v059l49z@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Paul C Stacy) (02/27/91)
From: v059l49z@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Paul C Stacy) This issue has been raised on alt.desert-storm.facts recently and I thought I'd ask it here. How many rounds of 16" and 5" shells are carried by the Battleships today? One post there mentioned about 250 16", but I recall hearing around 1300 or so. Paul "Joe Friday" Stacy [mod.note: According to Garzke, et al, in _Battleships, US Battleships in WWII_, the Iowas carried about 1220 rounds of 16" ammunition. In all, 2592.34 tons of ammunition were shipped. All this was prior to the 1980's refits, though, and may have changed (esp. secondary (5") ammunition) They also state that during the Vietnam War, USS New Jersey fired 6,222 rounds of 16", both full and reduced charge, using the "Swedish additive" mentioned by Richard Welty. About 55% barrel life remained after all these firings, so the additive seems to work. - Bill ]