Both "North Carolina" and "Washington" saw extensive service during the Second World War in a variety of roles, primarily in the Pacific Theater where they escorted fast carrier task forces, such as during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and conducted shore bombardments. "Washington" also participated in a surface engagement, the naval battle of Guadalcanal, where its radar-directed main batteries fatally damaged the Japanese battleship . Both battleships were damaged during the war, with "North Carolina" taking a torpedo hit in 1942 and "Washington" colliding with in 1944. After the end of the war, both ships remained in commission for a brief time before being laid up in reserve. In the early 1960s, "North Carolina" was sold to the state of North Carolina as a museum ship, and "Washington" was broken up for scrap.