U.S.

U.S. Third Fleet Battleship bombard the town of Kamaishi, on the northwest shore of Honshu, largest of the Japanese home islamds, on July 13, 1945. Kamaishi was the first city in Japan to be shelled by the guns of Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.'s powerful Third Fleet. The two-hour bombardment left the industrial area of the city, which is 275 miles (440 km.) northeast of the enemy capital city of Tokyo, covered by dense smoke rising thousands of feet. A steel mill was demolished and coke ovens were demaged. At least nine Third Fleet ships, including the Massachusetts and two other battleships, two heavy cruisers and four destroyers participated in the bombardment.