| USS Biloxi (CL-80) 40 millimeter Bofors quad-mounted guns firing during battle practice while the ship was shaking down in October 1943. The view looks forward along the ship’s port side, with a 5-inch (127-millimeter)/38 caliber twin gun mount beyond the 40 millimeter Bofors guns. While steaming on October 4, 1943, at 0907 Hours USS Biloxi conducted short range battle practice with the 6-inch (152 millimeter)/47 caliber main guns. At 1312 Hours USS Biloxi commenced short range battle practice. The 5-inch guns expended 92 rounds of Anti-Aircraft Common (AAC) projectiles. The next day, Biloxi performed radar calibration firing with the 5-inch guns at 1201 Hours. At 1445 Hours, she fired anti-aircraft battle practice with 20 millimeter (.78 caliber) Oerlikon and 40 millimeter (1.57 inch) Bofors on target sleeve to2wed by plane. By the time firing ceased at 1520 Hours, Biloxi had expended 60 rounds of AAC, 290 rounds of 40 millimeter, and 1,257 rounds of 20 millimeter. On October 6, 1943, USS Biloxi left Trinidad and fired 1,161 rounds of 20 millimeter and 317 rounds of 40 millimeter by 1052 Hours. In the afternoon, Biloxi ceased firing after expending 538 rounds of 40 millimeter and 2,010 rounds of 20 millimeter. Day battle practice began at 1334 Hours on October 7 and the ship fired 102 AAC rounds. Until 2108 the ship ran night battle practice. The next day, during day battle practice, Biloxi fired 65-inch AAC and 60 rounds of Stabilized Powder Diphenylamine Blend (SPDB; smokeless powder round). Battle practice commenced at 0920 Hours on October 10, 1943, for the 2040 millimeter batteries, and again at 1338 Hours. Local control battle practice was commenced at 1408 Hours on October 11; earlier that morning, the ship practiced night battle practice; and again at 1915 Hours. On October 12, the ship expended 226 5-inch SPDB; 185 40 millimeter; and 1,132 20 millimeter rounds during battle practice that ended 1543 Hours. The next day, Biloxi expended 60 rounds of 5-inch by 0948 Hours. Commencing fire at 1444 Hours, Biloxi expended 123 5-inch AAC, 319 40 millimeter, and 1,307 20 millimeter. On October 14, the ship expended 14 rounds of 6-inch and 120 rounds of 5-inch during battle practice by 1030 Hours. In the afternoon, the ship completed firing by 2040 millimeter batteries by 1342 Hours. Sounding general quarters at 1905 Hours, the ship expended 96 rounds of 6-inch, 43-inch star shells, 98 SPDB, 25-inch tracers, and more from the 40 millimeter battery. On October 15, Biloxi expended 2010-inch and 65-inch AAC rounds. After an interval for diagnostics testing, Biloxi resumed gunnery training on October 20, 1943. At 1439, Biloxi ceased fire, having expended 36-inch, 45-inch AAC, and 45-inch SPDB. During anti-aircraft battle practice on October 21, Biloxi expended 19-inch AAC; 100 millimeter; and 546 20 millimeter rounds. Commenced anti-aircraft practice again on October 22 from 1109-1122 Hours. On October 23, USS Biloxi anchored in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and terminated battle practice for the rest of the month. After a visit to Rockland, Maine and transmitting the Panama Canal to San Francisco, she arrived in Pearl Harbor on December 11, 1943, to join the Pacific Fleet. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1929.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.98 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 5755 x 3803 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 1, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | Chesapeake Bay |
| State or Province | Virginia |
| Country | United States |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | 80-G-K-2844 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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