16 INCH Guns ~ San Diego, CA
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 32° 44.538 W 117° 11.668
11S E 481781 N 3622735
Display at the entrance to the James L. Day Hall Museum, MCRD.
Waymark Code: WM63DE
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/26/2009
Views: 7
County of Display: San Diego County.
Location of Display: Hochmuth Ave., James L. Day Hall Museum, MCRD.
MCRD: Marine Corps Recruit Deport.
Plaque Text:
16 INCH GUNSThe mighty battleships had many guns onboard, but the largest were the nine 16 inch guns. The size of the gun was measured by the diameter of the bullet or projectile that it could fire. For example a 5-inch gun fires a projectile that is 5 inches in diameter.
This projectile is a high capacity bombardment shell. About 95% of the shells fired from a battleship were high capacity projectiles. The shells were loaded with about 150 pounds of explosives. The 2,100 pound shells were loaded into the gun with 660 pounds of powder. Traveling a twice the speed of sound, the projectile could travel over 22 miles in under 50 seconds. Marines in the Korean War described the shell sounding like a train going overhead. The size of the crater was over 50 feet across and 20 feet deep. The gray ring shown here is the end of the muzzle of a 16-inch gun. Note the land and grooves. They increase the range and accuracy of the round.
More can be learned at the following sites: Naval Gunfire
USS Maryland
USS Missouri
Range Tables
MCRD Base Phone numbers that can provide additional assistance are here: Base Information
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