In the clangorous Fore River shipyards at Quincy, Mass, the massive hulk of U.S.S. Massachusetts towered. Fourth of her class,* the 35,000-ton battlewagon, ready for launching this weekseven months ahead of schedulemay be ready for deep-water service by the fall of 1942.
Few weeks ago, while the riveters still rang their tattoo on Massachusetts' steel sides, Rear Admiral Samuel Murray Robinson wrote a memo to his boss on the progress his Bureau of Ships had made. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox was so pleased that he had it fattened out with more facts and figures, gave the memo to...