Wilmington in New Hanover County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Boats on the Move: Large Boat Cranes

— U.S.S. North Carolina —

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Boats on the Move: Large Boat Cranes Marker

Inscription.

Boats on the Move: Large Boat Cranes. . The battleship had two large boat cranes, located on this deck; one on either side of the ship. The crane booms were removed sometime after 1947 when the ship was placed in the Reserve Fleet. Only their bases are visible today. , , The cranes lifted the boats in and out of storage and the water. They also moved heavy supplies and ammunition off other boats and barges and onto the battleship decks. , , Operating the crane was a big responsibility and required skill. The operator had to understand what the crane could do, how it would handle in a variety of situations, and be able to respond quickly to emergencies. The crane operator could not see the boats in the water or in their storage position. He depended solely on a boatswain's mate who used his pipe (whistle) to order different crane movements and speeds. , , Crew Memories , "You would have all of your personnel in place for hoisting a boat or stores or whatever. The crane operator will automatically swing the crane out to the side. The boat is in the water and we want to lower the crane and get the boat. I'm going to give him the order to lower the cable by piping the command. When I want him to stop [pipes command], he stops. He won't do anything more until I tell him to. The other personnel put the sling onto the hook and I'm going to have the crane pick up the boat by piping the command. When I get the boat high enough then we want to train right [pipes command]. We have to get the crane into position." , , "The only way I can bring the boat up is to raise the boom: two peeps and hoist back the boom. When he has the boom high enough he will stop because l've got it in the right place and he knows. Now I'm going to turn the boat into the skids for storage [pipes command]. The boat is coming down and when it sits in the skids and just touches I'm going to give the crane operator the stop order [pipes command]. We had a call that wasn't in the books, but it meant quit." , Paul Wieser , Boatswain’s Mate 1/C , (caption) , Crane moving 40-foot motor launch.

The battleship had two large boat cranes, located on this deck; one on either side of the ship. The crane booms were removed sometime after 1947 when the ship was placed in the Reserve Fleet. Only their bases are visible today.

The cranes lifted the boats in and out of storage and the water. They also moved heavy supplies and ammunition off other boats and barges and onto the battleship decks.

Operating the crane was a big responsibility and required skill. The operator had to understand what the crane could do, how it would handle in a variety of situations, and be able to respond quickly to emergencies. The crane operator could not see the boats in the water or in their storage position. He depended solely on a boatswain's mate who used his pipe (whistle) to order different crane movements and speeds.

Crew Memories
"You would have all of your personnel in place for hoisting a boat or stores or whatever. The crane operator will automatically swing the crane out to the side. The boat is in the water and we want to lower the crane and get the boat. I'm going to give him the order to lower the cable by

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piping the command. When I want him to stop [pipes command], he stops. He won't do anything more until I tell him to. The other personnel put the sling onto the hook and I'm going to have the crane pick up the boat by piping the command. When I get the boat high enough then we want to train right [pipes command]. We have to get the crane into position."

"The only way I can bring the boat up is to raise the boom: two peeps and hoist back the boom. When he has the boom high enough he will stop because l've got it in the right place and he knows. Now I'm going to turn the boat into the skids for storage [pipes command]. The boat is coming down and when it sits in the skids and just touches I'm going to give the crane operator the stop order [pipes command]. We had a call that wasn't in the books, but it meant quit."
Paul Wieser
Boatswain’s Mate 1/C
(caption)
Crane moving 40-foot motor launch.

Erected by Friends of the Battleship North Carolina.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1941.

Location. 34° 14.189′ N, 77° 57.25′ W.

Boats on the Move: Large Boat Cranes Marker (right) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Boats on the Move: Large Boat Cranes Marker (right)

Marker is in Wilmington, North Carolina, in New Hanover County. It is on Battleship Road NE 0.2 miles south of U.S.S. North Carolina Road, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Battleship Rd NE, Wilmington NC 28401, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Cape Fear Coast.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Memorial (a few steps from this marker); In the Beginning: 15 Boats (a few steps from this marker); 5-Inch 38 Caliber Twin Gun Mount (a few steps from this marker); Magnetic Compass

USS North Carolina (BB-55), 1941-1961 image. Click for more information.

via Naval History and Heritage Command, 1944

3. USS North Carolina (BB-55), 1941-1961

Naval History and Heritage Command website entry
Click for more information.

(a few steps from this marker); Sky II (a few steps from this marker); 40MM Anti-Aircraft Guns (a few steps from this marker); Friendly Fire (a few steps from this marker); Flag Plot (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 133 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 3. submitted on May 10, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.