U.S.S. West Virginia Immediately after Launch, Newport News, Va.
Date:
1921/11/19
Description:
The U.S.S. West Virginia at sea moments after her launch in November 1921, surrounded by support craft. The battleship, nicknamed the "Wee Vee", was commissioned in December 1, 1923.
Clifford Kain Condon, Pharmacist, United States Navy from Morgantown, W. Va
Date:
ca. 1938
Description:
Clifford Kain Condon, dressed in naval uniform. the photograph was taken before World War II. Condon was captured near Manila by the Japanese in December, 1941 and later died in a POW Camp.
Candid portrait of husband and wife, Clifford and Eva Condon (standing,right) with unidentified couple. The men are wearing navy dress whites. The photograph was probably taken in the Philippines before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Clifford Condon was captured by the Japanese in December, 1941 and died in a POW Camp in 1945.
United States Armored Coast Defense Vessel 'Monterey'
Date:
1890
Description:
United States Armored Coast Defense Vessel "Monterey" fitted with Ward Boilers of 4550 HP built by The Charles Ward Engineering Works in Charleston, West Virginia. The photograph was taken after a national competitive test by U.S. Navy.
Eugene Holland, United States Navy from Morgantown, W. Va.
Description:
Eugene Holland in his U. S. Navy uniform. Information on p. 143 in "Our Monongalia" by Connie Park Rice. Information with the photograph includes "Courtesy of Ivry Moore Williams".
Jennie Lee Johnson & "Buzz" Hellems on the Steps of the Capitol Building in Washington, D. C.
Date:
1948
Description:
To the left of "Buzz", formerly known as Jack, is George Hulme. In rear is Tommy Joe Hellems. The group is there for a Hinton High School graduation trip in the spring of 1948."Buzz" Hellems went on to Concord College after high school and later joined the United States Navy, serving on the USS Orion. Eventually returning to his home in Hinton, "Buzz" owned and operated Hellems Cash Store for more than 58 years. He served on the West Virginia State Senate from 1975-1976 and was a former chairman of the Summers County Democrat Executive Committee as well as the former Director of the Nationanl Bank of Summers. He was married to Glenda Hamm Hellems for 51 years until his death on January 9, 2009 at the age of 78.
Severely Damaged U.S.S. West Virginia After December 7th Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hi.
Date:
ca. 1942
Description:
Men inspect the damage after the infamous Japanese attack. The "Wee Vee" as the ship was affectionately referred to, was raised from the bottom of Pearl Harbor where she was moored during the attack and towed to dry dock for repairs.
Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Unidentified Crew Member of U.S.S. West Virginia Crew
Date:
ca. 1944-45
Description:
Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Another battleship is visible in the background.
On the photo is a message reading, "All my love, Bill." Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Unidentified Crew Member of the U.S.S. West Virginia
Date:
ca. 1944-45
Description:
Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Unidentified Crew Member of the U.S.S. West Virginia
Date:
1944-45
Description:
A man likely named Al is pictured on the ship. Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Unidentified Crew Member of U.S.S. West Virginia, Pacific Theater
Date:
1944-45
Description:
Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Two sailors pose together for a photo. The man on the right is likely named Al. Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
The two men in the photo are sitting on top of or near one of the gun turrets on the ship. Photos are from an album belonging to a crew member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Seaman William Wright and Female in Hula Skirt, Pearl Harbor, Hi.
Date:
1944
Description:
Wright, left, is pictured with an unidentified woman on his lap. Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
The photo was taken from the deck of the U.S.S. West Virginia. Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
Photos are from an album belonging to a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia. William Wright, Radio Technician 2C, was on the ship from 1944-45 and saw action at Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
A crew consisting of a cox, and engineer and two extra men are pictured on the stem of the boat, which was used to take enlisted men ashore. The boat carries about 125 men and is 50 feet long.
Sailor Boarding a Motor Boat by High-Line Transfer
Date:
ca. 1936-1937
Description:
A sailor is transferred to the motor boat by gliding down a rope and pulley system. Motor boats were used to carry enlisted men ashore. Photo taken from the deck of the U.S.S. West Virginia. An unidentified battleship lurks in the background.
A sailor stands in the boat while it's being raised by the battleship's crane. The "punt" boat was used only to paint the sides of the ship. The boat pictured on the far left is a whale boat, which is used as a life boat and is also used in racing. The boat on the right is called a "racing cutter" and is also used as a life boat and in cutter racing.
Whale boat crew that won a race near San Pedro, California, on February 4, 1934 with a time of 16 minutes, 7 seconds. William Hand is identified as front row, far right.
Crew members pal around during the crossing initiation ceremony, where sailors who have never crossed the equator before are "brought before Neptune" and tested.
U.S.S. West Virginia Sinking after Pearl Harbor Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1941/12/07
Description:
On the left, only the top deck and caged masts of the U.S.S. West Virginia can be seen. The U.S.S. West Virginia was hit with nine bombs and torpedoes total. In the center is the U.S.S. Arizona and on the right is the U.S.S. Tennessee. All ships are on fire.
Salvaging Operations aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1942/05/05
Description:
The U.S.S. West Virginia looks battered and wounded while docked at the naval shipyard. The "Wee Vee" was hit by nine bombs and torpedoes by the Japanese warplanes during the December 7th attack.
Gaping Wound on U.S.S. West Virginia, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii
Date:
ca. 1942
Description:
Crew members during a salvage and repair operation work port side of the battered battleship. The U.S.S. West Virginia was hit by seven torpedoes and two bombs during the December 7th attack.
Aerial Photograph taken from Japanese Plane during Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1941/12/07
Description:
The photograph was taken at the beginning of the attack. The explosion seen in the center of the photograph is a torpedo that struck the U.S.S. West Virginia.
Damaged Battleships following Japanese Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1941/12/07
Description:
Smoke billows from the U.S.S. West Virginia, which is pictured in the back and center of the photograph. The ship eventually sank.Floating on the left is the U.S.S. Maryland. On the right is a capsized U.S.S. Oklahoma.
Doris Miller Awarded Navy Cross, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1942/05/27
Description:
Miller was a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia as a Messman Third Class during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was awarded the Navy Cross--the third highest navy award for gallantry during combat--for "distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety during the attack. Miller, despite enemy strafing and bombing and in the face of serious fire, assisted in moving his Captain who had been mortally wounded to a place of greater safety and later manned and operated a machine gun directed at enemy Japanese attacking aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge."Miller was personally awarded the medal by Admiral Chester Nimitz. He was the first African-American to be awarded the honor.
USN Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, U.S.S. West Virginia
Date:
ca. 1940
Description:
Captain Bennion was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. As he laid mortally wounded on the West Virginia's command bridge, Bennion refused to be removed from his burning ship. He continued to give orders, directing his crew's actions. Bennion's last order to his men before he died was to leave him and "abandon ship." Captain Bennion was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
U.S.S. West Virginia Sailors Hoist Their Glasses at Monkey Bar, Pearl Harbor, HI
Date:
1941/12/06
Description:
L to R: Jack Miller, Frank Kosa, Clifford Olds.Olds and 2 other crew members , Ronald Endicott and Louis Costin were trapped in a sealed compartment in the West Virginia's bow after it sank on December 7th. Any rescue attempt meant certain death. The 3 stayed alive until December 24th according to a marked calendar found with their bodies which were recovered after the ship was raised from the harbor bottom in May, 1942.
