessee'', and the battleship {{USS|Maryland|BB-46|2}} got underway, headed to the navy's advance base at [[Ulithi]]. From there, ''West Virginia'' proceeded on to [[Espiritu Santo]] for repairs to her damaged propellers; Ruddock shifted his flag to ''Maryland'' during this period. On arriving, she entered the floating drydock {{USS|Artisan||2}} for maintenance before returning to the Philippines in November. Steaming first to Manus and then to Leyte Gulf, she arrived on 25 November and resumed patrols in the area to defend the fleet from air attacks. On 27 November, the fleet came under another attack and at 11:39, her gunners shot down a [[kamikaze]] suicide aircraft. During further attacks the next day, she assisted in the destruction of several other kamikazes. Ruddock returned to the ship on 30 November, and the battleship remained in the area until 2 December, when she departed for the [[Palau Islands]] for replenishment. There, she became the flagship of TG&nbsp;77.12, the bombardment group for the next landing in the Philippines.{{sfn|DANFS}}

[[File:USS Mississippi (BB-41), USS West Virginia (BB-48) and HMAS Shropshire (73) bombarding Luzon on 8 January 1945.jpg|thumb|left|''West Virginia'' astern of {{USS|Mississippi|BB-41|2}} firing in [[Lingayen Gulf]] on 8 January]]

The fleet passed through Leyte Gulf on 12 December, turning south through Surigao Strait the next day and entering the [[Sulu Sea]] for the assault on [[Mindoro]] in company with TG&nbsp;78.3, the invasion transport force. After landing ground forces, the transports withdrew on 15 December and ''West Virginia'' was tasked with covering their departure. ''West Virginia'' refueled in Leyte Gulf and then continued on to the [[Kossol Roads]] in the Palaus, arriving on 19 December. She remained there for the rest of the year, and on 1 January 1945, Rear Admiral [[Ingram C. Sowell]] replaced Ruddock as the commander of BatDiv&nbsp;4. That same day, she sortied as part of TG&nbsp;77.2. After entering Leyte Gulf on 3 January, the ships steamed into the Sulu Sea, where they came under heavy Japanese air attack the next day; the [[escort carrier]] {{USS|Ommaney Bay|CVE-79|2}} was badly damaged by kamikazes and was then scuttled; nearby destroyers took off the crew, some of whom were then transferred to ''West Virginia''.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 5 January, the fleet entered the [[South China Sea]] and then turned north toward [[Lingayen Gulf]]; further Japanese air attacks took place throughout the day and ''West Virginia'' contributed her guns to the fleet's defense. While on the way, the ship closed with San Fernando Point and bombarded Japanese positions in the area. Waves of kamikazes struck the fleet and hit several ships but ''West Virginia'' avoided them. The next day, the [[minesweeper]] {{USS|Hovey||2}} was sunk by a Japanese torpedo and ''West Virginia'' took on survivors from the vessel. Over the course of 8–9 January, the ship bombarded the town of [[San Fabian, Pangasinan|San Fabian]] in Lingayen Gulf to prepare for the invasion that took place later on the 9th. That evening, the survivors from ''Ommaney Bay'' and ''Hovey'' departed ''West Virginia''.{{sfn|DANFS}}

The ship continued her fire support mission on 10 January and then spent the next week patrolling Lingayen Gulf to protect the [[beachhead]]. During this period, she was called on to neutralize defensive positions, destroy ammunition dumps, and shell rail and road junctions to disrupt the Japanese ability to reinforce their positions. Heavy bombardment from ''West Virginia'' and the other ships flattened San Fabian. Over the course of the bombardment, she fired 395&nbsp;main battery shells and more than 2,800&nbsp;secondary shells. On 21 January, the ship departed at 07:07 to support ground forces fighting in the towns of [[Rosario, La Union|Rosario]] and [[Santo Tomas, La Union|Santo Tomas]] to the north of Lingayen Gulf, opening fire at 08:15. She remained there for several days, providing fire support, before returning to Lingayen Gulf on 1 February. The ships of TG&nbsp;77.2 thereafter covered transports carrying supplies for the Army as they arrived to unload their cargo at the beachhead. On 10 February, ''West Virginia'' departed for Leyte Gulf.{{sfn|DANFS}}

==== Battle of Iwo Jima ====
{{main|Battle of Iwo Jima}}
''West Virginia'' passed through San Pedro Bay in Leyte Gulf before proceeding on to Ulithi, which she reached on 16 February 1945. There she joined [[United States Fifth Fleet|Fifth Fleet]] and she immediately began preparations for the attack on [[Iwo Jima]]. She refueled and replenished supplies for the upcoming operation and was ready to depart at 04:00 the next morning; the ship got underway three and a half hours later, escorted by the destroyers {{USS|Izard||2}} and {{USS|McCall|DD-400|2}}. On arriving off the island on 19 February, she joined Task Force (TF) 51, and at 11:25 she received orders to join the bombardment already underway as ground forces landed on the beach. She moved to her assigned station at 11:45 and opened fire an hour later; the [[USMC|marines]] fighting ashore directed her fire to target [[blockhouse]]s, machine gun positions, tanks, and other Japanese positions.{{sfn|DANFS}}

The ship withdrew for the evening and returned two days later on 21 February, opening fire at 08:00 and remaining on station all day. During the bombardment, she hit an ammunition or fuel dump, setting off large, repeated explosions for the next two hours. She was hit by a small artillery shell the next day that struck near the forward superfiring turret and wounded one sailor. The ship remained off the island for the rest of the month as the marines fought to secure Iwo Jima from the tenacious Japanese defenders. On 27 February, she neutralized an artillery battery that had been firing on the destroyer {{USS|Bryant||2}}. The battleship left the following day to replenish ammunition before returning later that day to resume the bombardment. She shelled targets throughout the night to harass the Japanese troops and interdict their movements. ''West Virginia'' continued to shell the island for the next three days before departing for Ulithi on 4 March; she arrived there two days later.{{sfn|DANFS}}

==== Battle of Okinawa ====
{{main|Battle of Okinawa}}

''West Virginia'' then joined [[Okinawa naval order of battle#Gunfire and Covering Force (Task Force 54)|Task Force 54]] (TF 54) for the next major amphibious assault in the [[Ryukyu Islands]]; the ships departed on 21 March 1945 and arrived off the island of [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]] on 25 March. ''West Virginia'' moved to her assigned bombardment station and began to shell the planned landing zones. At 10:29 on 26 March, a single Japanese shell fell some {{cvt|5000|yd}} off ''West Virginia''{{'}}s port bow; she fired twenty-eight 16-inch shells in response. Intense Japanese air counterattacks began the next morning, and she shot down a [[Yokosuka P1Y]] twin-engined bomber that day. The ship remained off the island for the next few days, bombarding the landing beaches to prepare for the assault that was scheduled for 1 April. Before the attack began, the ship withdrew to replenish ammunition at [[Kerama Retto]], which had been seized at the start of the campaign to provide an advance base for the invasion fleet.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Rohwer|p=404}}

The ship returned to the island early on 1 April to support the landings; while approaching Okinawa at 04:45, she had to reverse her engines to avoid colliding with a destroyer that inadvertently crossed her bow in the darkness. As she continued to steam to her assigned station, her anti-aircraft gunners spotted an enemy aircraft, which they shot down; shortly thereafter, a group of four more hostile aircraft appeared, one of which ''West Virginia''{{'}}s guns destroyed. By 06:30, the ship had reached her station just {{cvt|900|yd}} from shore and began shelling the beach as the landing craft slowly made their way to the landing zone. The ship remained off the island throughout the day, though ground forces initially encountered little resistance and ''West Virginia''{{'}}s guns were not immediately needed. That evening, however, a wave of kamikazes arrived and at 19:03, one of them crashed into ''West Virginia''. The plane struck the ship's superstructure just forward of the No. 2 director for the secondary battery. The resulting explosion killed four and wounded seven in one of the 20&nbsp;mm gun batteries. The aircraft had been carrying a bomb that penetrated to the second deck, though it failed to detonate; it was later defused by the ship's bomb disposal officer.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''West Virginia'' nevertheless remained off the island through the night, firing [[star shell]]s to illuminate marine positions to help repel Japanese infiltration attacks. The next day, the dead were [[buried at sea]] and the ship returned to bombardment duty shortly thereafter. On 6 April, her gunners shot down an [[Aichi D3A]] [[dive bomber]]. The next day, the Japanese Navy launched a last strike with a small squadron centered on the battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamato||2}}, and ''West Virginia'' was sent to patrol to the west of the island to intercept any Japanese vessels that broke through heavy American air attacks. On 8 April, the ship received word that most of the Japanese vessels had been sunk or fled. ''West Virginia'' resumed bombardment operations and air defense of the fleet. She remained on station until 20 April, when she got underway for Ulithi; she did not reach her destination, however, as she was quickly recalled to replace her sister {{USS|Colorado|BB-45|2}} after the latter suffered an accidental explosion while replenishing ammunition. ''West Virginia'' briefly returned to Okinawa, operating off Hagushi Beach in support of [[XXIV Corps (United States)|XXIV Corps]]. She was then relieved and sailed to Ulithi with the [[heavy cruiser]] {{USS|San Francisco|CA-38|2}} and the destroyer {{USS|Hobson|DD-464|2}}, arriving there on 28 April.{{sfn|DANFS}}

The ship then returned to Okinawa to resume fire support duties, which she carried out through June. During this period, on 1 and 2 June, she destroyed a Japanese blockhouse that had held up the American advance during a series of bombardments. On 16 June, having moved south to support the [[1st Marine Regiment]], one of the ship's Kingfishers was shot down by Japanese fire. The pilot and observer both bailed out from the aircraft, but they fell behind Japanese lines and were pinned down. ''West Virginia'', the destroyer {{USS|Putnam|DD-757|2}}, and a [[Landing Craft, Infantry]] attempted to suppress the Japanese defenses in the area so ground forces could break through and rescue the downed air crew, but the effort failed and the men were killed. The ship received another Kingfisher from ''Tennessee'', allowing her to continue to support the forces ashore through the end of the month.{{sfn|DANFS}}

====End of the war====
[[File:USS West Virginia (BB-48) anchored in Sagami Wan, Japan, August 1945.jpg|thumb|''West Virginia'' anchored in [[Sagami Bay]] in August 1945]]

At the end of June 1945, the ship left Okinawan waters for San Pedro Bay in company with the [[destroyer escort]] {{USS|Connolly|DE-306|2}}, arriving there on 1 July. Four days later, she received a group of replacement crewmen, and after loading ammunition there, began training in preparation for the expected [[Operation Downfall|invasion of Kyushu]], the invasion of the Japanese mainland. These operations continued through July, and on 3 August she got underway for Okinawa, arriving in [[Buckner Bay]] on 6 August. That day, the first [[atomic bomb]] was [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|dropped on Hiroshima]], and a second was dropped on [[Nagasaki]] three days later. After these two attacks, rumors spread on 10 August that the Japanese would surrender, prompting celebrations among the crews of the ships in Okinawa, though two days later the battleship {{USS|Pennsylvania|BB-38|2}} was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. ''West Virginia'' sent a [[whaleboat]] with pumps to assist the damaged battleship.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 15 August, the Japanese surrendered, and ''West Virginia''{{'}}s contingent of marines began preparations for the [[occupation of Japan]]. The ship departed on 24 August, headed for [[Tokyo Bay]], assigned to TG&nbsp;35.90, arriving there on 31 August. She was present during the formal surrender ceremonies aboard the battleship {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}} on 2 September, and ''West Virginia'' loaned five musicians from the ship's band to play during the ceremony. ''West Virginia'' remained in Tokyo for the next two weeks to assist with the initial occupation effort, and on 14 September she took on a group of 270&nbsp;passengers to be carried back to the United States. The ship got underway on 20 September with TG&nbsp;30.4 for Okinawa; after a stop in Buckner Bay on 23 September, she continued on to Pearl Harbor, arriving there on 4 October. There, her crew repainted the ship before departing on 9 October for [[San Diego, California]], which she reached on 22 October. Sowell left the ship two days later.{{sfn|DANFS}}

In the course of the war, ''West Virginia'' was awarded five [[battle star]]s, despite having missed much of the war due to the severe damage suffered at Pearl Harbor.{{sfn|DANFS}}

===Postwar===
During the [[Navy Day#United States|Navy Day]] celebrations on 27 October 1945, some 25,554&nbsp;people visited the ship. Three days later, she departed for Pearl Harbor to begin her role in [[Operation Magic Carpet]], the repatriation effort to return American servicemen from the Pacific. She took on passengers in Pearl Harbor and carried them back to San Diego, making three runs through the end of the year, the last arriving in San Diego on 17 December. She remained in port until 4 January 1946, when she departed for Bremerton, arriving there on 12 January, where she was taken to be deactivated. She was moved to [[Seattle]], Washington, four days later and tied up alongside ''Colorado''. Further work to prepare her for the reserve fleet continued into February and she was formally decommissioned on 9 January 1947, assigned to the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet]]. ''West Virginia'' remained in the navy's inventory until 1 March 1959, when she was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] and placed for sale; she was sold on 24 August to the Union Minerals & Alloys Corp.{{sfn|DANFS}} and towed to Todd-Pacific Shipyard in Seattle on 3 January 1961 to be [[ship breaking|broken up]].<ref name="West Virginia Departmeint of Arts, Culture, and History">{{cite web |title=USSWV |url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/usswv/usswv8.html |website=West Virginia Departmeint of Arts, Culture, and History |access-date=18 April 2020}}</ref>

Several parts of the ship are preserved in locations throughout the United States, primarily in West Virginia. One of her anti-aircraft guns is on display in City Park in [[Parkersburg, West Virginia]], and the ship's wheel and [[binnacle]] are on display at the [[Hampton Roads Naval Museum]].{{sfn|Martin|p=34}} When the ship was sold for scrap, students at [[West Virginia University]] helped raise funds to preserve the ship's mast, which is housed on the campus. The ship's bell is on display at the [[West Virginia State Museum]] in [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]].{{sfn|Wiles}} In 2000, governor [[Cecil H. Underwood|Cecil Underwood]] issued a proclamation on the 59th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack naming [[Interstate 470 (Ohio–West Virginia)|Interstate 470]] in West Virginia the USS ''West Virginia'' Memorial Highway.{{sfn|Charleston Daily Mail}}

==Footnotes==
===Notes===

{{notelist}}

===Citations===

{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book
  |last=Cressman
  |first=Robert
  |title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II
  |publisher=US Naval Institute Press
  |location=Annapolis
  |year=2016
  |isbn=9781682471548
  |ref={{sfnref|Cressman}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last=Friedman
  | first=Norman
  | chapter=United States of America
  | pages=86–166
  | editor1-last = Gardiner
  | editor1-first = Robert
  | editor2-last = Chesneau
  | editor2-first = Roger
  | year = 1980
  | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946
  | location = Annapolis
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-913-9
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 1980}}
  |name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Friedman
  |first=Norman
  |title=U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History
  |publisher= Naval Institute Press
  |location=Annapolis
  |year=1985
  |isbn= 0-87021-715-1
  |ref={{sfnRef|Friedman 1985}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Friedman
  |first=Norman
  |chapter=United States of America
  |pages=105–133
  |editor1-last=Gardiner
  |editor1-first=Robert
  |editor2-last=Gray
  |editor2-first=Randal
  |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921
  |year=1986
  |location=London
  |publisher=Conway Maritime Press
  |isbn=978-0-85177-245-5
  | url=https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_z3o0
  |ref={{sfnRef|Friedman 1986}}
  |name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite news
 | last = Gregory
 | first = Eric
 | title =16 days to die at Pearl Harbor: Families weren't told about sailors trapped inside sunken battleship
 | newspaper =[[The Seattle Times]]
 | location =
 | pages =
 | language =
 | publisher =
 | date = 7 December 1995
 | url = https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/16-days-to-die-at-pearl-harbor-families-werent-told-about-sailors-trapped-inside-sunken-battleship/
 | access-date = 23 April 2022
 | ref = {{sfnRef|Gregory}}
}}
* {{cite journal|author1-link=Thomas C. Hone
  |last=Hone
  |first=Thomas C.
  |year=1977
  |title=The Destruction of the Battle Line at Pearl Harbor
  |journal=[[Proceedings (magazine)|Proceedings]]
  |volume=103
  |issue=12
  |page=56
  |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute]]
  |ref={{sfnRef|Hone}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |last=Johnson
  |first=Shauna
  |url=http://wvmetronews.com/2016/12/03/uss-west-virginia-the-focus-of-new-culture-center-exhibit-opening-for-75th-pearl-harbor-anniversary/
  |title=USS West Virginia the Focus of New Culture Center Exhibit Opening for 75th Pearl Harbor Anniversary
  |date=6 December 2016
  |access-date=8 July 2019
  |publisher=MetroNews
  |ref={{sfnRef|Johnson}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Martin
  |first=Robert J.
  |date=1997
  |title=USS West Virginia (BB-48)
  |location=Nashville
  |publisher=Turner Publishing Company
  |isbn=978-1-56311-341-3
  |ref={{sfnRef|Martin}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Nofi
  |first=Albert
  |date=2010
  |title=To Train The Fleet For War: The U.S. Navy Fleet Problems, 1923–40
  |location=Washington D.C.
  |publisher=Naval War College Press
  |isbn=978-1-884733-87-1
  |ref={{sfnRef|Nofi}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Rohwer
  | first = Jürgen
  | year = 2005
  | title = Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 – The Naval History of World War Two
  | publisher = Chatham Publishing
  | location = London
  | isbn = 978-1-59114-119-8
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Rohwer}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Tully
  |first=Anthony P.
  |title=Battle of Surigao Strait
  |publisher=Indiana University Press
  |location=Bloomington
  |year=2009
  |isbn=978-0-253-35242-2
  |ref={{sfnRef|Tully}}
  }}
* {{cite news
  |title=Veterans lead remembrances of Pearl Harbor: Interstate named to commemorate USS West Virginia
  |date=8 December 2000
  |work=[[Charleston Daily Mail]]
  |agency=Associated Press
  |ref={{sfnRef|Charleston Daily Mail}}
  |id = {{ProQuest|331936842}}}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Wallin
  | first = Homer N.
  | author-link = Homer N. Wallin
  | title = Pearl Harbor: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal
  | publisher = Department of the Navy
  | location = Washington, D.C.
  | year = 1968
  | isbn = 0-89875-565-4
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Wallin}}
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | title = West Virginia II (BB-48)
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/w/west-virginia-ii.html
  | date= 12 December 2016
  | access-date = 26 June 2019
  | ref= {{sfnRef|DANFS}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |url=https://www.dpaa.mil/News-Stories/Recent-News-Stories/Article/2033698/update-on-pearl-harbor-identifications/
  |website=dpaa.mil
  |title=Update on Pearl Harbor Identifications
  |publisher=Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
  |access-date=9 January 2020
  |date=6 December 2019
  |ref={{sfnRef|Pearl Harbor Identifications}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  |last=Wiles
  |first=Sunshine
  |url=http://wvmetronews.com/2016/12/06/history-of-uss-west-virginia-recounted-for-75th-anniversary-of-pearl-harbor-attack/
  |title=History of USS West Virginia Recounted for 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack
  |date=6 December 2016
  |access-date=8 July 2019
  |publisher=MetroNews
  |ref={{sfnRef|Wiles}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Wilmott
  |first=H. P.
  |title=The Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action
  |publisher=Indiana University Press
  |location=Bloomington
  |isbn=9780253019011
  |year=2015
  |ref={{sfnRef|Wilmott}}
  }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal|last1=Hone|first1=Tom|year=2024|title=New Wine in Old Bottles: Rebuilding Battleships 43, 44, and 48 for World War II|journal=Warship International|volume=LXI|issue=3|pages=192–214|issn=0043-0374}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=Christopher C. |title=Question 7/56: Concerning What Radar Systems Were Installed on U.S. Asiatic Fleet Ships in December 1941 |journal=Warship International |date=September 2019 |volume=LVI |issue=3 |pages=192–198 |issn=0043-0374}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://usswv.lib.wvu.edu/ USS ''West Virginia'' Digital Photograph Collection] from the [[West Virginia & Regional History Center]] at [[West Virginia University]]
* {{navsource|01/48a|West Virginia}}
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/uss_west_virginia_bb48.htm MaritimeQuest USS ''West Virginia'' BB-48 Photo Gallery]

{{Colorado class battleship}}
{{Pearl Harbor attack}}
{{December 1941 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Virginia (BB-48)}}
[[Category:Colorado-class battleships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:1921 ships]]
[[Category:World War II battleships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships present during the attack on Pearl Harbor]]
[[Category:Ships sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in December 1941]]
[[Category:Battleships sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Pacific Reserve Fleet, Seattle, Washington]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Operation Detachment]]