Colorado file photo [3847]

Colorado

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassColorado-class Battleship
BuilderNew York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, United States
Laid Down29 May 1919
Launched22 Mar 1921
Commissioned30 Aug 1923
Decommissioned7 Jan 1947
Displacement32,600 tons standard
Length625 feet
Beam98 feet
Draft31 feet
Speed21 knots
Crew1,080
Armament8x16in guns, 12x5in guns, 8x3in guns, 2x21in torpedo tubes

Contributor:

ww2dbaseColorado was the lead ship of her class of battleships. She was launched from the drydocks of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey, United States in 1921, and was commissioned two years later with Captain R. R. Belknap in command. On 29 Dec 1923, she sailed from New York City, New York, United States to Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom; subsequent port calls on the voyage took her to France, Italy, and Gibraltar. On 15 Sep 1924, she arrived in San Francisco, California, United States, and served in US Navy's Battle Fleet in the Pacific Ocean until 1941, with a trip to Australia and New Zealand in 1925 and occasional visits to the Caribbean Sea. In 1928-1929, her eight 3-inch anti-aircraft guns were replaced by eight 5-inch guns. On 27 Jan 1941, she was moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Untied States. Between 25 Jun 1941 and 31 Mar 1942, she was undergoing overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard in Washington, United States, thus escaping the Japanese raid at Pearl Harbor in Dec 1941. Between 31 May and Aug, she operated off San Francisco, performing training exercises and watching for any hostile action against that city by the Japanese. On 14 Aug 1942, she returned to Pearl Harbor. Between 8 Nov 1942 and 17 Sep 1943, she operated in the Fiji Islands and the New Hebrides region. In Nov 1943, she performed pre-invasion naval bombardment on the Japanese-held Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. After a brief overhaul, she returned to Hawaii on 21 Jan 1944, departing on the next day to perform pre-invasion bombardment duties at Kwajalein and Eniwetok of the Marshall Islands, where she remained until 23 Feb. After overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Colorado performed pre-invasion bombardment and naval gunfire support duties at Saipan, Guam, and Tinian of the Mariana Islands between 14 Jun and 3 Aug; on 24 Jul, she was damaged by 22 shells fired from Japanese shore batteries while off Tinian, which required her to return to the United States for repairs after the Mariana Islands campaign. On 20 Nov 1944, she supported the American ground operations at the island of Leyte in the Philippine Islands. In late Nov, she was hit by two kamikaze special attack aircraft, killing 19 and wounding 72. Between 12 and 17 Dec, she bombarded Mindoro, Philippine Islands. On 1 Jan 1945, she participated in the pre-invasion bombardment of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands. On 9 Jan, accidental gunfire hit her superstructure, killing 18 and wounding 51. After repairs at Ulithi, she participated in the pre-invasion bombardment of Okinawa, then remained in the area until 22 May. After the Japanese surrender, she sailed to Tokyo, Japan on 27 Aug to provide naval support for the American aerial landing at Atsugi Airfield. She departed Japan on 20 Sep 1945, arriving at San Francisco on 15 Oct, then proceeded to Seattle, Washington, United States. She made three Operation Magic Carpet runs between Pearl Harbor and the west coast of the United States, bringing 6,357 American servicemen home from the Pacific theater of war. She was decommissioned at Bremerton Navy Yard, Washington in Jan 1947, and was sold for scrap on 23 Jul 1959.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Apr 2008

Battleship Colorado Interactive Map

Photographs

View looking forward from battleship ColoradoBattleship Colorado steaming at high speed, probably during her trials, 1923US Navy Chief Petty Officers aboard battleship Colorado studying 5-inch gun crew, USS Colorado, mid-1920s
See all 38 photographs of Battleship Colorado

Colorado Operational Timeline

30 Aug 1923 Colorado was commissioned into service.
31 Mar 1942 USS Colorado departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where she had been since Jun 1941.
31 May 1942 USS Colorado patrolled 650 miles west of San Francisco, California, United States.
2 Nov 1943 Battleships USS Washington, USS Massachusetts, and USS South Dakota escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Fletcher, USS LaVallette, USS Jenkins, and USS Taylor rendezvoused and joined with carriers USS Essex, USS Bunker Hill, and USS Independence with battleships USS Alabama, USS Indiana, USS Tennessee, USS Maryland, and USS Colorado and cruisers USS Portland, USS Mobile, USS Santa Fe, and USS Birmingham with destroyers USS Taylor and USS Radford. Together, this task group steamed toward Nandi Bay, Fiji.
7 Nov 1943 Carriers USS Essex, USS Bunker Hill, and USS Independence with battleships USS Washington, USS Massachusetts, USS South Dakota, USS Alabama, USS Indiana, USS Tennessee, USS Maryland, and USS Colorado with cruisers USS Portland, USS Mobile, USS Santa Fe, and USS Birmingham escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Fletcher, USS LaVallette, USS Jenkins, USS Taylor, and USS Radford arrived at Nandi Bay, Fiji.
30 Apr 1944 USS Washington departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in company with USS Colorado and USS Maryland.
5 May 1944 Battleships USS Maryland, Colorado, Washington, and California escorted by destroyers USS Mugford, Bagley, Sterett, Wilson, Shaw, Helm, Ross, and Selfridge departed San Francisco, California bound for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
10 May 1944 Battleships USS Maryland, Colorado, Washington, and California escorted by destroyers USS Mugford, Bagley, Sterett, Wilson, Shaw, Helm, Ross, and Selfridge arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii from San Francisco.
19 Jul 1944 Battleship USS Colorado with cruisers USS Wichita and USS St. Louis bombarded positions behind Agana Beach, Guam.
27 Nov 1944 US Navy Task Group 77.2 consisting of battleships USS Maryland, USS West Virginia, USS Colorado, and USS New Mexico, cruisers USS Denver, USS St. Louis, USS Columbia, USS Minneapolis, and USS Montpelier, destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Waller, USS Eaton, USS Cony, USS Mustin, USS Conway, USS Pringle, USS Lang, USS Sigourney, USS Saufley, USS Aulick, USS Renshaw, USS Taylor, USS Edwards, and USS Mugford, tanker USS Caribou, and other patrol craft were patrolling in Leyte Gulf, Philippines when the group came under a concentrated Japanese special air attack from 20 to 30 aircraft. All but two of the Japanese planes dived on the formation in the sustained attack. Submarine chaser SC-744 was sunk and battleship Colorado and cruisers St. Louis and Montpelier were damaged.
29 Nov 1944 USS Colorado and USS St. Louis departed Leyte Gulf bound for Manus, Admiralty Islands.
9 Jan 1945 USS Colorado was damaged by friendly fire at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
7 Jan 1947 Colorado was decommissioned from service.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Norman Hall says:
26 May 2012 09:06:36 PM

I am looking for any information regarding my father Guy N Hall, he may have served on the USS Colorado.
2. Matthew says:
7 Jun 2015 01:07:47 AM

Norman, youre father did not serve on the USS Colorado but served on the USS Greene in 1942-3 and the USS Moffett.
Sources: fold3 free search of WWII USN Muster rolls for Guy Hall (middle name Norman).
3. Pamela Wilder says:
10 Jun 2015 03:34:57 PM

Looking for dates my Uncle Kenneth William Hanson served on USS Colorado for ancestry.com profile for him.
4. Roland says:
15 Nov 2015 01:42:57 PM

I am looking for a friend for info on his father, Alfred Gentry Ryan, who is reported to have served on the USS Colorado in WWII as either a EM3c or a F2c.
5. Commenter identity confirmed David Stubblebine says:
15 Nov 2015 10:26:03 PM

According to the USS Colorado Muster Rolls, Alfred Gentry Ryan, F2c 975-04-32, was taken aboard on 30 Aug 1944 from the receiving station at Bremerton, Washington.
6. Anonymous says:
3 Mar 2016 06:43:41 PM

I have a short Snorter bill that has a few names on it and I am wondering about these two names,, USS Colorado, and if indeed they were KIA/MIA like I am assuming, Gabriel Santos Signature (Santos G), AND Dante Giusto Falabella Signature (Falabella D G) and also if able what major battles. Thank you...
7. Todd Roach says:
27 May 2016 01:08:16 PM

I'm searching for any information for my uncle Robert G Hall. If you can dig up a crew list during WWII I would be extremely appreciative.
8. Richard says:
16 Jul 2016 07:50:03 PM

My great uncle s.l sanders died on the Colorado when it was struck by a jap plane in the leyhe gulf
9. virginia hawkins castagno says:
31 Jul 2019 08:15:40 AM

requesting info on homer keith hawkins on the Colorado in San Pedro, Ca in the early-mid 1930's
10. A.J. Salazar says:
4 Apr 2021 03:06:08 PM

My father served on the Colorado during WWII.

You can find the complete cruise book at usscolorado.org
11. Jean Capriglione says:
28 Jan 2023 07:48:50 PM

My dad was in the Navy and pretty sure he was on the Colorado can u verify or send Amy information regarding Ervin Oscar Meppiel

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Search WW2DB
More on Colorado
Personnel:
» Ring, Stanhope

Event(s) Participated:
» Gilbert Islands Campaign
» Marshall Islands Campaign
» Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 2
» Okinawa Campaign

Battleship Colorado Photo Gallery
View looking forward from battleship Colorado
See all 38 photographs of Battleship Colorado


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