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

253. 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.

254. American Soldiers Shore Battery at Night in Hawaii

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

255. 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.

256. 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.

257. 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.

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

Troops loaded into landing vehicles head for the beaches of Okinawa as part of the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific theater during World War II. The U.S.S. West Virginia is pictured in the background.

259. U.S.S. West Virginia Landing Vehicle Headed for Okinawa Beaches

The battleship is anchored in Sagami Wan, which is located just outside of Tokyo Bay. In the background is Mount Fuji.

260. U.S.S. West Virginia Anchored in Sagami Wan, Japan

Hand-colored portrait of Melvin H. Kimble, a native of Moundsville, W. Va.  Kimble was a marksman and member of the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion during World World II.

261. Melvin H. Kimble

Portrait of Melvin H. Kimble, a native of Moundsville, W. Va.  Kimble was a marksman and member of the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion during World World II.Reverse reads "Born October 26, 1920. Died December 3, 1944, killed in the "Battle of the Bulge." Buried at Sand Hill, PA Green County."

262. Melvin H. Kimble

Melvin H. Kimble celebrating Christmas in Germany.Kimble was a native of Moundsville, W. Va.  He was a marksman and member of the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion during World World II.

263. Christmas in Germany

Melvin H. Kimble in front of the Headquarters of the Fifteenth Infantry U.S. Army.

264. Headquarters of Fifteenth Infantry U.S. Army