The day USS Massachusetts silenced a French battleship with five perfect 16-inch hits in 1942

USS Massachusetts vs. French Battleship Jean Bart

Allied forces invaded French North Africa on November 8, 1942, in Operation Torch. Task Force 34, led by Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt on the cruiser USS Augusta, headed the invasion fleet to Morocco.

USS Massachusetts joined cruisers Wichita and Tuscaloosa in the covering force. They needed to stop the French battleship Jean Bart in Casablanca harbor, which had one working main gun turret.

USS Massachusetts Receives Battle Orders

A French plane spotted the Allied fleet at 07:00 on November 8. Massachusetts got the “play ball” code at 07:04, meaning start fighting now. Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen led Massachusetts during this battle. His job was to attack Jean Bart while the cruisers targeted coastal guns and submarine pens.

Task Group 34.1 protected troop ships heading to Casablanca beaches. Any French resistance threatened the whole North African invasion plan.

The First American 16-inch Shell of World War II

Massachusetts fired the first American 16-inch shell in combat of World War II. The battleship started shooting at 07:04 from 13 miles away. She carried nine 16-inch guns in three turrets.

Each shell weighed 2,700 pounds – as heavy as a small car. Massachusetts used planes and radar to aim at Jean Bart across this great distance. This marked the first time these massive American guns fired in anger during the war.

Jean Bart Responds With Its Limited Firepower

Jean Bart fought back with its single working four-gun turret. The French ship fired its first shots around 07:08.

It managed to launch only seven shells at Massachusetts before being disabled. Each French 380mm shell weighed over a ton.

Shore guns at El Hank also fired at Massachusetts and the American fleet. These 194mm and 138mm guns posed a real danger to the attacking ships.

The First Devastating Hit on Jean Bart

Massachusetts scored its first direct hit on Jean Bart at 07:25. The American shell punched through both armor decks of the French ship.

It blew up in the empty storage areas meant for Jean Bart’s missing smaller guns. Had these spaces contained ammunition, this hit might have destroyed the whole ship.

Jean Bart survived only because much of her insides remained unfinished and empty. The incomplete battleship lacked many systems a finished warship would have.

Massachusetts Continues The Bombardment

Another shell crashed near Jean Bart’s bow at 07:35, bending the steel hull plates. At 07:36, a shell hit the concrete dock beside Jean Bart, sending concrete chunks into sailors manning anti-aircraft guns.

A minute later, one more shell tore through the smokestack and hit the armor deck. Massachusetts kept firing steadily, launching nine full salvos with 81 total shells during the fight.

The American battleship methodically pounded the French ship from multiple angles.

The Critical Fifth Hit That Silenced Jean Bart

At 08:06, Massachusetts landed the shot that mattered most. Her shell struck Jean Bart’s working main gun turret directly. The impact pushed down the front armor plate of the turret, jamming it so it couldn’t turn.

Another shell in the same salvo hit the armored base supporting the turret. After just 16 minutes of fighting, Massachusetts had knocked out Jean Bart’s only working guns. The French battleship could no longer fire its main weapons.

The Final Shell Hits Jean Bart

One more shell struck Jean Bart at 08:10 on the rear deck. It cut through the sloped armor deck that protected vital areas below. The shell exploded in a lower compartment below the waterline.

The blast damaged internal walls and flooded the steering room. With Jean Bart unable to fight, Massachusetts turned her guns on other targets in Casablanca harbor. Her shells now aimed at French destroyers, docks, and merchant ships.

Why The 16-inch Shells Didn’t Destroy Jean Bart

Many of Massachusetts’ shells failed to explode properly. They contained old fuses made years earlier that didn’t work right.

Despite five direct hits, Jean Bart avoided fatal damage. One shell went completely through the bottom of the hull and into the seafloor without exploding.

These dud shells saved Jean Bart from complete destruction. Had more shells exploded correctly, the French ship would likely have sunk.

French Engineers Attempt Repairs

French workers quickly cut away the bent metal jamming the main gun turret. Their fast repairs worked surprisingly well.

Jean Bart’s turret worked again by 17:24 that same day. This rapid fix showed amazing skill under wartime pressure.

The next day, Jean Bart’s smaller 90mm guns fired at advancing American ground troops. Despite the damage, the ship remained dangerous.

Ranger’s Aircraft Deliver The Final Blow

Aircraft carrier USS Ranger sent nine dive bombers carrying 1,000-pound bombs. They attacked Jean Bart at 16:00. Two bombs hit the battleship directly.

The explosions opened the hull and flooded many compartments. Jean Bart sank in the shallow harbor mud with water covering her decks.

French submarines fired torpedoes at Massachusetts and other American ships but missed.

Visiting Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts

Battleship Cove welcomes visitors daily from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at 5 Water Street, Fall River, Massachusetts. Adult tickets cost $30, with discounts for children, seniors, and military personnel.

The museum houses five historic naval vessels including USS Massachusetts. Guided tours run hourly and the interactive exhibits let you explore gun turrets and crew quarters.

Nearby attractions include the Maritime Museum and Fall River Heritage State Park. The museum requires walking up and down steep ladders to see most areas.

Special events include Veterans Day ceremonies and overnight stays for scout groups.

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