Whether it knows it yet or not, the U.S. is becoming the mightiest naval power in the world. Last week that dawning power was underlined once again: within the span of five days the Navy launched a submarine, three destroyers (Aaron Ward, Buchanan and Fahrenheit) and a battleship. Into the James River at Newport News, Va. smoked the hulk of the 35,000-ton Indiana, six months ahead of schedule.
From the Indiana's keel-laying to launching only 24 months had elapsed. She was the latest of a class which now has five brand-new battleships in the water, a force which not only has...
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