Old Mary at Peace

On the road at an industry event all week in Louisiana, so we’re taking a knee on Warship Wednesday. In its place, how about this amazing photo essay by LIFE Photographer Peter Stackpole of the Colorado-class “Super 16” dreadnought USS Maryland (BB 46) with embarked floatplanes of Observation Squadron Four (VO-4) seen in the waters of the Territory of Hawaii in August 1941 during the tense lead-up to the Pacific War, some 85 years ago this month. Holystoning the deck, a ritual known throughout the old wooden-deck Navy for generations. Note the “meatball” roundels on the Vought OS2U Kingfisher. The floatplane began deliveries to the Navy in August 1940. While some 1,500 Kingfishers were produced, they never fully replaced the biplane Curtiss SOC Sea Gull, which remained in service until 1949 Note the searchlights on the masts Ah, the Quad 1.1-inch “Chicago Piano” AAA mount. The third warship to use the name of the seventh state, USS Maryland (Battleship No. 46) was laid down 24 April…