USS Colorado ( BB - 45 ) USS " Colorado " ( BB - 45 ) , was the lead ship of the Colorado - class of battleships , the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 38th state . Her keel was laid down on 29 May 1919 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden , New Jersey . She was launched on 22 March 1921 sponsored by Mrs . Max Melville , Denverite , daughter of United States Senator from Colorado Samuel D . Nicholson ; and commissioned on 30 August 1923 , Captain Reginald R . Belknap in command . Inter - war period . " Colorado " sailed from New York City on 29 December 1923 on a maiden voyage that took her to Portsmouth , England ; Cherbourg , France , and Villefranche , France ; Naples , Italy ; and Gibraltar before returning to New York on 15 February 1924 . After repairs and final tests she sailed for the west coast 11 July and arrived at San Francisco on 15 September . From 1924 to 1941 , " Colorado " operated with the Battle Fleet in the Pacific , participating in fleet exercises and various ceremonies , and returning to the east coast from time to time for fleet problems in the Caribbean Sea . She also cruised to Samoa , Australia , and New Zealand from 8 June to 26 September 1925 to show the flag in the far Pacific . The eight anti - aircraft guns were replaced by an equal number of / 25 cal gun s in 1928 – 1929 . " Colorado " aided in earthquake relief at Long Beach , California , on 10 – 11 March 1933 and during an NROTC cruise from 11 June to 22 July 1937 , she assisted in the search for the missing Amelia Earhart . World War II . Based in Pearl Harbor from 27 January 1941 , " Colorado " operated in the Hawaiian training area in intensive exercises and war games until 25 June , when she departed for the west coast and overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard which lasted until 31 March 1942 . Two of the original 12 / 51 cal gun s were removed during overhaul , and the / 25 cal guns were replaced by an equal number of / 38 cal gun s . On 31 May , " Colorado " and set sail from the Golden Gate to form a line of defense against any Japanese attack mounted on San Francisco . After west coast training , " Colorado " returned to Pearl Harbor on 14 August to complete her preparations for action . She operated in the vicinity of the Fiji Islands and New Hebrides from 8 November 1942 to 17 September 1943 to prevent further Japanese expansion . She sortied from Pearl Harbor on 21 October 1943 to provide preinvasion bombardment and fire support for the invasion of Tarawa , returning to port on 7 December 1943 . After west coast overhaul , " Colorado " returned to Lahaina Roads , Hawaiian Islands , on 21 January 1944 and sortied the next day for the Marshall Islands operation , providing preinvasion bombardment and fire support for the invasions of Kwajalein and Eniwetok until 23 February 1944 , when she headed for Puget Sound Navy Yard and overhaul . Joining other units bound for the Mariana Islands operation at San Francisco , " Colorado " sailed on 5 May by way of Pearl Harbor and Kwajalein for preinvasion bombardment and fire support duties at Saipan , Guam , and Tinian from 14 June . On 24 July 1944 , during the shelling of Tinian , " Colorado " received 22 shell hits from shore batteries but continued to support the invading troops until 3 August . After repairs on the west coast , " Colorado " arrived in Leyte Gulf on 20 November 1944 to support American troops fighting ashore . A week later she was hit by two " kamikaze s " which killed 19 of her men , wounded 72 , and caused moderate damage . Nevertheless as planned , she bombarded Mindoro from 12 – 17 December 1944 before proceeding to Manus Island for emergency repairs . Returning to Luzon on 1 January 1945 , she participated in the preinvasion bombardments in Lingayen Gulf . On 9 January , accidental gunfire hit her superstructure killing 18 and wounding 51 . After replenishing at Ulithi , " Colorado " joined the preinvasion bombardment group at Kerama Retto on 25 March for the invasion of Okinawa . She remained there supplying fire support until 22 May , when she cleared for Leyte Gulf . Returning to occupied Okinawa on 6 August , " Colorado " sailed from there for the occupation of Japan , covering the airborne landings at Atsugi Airfield , Tokyo on 27 August . Departing Tokyo Bay on 20 September , she arrived at San Francisco on 15 October , then steamed to Seattle , Washington , for the Navy - Day celebration on 27 October . Assigned to Operation Magic Carpet duty , she made three runs to Pearl Harbor to transport 6 , 357 veterans home before reporting to Bremerton Navy Yard for inactivation . She was placed out of commission in reserve there on 7 January 1947 , and sold for scrapping on 23 July 1959 . Display . Her bell is currently on display in the University Memorial Center ( UMC ) at the University of Colorado . A / 51 cal deck gun from " Colorado " was donated to the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society in 1959 , and is displayed at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle . It was one of eight such guns on " Colorado " . Six of " Colorado ' s " 5 / 51 cal guns were put aboard the protected cruiser , after she became a museum in Philadelphia in 1957 . Boards from her deck were re - purposed to form a wall in the main lounge of Haggett Hall at the University of Washington . A plaque commemorates the source . Awards . " Colorado " received seven battle stars for World War II service . References . Bibliography