She was at Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack sitting in dry-dock but prior to this the USS Pennsylvania served in both Oceans and had a regal lifestyle with her traveling from port to port. The USS Pennsylvania BB-38 challenge coin created for her is symbol if the this dreadnought, the history of the US Navy, her presence at the attack on Pearl Harbor and her later career when she went back into service and starting throwing shells at the enemy as an incredible battleship should.
Pennsylvania Class Battleship
As the lead class of battleships (USS Pennsylvania and the USS Arizona) she was an improvement over the Nevada class with her additional paid of 14 inch guns (356mm) totaling 12 guns when a full broadside was fired. She was built in the 1910s and traveled as the flagship of the Atlantic fleet for some time then finding her way to the Pacific where she was stationed at San Pedro followed by Pearl Harbor.
Going To War
Pennsylvania joined the fleet in a series of amphibious operations, primarily tasked with providing gunfire support. The first of these, the Aleutian Islands Campaign, took place in mid-1943, and was followed by an attack on Makin later that year. During 1944, she supported the landings on Kwajalein and Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands and the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, including the Battles of Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, and Battle of Angaur. During the Philippines campaign, in addition to her typical shore bombardment duties, she took part in the Battle of Surigao Strait, though due to her inadequate radar, she was unable to locate a target and did not fire. During the Battle of Okinawa, she was torpedoed by a Japanese torpedo bomber and badly damaged, forcing her to withdraw for repairs days before the end of the war.
Pearl Harbor 80 Years Ago
Pearl Harbor 80th Anniversary It was 80 years ago, celebrated in 2021 when the Empire OF Japan struck American and the United States Navy while moored at Pearl Harbor. Seven battleships were heavily damaged or sunk including the USS Pennsylvania. The anniversary is honored with the production of a US Navy challenge coin that each represents one of these magnificent and historical battleships that served at the time of the attack on battleship row. Battleships of Pearl Harbor 80th Anniversary Coins is a series of collectible coins that feature with incredible detail these beautiful dreadnoughts from America’s Navy past.
