Battle Archive

At the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1946, two United States battleships, the USS Tennessee (BB-43) and the USS California (BB-44), are seen in the same drydock.

Both are being prepared for decommissioning and mothballing, marking the end of their active service after WWII.⚓🇺🇸

USS Iowa (BB-61) and USS Wisconsin (BB-64) were seen inactive in the late 1970s, before both were reactivated by the United States Navy in the 1980s.

This was a lull in the career of the Iowa-class battleships, before they were modernized and returned to service as part of the naval power strategy during the Cold War.⚓🇺🇸

The USS Iowa (BB-61) is seen firing its 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 main gun from its port side in the 1980s, showcasing the immense power of the United States Navy's Iowa-class battleships.

The explosion generated a massive flash of flame and a powerful shockwave, capable of hitting targets tens of kilometers away, and symbolized the power of naval artillery once mounted on warships.⚓🇺🇸

HMS Arethusa (F38), a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy, was used as a target ship in a sinking exercise (SINKEX) in 1991.

During the exercise, the ship was hit by a variety of weapons from four different units, including cannon fire, Sea Skua missiles launched from Lynx helicopters, two torpedoes, and a 1,000-pound bomb from an aircraft. The repeated attacks caused severe damage, particularly to the ship's mid-hull, leading to its sinking as part of a combat capability test.

This aerial view of the USS South Dakota (BB-57) circa 1942 shows the battleship in operational condition during WWII.⚓🇺🇸

From the top view, the design is typical of a modern battleship of the time, with its main armament and superstructure reflecting the might of the US Navy at the start of the war.

The USS Maddox (DD-731) is seen battling extreme stormy weather during Typhoon Cobra in December 1944 in the South China Sea.

In extremely rough sea conditions, large waves crash against and wash over the ship's deck, illustrating the ferocity of the storm, which posed one of the deadliest challenges to the US Navy during WWII.⚓🇺🇸

A 2.75-inch rocket launched from a helicopter struck the signal tower of the former USS Connolly (DD-979) during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) during UNITAS Gold.⚓🇺🇸

The final voyage of USS Ranger (CV-61) in 2015 marked the end of the United States Navy's aircraft carrier service. Foss Maritime towed the ship approximately 16,000 miles to a recycling facility, symbolizing the end of her service at sea.⚓🇺🇸

USS Stark (FFG-31) was unexpectedly crippled by two AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles in a tragic incident in the Persian Gulf in 1987.⚓🇺🇸

This moment showcases a combat simulation or live-fire exercise in the open sea, marked by smoke trails on the water's surface between the ships. The USS Fife (DD-991) operates alongside the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate in coordinated formation maneuvers.

This type of exercise aims to improve combat readiness and coordination between ships, with each unit moving in tactical formation while simulating modern naval combat scenarios.⚓🇺🇸

The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is seen in operational formation in the Western Pacific, or Indo-Pacific, as part of the United States Navy's military presence in the region.⚓🇺🇸

Powered by a nuclear reactor, this aircraft carrier is capable of operating for extended periods without the need for conventional refueling, making it a strategic asset in maintaining stability and projecting power in the region.