Comments by "Sar Jim" (@sarjim4381) on "The Drydock - Episode 004" video.
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The Colorado and Maryland retained their lattice foremasts right up until the days they were scrapped in 1959. Their lattice mainmasts were cut down and later replaced with stub masts as the war progressed. The Maryland, which suffered considerable battle damage from torpedo and kamikaze attacks, was the most rebuilt of the pair, receiving eight twin 5"/38 mounts and a general rebuilding of the superstructure, including many new radars and directors mounted on the foremast. Both ships were part of the gunline throughout the Pacific war and fired off thousands of 16" rounds.
The Maryland had her lattice mast closely inspected after her bow was nearly blown off by as Japanese aerial torpedo on 22 June, 1944, and again during kamikaze damage repair and general overhaul during July and early August 1945. In both cases, engineers judged the lattice mast still in sound condition except for some splinter damage repairs. Neither the Maryland or Colorado suffered any storm damage to the lattice masts. It seems that the strengthened lattice masts retrofitted to at least these two ships were capable of absorbing considerable blast and weather impacts. Engineers writing on lattice masts postwar were of the opinion that smoke corrosion was the biggests problem for these structures, hence part of the reason for their removal from the mainmast position. Todd Shipyards, which won the scrapping bid for both ships, commented on the difficulties demolishing the lattice masts.
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