Bell from the USS Hawaii - Hillsboro, Ohio
Posted by: 
Mr. 0
N 39° 12.086 W 083° 36.559
17S E 274680 N 4342374
A bell used on the USS Hawaii. Located behind the Highland County Historical Society building in Hillsboro, Ohio.
Waymark Code: WM1E2A
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 04/16/2007
Views: 48
Knowing nothing about the history of Hillsboro, Ohio, I was confused as to why a bell from the USS Hawaii would be sitting outside behind the county historical society. Unfortunately the museum had just closed 15 minutes prior to my arrival. Upon researching this more, Hillsboro was once famous for its steel-alloy bells.
This bell was one of thousands of bells produced in Hillsboro to be used on U.S. Navy ships. Many of these bells were used as "Invasion Bells" during the storming of Normandy. However it seems this bell never even left the shipbuilder.
The USS Hawaii was commissioned on November 3, 1945. Construction was halted when the ship was just 84% complete due to a reduction of defense expenditures after World War II. It was considered to turn the USS Hawaii into the Navy's first guided missile ship, but that was never done. On Feb 26, 1952 her classification was changed as the Navy considered more revisions to the ship, but her classification was changed back on Oct 9, 1954 and she was then sold for scrap in 1959.
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