Blue, Dull, Weapon.

BANG! Gunfire, cannons blazing, explosions, and the dying screams of sailors, that’s what this ship used to be like but now its dry docked no more explosions just sitting their peacefully no shooting of any sort but cameras. I was on a trip to south and North Carolina and one of our last stops was the U.S.S. North Carolina. Before we had a choice to go to the beach but we chose this instead. The ship, so big, and its rugged, war-like appearance the ship of untold stories and some mystery that scares anyone who takes the job to watch the ship at night.

During a trip to north/south Carolina and our last stop was the U.S.S. North Carolina battle ship. History of this ship goes back to the beginning of World War 2. Its position in the war took place in the pacific theatre. The ship halls used to ring with chatter from its crew and now its tourist like me. The action this ship went through a lot of action including being torpedoed and bombed and yet its still here today.

On the deck, I noticed they had a seaplane on it and it seemed very odd. Therefore, I decided to ask why it sat there, it turned out it helped spot Japanese vessels out of range of the unaided eye on deck, and if the plane reported the correct coordinates to the enemy vessel, they can shoot without even seeing the exact location from the deck. The ship had blue wooden side railing that shined brightly. This would be totally opposite from the other levels its about 10 minutes before we go in to as it looked a giant hole in the ships wooden deck the door that covered it weighed so much it took several men to open it when in service. Now it sits open almost twenty-four seven the only exception is when it rains.

The tour through the ship began. The massive door or more like a hatch, open like always. We walked in curiously just to see dull dim lights and dull colored metal the only color must have been red the rest was a dull cream-color. We walked into the dining hall, which resembled the hallways very dim lights and red with cream-colored paint. The tour guide began telling a true story that a man on guard was sitting down here and saw a pale figure walk through the door that sat to my right. Knowing me, I do not know this story completely cause why listen when I can look at the ship but yes I know this thanks to my mom who paid attention to the guide. Now we started to the hospital room of the ship.

The room seemed not as the others although just as dull had a faded green color to it not to mention the medicinal smell to the room. Our guide stopped out side the room where I notices the wall next to me was a bit brighter than the other walls and as it turned out this was where the torpedo hit killing five men in an instance. We entered the pale green room with the medicine cabinets and a metal bed that did not look to comfortable. Our guide then told us that people have died there. We then exited the ship back to the deck that seemed to have become a ghost ship looked around, back into the hole, and heard other tourist chatter.

On the way home, my mom told me some ghost stories. So what else is there to do on a plane besides sleep? One story was that a man on guard heard a loud band. He went to check it out and it turned out one of the deck hatches shut. Knowing it takes more than one person to do it decided to investigate. He went down the other hatch to cut off anyone trying to get out and when he walked through the halls, he heard another bang. It crept him out badly for he ran back to the hatch to see it closed therefore, trapping him for the entire night.
Lately this past year 2009 a famous TV show called ghost hunters wanted to check it out sadly they saw nothing with their cameras thanks to their rookies they were training.
BANG! Gunfire, cannons blazing, explosions, and the dying scream of sailors, this is what this ship used to be like. The only shooting being down is by cameras. I am still not sure if the ghost stories are true but it is a mystery that puzzles everyone. The thing that will always be true is it service to America and saved America in World War 2. The Ship is truly remarkable. I will miss its rugged, warlike appearance and might never see it again. I hope I might see it in March when I take a trip with R.O.T.C. to South Carolina but sadly, the ship is in North Carolina.