06月13日

On June 13, 1940, the keel was honored and the USS North Carolina (BB-55), lead ship of her class, slid into the waters of the New York Navy Yard. Designed under the naval treaties of the interwar period, she balanced heavy armor and firepower, featuring nine 16-inch guns. North Carolina would go on to play a pivotal role in the Pacific Theater, supporting amphibious operations and engaging enemy vessels. Her launch demonstrated American industrial might on the brink of its entry into World War II. The ship remains a museum and memorial, preserving the legacy of the ‘Showboat of the Fleet.’