BATTLESHIP USS IDAHO REPAIRED AT ESPIRITU SANTO 1944 FLOATING DRY DOCK #1 72202a

On August 15, 1944 the mighty battleship Idaho arrived at Espiritu Santo in the Pacific and slipped into a floating dry dock so that emergency repairs could be made to the ship’s blisters. This special film -- likely made by the crew of the battleship’s observation aircraft -- documents the activities as the ship is maneuvered into position. The dry dock shown is likely one of the Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Docks (AFDB), probably AFDB/ABSD-1. This was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943 at Ever