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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.

13. United States Navy Aircraft Carrier at Sea

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.

14. Rough Waters Aboard U.S.S. West Virginia

McIlwain was part of the 7th Division Marine Detachment and a crew member on the U.S.S. West Virginia.

15. PFC Russell L. McIlwain, Long Beach, Ca.

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

16. Naval Fleet Displaying Searchlights at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Soldiers gather around a firing anti-aircraft gun during a defense campaign. The photograph comes from a U.S.S. West Virginia scrapbook.

17. Anti-Aircraft Gun in Action at Night, Hawaii

A group of soldiers practice firing. Photograph comes from a U.S.S. West Virginia scrapbook.

18. Sham Battle in Hawaii during WWII American Defense Campaign

A group of soldiers gather around coastal artillery during a defense campaign. Photograph taken from a U.S.S. West Virginia scrapbook.

19. American Soldiers Shore Battery at Night in Hawaii

American president Franklin D. Roosevelt inspected the Pacific Fleet, including the U.S.S. West Virginia.

20. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Boards Cruiser Houston, San Francisco Bay, CA

American military work with coastal artillery during a defense campaign. Photograph comes from a U.S.S. West Virginia scrapbook.

21. Shore Battery in Hawaii

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.

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

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.

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