the USS New Jersey battle ship.

I actually have two cool USS Missouri stories from Daddy's Navy days. Daddy was aboard the USS Hilbert DE742 Destroyer Escort from its commission to its decommission all through WWII. It served in both Atlantic and Pacific theaters. It's quite a decorated ship. Saw lots of action. Earned 8 battle stars. Look it up. It's all here: USS Hilbert - DE742 - Destroyer Escort - World War II - US Navy

Anyway, Daddy sometimes told the story of how they were tied off to the USS Missousi passing mail and supplies and such. Now, the Hilbert was just over 300' long. The Missouri almost 900'. Uh huh. Daddy said the sea was bouncing the Hilbert around like a toy, but the boys were on deck of the Missouri playing basketball. LOL

Anyway, as the story went, the Missouri got a call that someone needed Firepower somewhere, so it had to get outta town. Now Daddy said that the ropes they were tied together were so big, they were referred to as lines. He said they were about "that big around" forming about a 5" diameter circle with his hand and said "there was five or more of them".

He said after the last bit of mail and such was passed, rather than disconnect the "lines" the Missouri just gave it full speed ahead from a dead stop and snapped every one of those lines. He said had it taken off normal, it would have towed them. He said in less than 15 minutes, the ship was gone from the horizon and they couldn't even see exhaust smoke anymore. Buddy, that's moving for an almost 1000' long ship.

Missouri story #2.

Daddy would tell the Panama Canal story every now and then. There were two versions. A family rated version and the "not so family rated" version which included some of the activities they got to do while on shore leave down there. It included lots of "working gals" use your imagination.

Anyway, he said they entered the Atlantic side and unknowingly, were not very far behind the USS Missouri. Well, I'm sure the bridge crew knew it. lol As the Missouri was slowing for its approach into the locks later, the Hilbert was able to catch up and they got to see the Missouri go into the lock. The Iowa Class battleships were designed with a 108' beam (width) so that they could navigate the Panama canal. Once they were through, they were granted shore leave where the shenanigans I spoke of earlier took place. lol

Going online, I can find a good picture of the USS Missouri in the Panama canal "about" the time Daddy spoke of. I've always wondered if I could magically blow that picture up, if Daddy's little ship wasn't behind it. I bet it was.