Happy Maryland Day! Remembering USS Maryland (BB-46), The Fighting “Old Mary”

Every year on Maryland Day, we celebrate the history, heritage, and resilience of the Old Line State. But this year, let’s also take a moment to honor one of the state’s proudest namesakes: the USS Maryland (BB-46). Known affectionately as “Old Mary,” this mighty battleship of the Colorado-class carried the state’s name across the Pacific during World War II, enduring bombs, torpedoes, and kamikaze strikes—yet always returning to fight another day.

From her commissioning in 1921 to her final decommissioning in 1947, Maryland’s career spanned some of the most transformative years in naval history. On this Maryland Day, we look back at the ship’s remarkable story of survival, resilience, and service.

A Colorado-Class Giant

USS Maryland was one of three Colorado-class battleships, along with USS Colorado (BB-45) and USS West Virginia (BB-48). When she joined the fleet in 1921, she represented the cutting edge of U.S. naval power:

Displacement: 32,600 tons standard, over 33,000 tons full load.

Main Armament: Eight 16-inch/45 caliber guns in four twin turrets. These were the largest guns mounted on a U.S. battleship at the time.

Secondary Armament: A mix of 5-inch guns and, later, an array of 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikons for anti-aircraft defense.

Speed: Around 21 knots.

Maryland’s powerful 16-inch rifles earned her respect across the fleet. At commissioning, no foreign navy possessed a battleship with heavier guns—a symbol of America’s growing naval might in the interwar years.

Interwar Service

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Maryland served as a flagship in the Pacific and Atlantic fleets, taking part in training exercises, goodwill cruises, and modernization periods.

She received upgrades in the 1930s, including improved fire control and anti-aircraft defenses, though she retained her traditional “cage masts” until they were replaced by tripod masts later in her career.

By the eve of World War II, Maryland was stationed at Pearl Harbor, anchoring America’s Pacific battle line.

December 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Maryland was moored inboard of USS Oklahoma along Battleship Row. This positioning proved critical.

When Japanese torpedo bombers struck, Oklahoma took the brunt of the assault, capsizing after being ripped open by multiple torpedoes. Maryland, shielded by her unfortunate neighbor, escaped the torpedo barrage.

But she was not untouched. Maryland sustained two bomb hits, killing four men and wounding several others. Despite the damage, she remained afloat, upright, and combat-capable—the only battleship on Battleship Row that could have gotten underway in the immediate aftermath.

Within days, Maryland’s crew had patched her damage, and she was ready to rejoin the fleet. For this reason, she earned the nickname: “The Lucky Ship.”

Into the Pacific War

Maryland wasted no time returning to action.

Early Campaigns (1942–1943)

She supported U.S. landings in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, her 16-inch guns blasting enemy fortifications ahead of Marine assaults. In these campaigns, older battleships like Maryland played an invaluable role as “floating artillery,” softening up enemy defenses before amphibious landings.

The Battle of Surigao Strait (1944)

Maryland’s most famous action came during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, specifically the Battle of Surigao Strait on October 25, 1944.

In this night action, the last battleship-versus-battleship clash in history, Maryland joined a line of U.S. and Allied battleships under Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. When the Japanese Southern Force attempted to force the strait, Maryland and her sisters crossed the enemy’s “T,” unleashing devastating broadsides.

Maryland fired dozens of 16-inch shells into the oncoming Japanese column, helping sink the battleship Yamashiro and destroyer Asagumo. It was a decisive American victory, and Maryland was part of the last great gun battle of the battleship era.

Damage and Survival

Despite her nickname as “The Lucky Ship,” Maryland did not escape the Pacific unscathed.

June 1944: At the Battle of Saipan, Maryland was hit by a Japanese torpedo that caused serious flooding and casualties. Repairs sidelined her for two months.

November 1944 – Kamikaze Strikes: During the Leyte campaign, Maryland was struck by a kamikaze aircraft. Fires and explosions killed over 30 men, but the ship survived.

Okinawa 1945: She was hit again by kamikazes, suffering additional casualties but remaining afloat and in action.

Each time, her crew displayed exceptional damage control and determination, patching the ship enough to send her back into the fight.

Final Months of War

By mid-1945, Maryland was back in action, supporting the bloody invasion of Okinawa. Her 16-inch guns poured fire onto Japanese positions, clearing paths for American troops. She was present in Japanese waters during the final strikes of the war.

When Japan surrendered in August 1945, Maryland steamed into Tokyo Bay as part of the occupation force, a proud veteran of nearly every major Pacific campaign.

Decommissioning and Fate

After years of hard service, Maryland returned to the U.S. in 1946. By then, the battleship era was clearly over—aircraft carriers and atomic weapons had redefined naval warfare.

USS Maryland was decommissioned on April 3, 1947, and later sold for scrap in 1959. Her career had spanned 26 years, from the post–World War I Navy to the dawn of the Cold War.

Legacy of “Old Mary”

Though scrapped, Maryland’s legacy endures:

She earned seven battle stars for her service in World War II.

She was one of the few battleships at Pearl Harbor to escape destruction and return quickly to service.

She fought in some of the most critical campaigns of the Pacific War, from Tarawa to Surigao Strait to Okinawa.

She stands as a testament to resilience, damage control, and the fighting spirit of her crew.

The rare color photographs of USS Maryland in 1945—showing her battered yet defiant, bristling with anti-aircraft guns, flying the Stars and Stripes—capture her essence perfectly. She was a ship that bore scars of war, yet kept fighting until the very end.

Conclusion

On Maryland Day, it’s fitting to remember not only the state’s colonial founding but also its proud naval namesake, USS Maryland (BB-46). From Pearl Harbor’s flames to the thunder of Surigao Strait, from kamikaze strikes to Tokyo Bay, “Old Mary” embodied resilience and courage.

Though she is gone, her story lives on in the annals of naval history—and in the hearts of those who remember her service as the fighting pride of the Old Line State.

So today, raise a glass for Maryland, and for the great ship that bore her name. Happy Maryland Day!