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"The W. Va. is shown as she was photographed at a dry dock in Pearl Harbor. The battleship was severely damaged in the Japanese raid Dec. 7, 1941. Damages to her sides are visible."

1. U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock, Pearl Harbor, Hi.

U.S.S. West Virginia in dry dock, likely in Newport News, Va. during construction.  The keel was laid down in April 1920, and the ship was launched in November 1921.

2. U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock

3. Aerial View of U.S.S. West Virginia

U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) anchored in an unidentified location.

4. U.S.S. West Virginia

"The guns of U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) in operation.  L.C.M.'s in foreground."  L.C.M. stands for Landing Craft Mechanized.

5. United States Fleet off Leyte, Philippines

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.

6. U.S.S. West Virginia Sailors Hoist Their Glasses at Monkey Bar, Pearl Harbor, HI

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.

7. USN Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, U.S.S. West Virginia

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.

8. Damaged Battleships following Japanese Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Smoke rises from the sinking battleship, which was hit by seven torpedoes and two bombs.

9. Damaged U.S.S. West Virginia after Japanese Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

An official U.S. Navy photograph. From left to right is the U.S.S. West Virginia, U.S.S. Tennessee, and the U.S.S. Arizona.

10. Burning and Damaged Ships After Japanese Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

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.

11. Aerial Photograph taken from Japanese Plane during Attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

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.

12. Gaping Wound on U.S.S. West Virginia, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii

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.

13. Salvaging Operations aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Men on boats attempt to extinguish the fire on the U.S.S. West Virginia.

14. Crews Fighting Fires on U.S.S. West Virginia after Japanese Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

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.

15. U.S.S. West Virginia Sinking after Pearl Harbor Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The Japanese hit the "Wee Vee" with nine bombs and torpedoes during the attack. The U.S.S. Tennessee is moored on the right.

16. U.S.S. West Virginia Burning and Sinking after Pearl Harbor Attack, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The U.S.S. West Virginia floats beneath the bridge.

17. U.S.S. West Virginia beneath Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, Ca.

Crew members pal around during the crossing initiation ceremony, where sailors who have never crossed the equator before are "brought before Neptune" and tested.

18. U.S.S. West Virginia Crossing the Equator

A sailor prepares to dive into the sea off the deck of the U.S.S. West Virginia.

19. Scuba Diver off U.S.S. West Virginia

Photograph comes from a U.S.S. West Virginia scrapbook.

20. Naval Fleet Displaying Searchlights at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The battleship's deck is briefly flooded by seawater.

21. U.S.S. West Virginia en Route to Bremerton, Wa. Navy Yard

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.

22. U.S.S. West Virginia Whale Boat Crew

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.

23. U.S.S. West Virginia Crane Hoisting "Punt" Boat

24. U.S.S. West Virginia at Sea