A Battle damaged piece of the USS Massachusetts

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I collect WW2 in general and the the North African campaign in particular.   I have recently picked up this interesting piece.   It is about 20 inches tall, 12 inches wide and weights about 35 pounds.

 

It is steel with several large wholes punched through it in the upper half and on large dent in the lower left corner.   The metal is a bit rusty and the paint is cracking but in stable condition.

 

What drew me to it was written (now a bit faintly) in the bottom right corner: "Casablanca / 8 Nov. 1942 / USS Massachusetts".

 

The USS Massachusetts was built by Bethlehem Steel and fought in the naval Battle of Casablanca on that date.  It put the French Battleship Jean Bart out of commission, destroyed several other ships and took one direct hit from a 8 inch shell from the French shore battery at El Hank.   The shell pierced the deck between the front two turrets and wrecked a berthing cabin.   

 

The USS Massachusetts is, of course, still around as a museum ship.   The spot where the shell hit is well preserved.  "Old Mamie" returned to Boston after several days off Casablanca for refit and repair before heading, via the Panama Canal to the Pacific for the rest of the war.   She first the first 16 inch shell of the war (at Casablanca) and the last.   Today the places where the damaged sections of the ship's interior were cut out have been marked on the walls.

 

I believe this must be one of those cut out sections.   

 

See the pictures below.   The last two are from inside the USS Massachusetts today.  That's not me, I took some screen shots from a youtube video.   I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions.

 

 

[danimal03]

super piece!  I like everything about it.  I see no reason to doubt the writing.  This type of damage is nearly impossible to fake.  So adding the sum of the pieces of info, damage, steel, paint, writing, etc.  I agree that this is from the damaged areas on this ship. I would chase this for my collection.  Killer piece! Thank you for sharing!

[BeansEnHay]

My favorite H.S. history teacher pretty much only talked about WW2. I credit him partly with my continuing interest. His father had been a welder/cutter during the war at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, not far from our classroom. He had passed on to his son pieces of battle damage from ships he had worked on. It was set up around the classroom for all of us to check out. A lot of it looked like hull plating as I remember. He had also marked each piece with the name of the ship and date. It made enough of an impression, I still remember. I wonder how much of that is out there ?

Anyway thanks for posting.

Rob

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I'd like to go to the USS MASS and see if I can find the spot it came from.   In the second picture from the YouTube video the piece in the bottom left is certainly a candidate.   I do wonder if I should do anything to it.  (I haven't so far).   The steel is rusting and the paint is chipping.   Once the already faded lettering is gone, so is so much of the story.   I was considering a little gun oil on the exposed metal. Thoughts???  Also considered lacquering over the inscription to stabilize it so it doesn't deteriorate any more.    Or maybe it's best left alone.   I won't want to alter it in any way.  

 

The combination of the object, the inscription and the fact that the ship still exists and they have preserved the damage from this one and only hit it took during the war makes for a neat story.   If the inscription was gone or the ship had been scrapped it would really just be a hunk of metal.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Here is a pic of the plaque that hangs on the exterior of the USS Mass today documenting the shell strike.

 

[aerialbridge]

Based on your evidence, including the pictures of the replaced interior sections with the  guy who's the curator of USS New Jersey that I've seen on videos,  I'm sold that what you have is a shrapnel damaged piece of the interior bulkhead from USS Massachusetts.    It's the right paint color based on the screen shots of the video and that section on the left bottom of the first photo sure looks like a likely candidate.  I don't think the similar sized piece on the lower left of the bottom photo would be it, based on the fact that your piece is painted on both sides, and that section in the bottom photo has only one side exposed and would have been painted on only one side.    If it were mine,  I'd document it with photos as best you can, and not do anything else to it.    I'd also document where you got it from, ideally with a notarized declaration typed up and signed by whatever human you got it from.    I'll bet if you didn't want to drive to the ship from where you are, that the museum historian would be as curious as you to try to match up where it came from and if you gave them the exact dimensions, including thickness, they would be willing to check for you.  If you get a match, I think that would really seal the deal as far as authenticity for any reasonable "doubting Thomas".    I'd also consider looking into having it professionally mounted in some kind of clear case that would enable display of both sides and also avoid handling it as much as possible.   And since this section "Latest Finds" I believe disappears after a month, I'd ask a moderator to move your thread to the forum section for Ships which would be permanent. 

[ottodog8]

I've stood in that compartment several times. Your piece looks like the real deal to me. You're in New York, I recommend a road trip to Fall River to see the ship. Between the ship, the displays, and the PT Boat museum, it's an incredible experience. You could take your own measurements and match up where the piece came from.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I'm going to contact the museum and see what they can add.    Another thing that could help prove its age is determining that it is low background steel.    As far as finding the location on the ship it might be helped too by the fact that on the back, in addition to the four large exit "wounds" there is a bent bracket of some kind.   

 

A few more pictures below ...

One shows the thickness of the plate and obvious signs of the cutting torch.

Another shows the bracket on the back

Another is a better capture of the "USS Massachusetts" in the written inscription

Another shows another mystery inscription in the very lower left corner.  It looks like a different hand.  No idea what it says.

[ottodog8]

I believe the damage was mostly confined to that one compartment. I think you could easily match it up with the repair patches as shown in the photos.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

The French shell that struck the Massachusetts was not technically an "8 Inch Shell".   It was a 194mm (7.6 inch) shell from a "Canon de 194mm Modele 1902".  These were medium naval guns that by the 40s were relegated to shore battery duty.   There were four of them at El Hank in Casablanca.  The first Picture is of French sailors loading one.   The second is what's left of the El Hank Battery today.

[Thor996]

Once upon a time I lived in that area and I often found time to wander the Ship Museum at Battleship Cove. That's probably one of the coolest pieces of militaria I've seen in a while. If you have never been to Battleship Cove: GO.  The PT museum itself is worth the entire trip and that's only a very small portion of what's to see on the Massachusetts.

[katieony]

What an interesting relic!  Thank you for sharing it!

[The Rooster]

Now thats awesome! And from your photos of the interior of the ship, that rectangular patch looks like its where your piece came from?

Looks like it would fit there?

I would get as many clear shots of the writing in as many different lighting conditions as possible.

Then prob wrap it in plastic? Leave it in a dry dark place?

Put a few desiccant packs in with it?

 

[TexRdnec]

with that weld running down the side of it, it would be super easy to match up

 

but that weld means it's not the similar size patch from the picture

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I agree the weld down the "right" side (as I have it oriented)  should make it easier to match and it doesn't appear that either of those vaguely similar shaped pieces in the two pictures above seem to have the that weld on them.  You can see a weld seam running in the second picture though.  Here is a link to the video about the damage: 

The hole where the shell entered the ceiling was cut out and kept and display.   That ceiling section is 1.5 inch steel.  The bulkhead walls are .25 inch.  It is on a swivel stand that you can rotate (see screen shot below).  I'd love to have something like that made for this piece with a nice plaque on it telling the story.  

 

[TexRdnec]

hell, that patch right there above the "enemy fire" sign at 6:47 looks like yours, that weld goes right where it should on your piece

[illegitimi non carborundum]

Yeah now that is a candidate.  The only reason I have it shown "portrait" is because that's how the inscription reads.  If you turn it "landscape" it might fit right there.   I really need to get up there and check it out.   Currently I have it in one of my cases of African Campaign items.  More permanent home to come.   Here is a screen shot of 6:47 and where is in my office.

[Scarecrow]

Art,

Now that shell damaged steel plate from the USS Massachusetts is just pure, plain and simple, Awesome! I live in a small town, Rehoboth, MA and am a 30 minute ride from the USS Massachusetts.  I have been there many times,  I once stayed overnight on the Massachusetts with a Boy Scout Troop.  I slept in one of the Navy racks in berthing No. 10.  They one pictured here in your post.  if you do decide to visit the Massachusetts please consider letting me know as I would enjoy going to speak with the museum historian and helping your "hunt" for the exact repair spot.

Thanks and again congrats on a great acquisition!

Paul

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I'll let you know as soon as I hear from them.   I'd love to meet up.   

 

The US Naval Academy museum has a piece of a shell fired by USS Massachusetts that was found in the wreckage of the French Battleship Jean Bart after their duel on May 8th.   It is one of their "100 Objects, History of the Navy".   Link to the site: https://www.usna.edu/100Objects/Objects/object-54.php

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I've been trying to figure out how to display this to do it justice.  I just so happened to have this nice book stand that is the perfect size.   The original inscription is face down so not exposed to light.  And it's not on the wood directly.  There is a felt lining under the metal.   The inscription I made.  Don't worry it didn't paint on it!   I got a thin piece of metal, painted it black, did the inscription with a paint pen and then put a matte varnish over it all.   I then glued tiny magnets onto the four corners on the back which hold it in place very firmly but obviously not permanently.   Next I'm going to have a custom acrylic cover made for it.  I can put some desiccant packs under the book stand where they will be out of sight.

[DoubleEnvelopment]

Very cool. I have a diary in my collection from a USS Massachusetts (BB-59) sailor Oct 42-Aug 45. He gives a decent description of The Naval Battle of Casablanca. I'll be happy to post a pic if you want.

[illegitimi non carborundum]

I'd love to see that, definitely post a pic!  

 

Here is a better picture (thanks Paul) of the top candidate and a picture of my piece in the right orientation.

[danimal03]

Great display! Great piece!

[DoubleEnvelopment]

Here's the diary entry. Sorry for the delay. The diary is unnamed unfortunately.