Artifact Gallery:
Battleship USS Iowa Museum Los Angeles collects relevant artifacts to help tell the story of the ship and the Surface Navy to a broad audience. Below you will find some of our accessioned artifacts in our collection. Not all items are on display and are monitored according to our collections management policy.
We accept new items in the collection on a case-by-case basis. Click here for more information.
US Navy Standard Pelorus with Wooden Box
Object/Artifact
US Navy pelorus in wooden storage/carry box.
-Yellow metal plate on outside of box:
BUREAU OF SHIPS
U.S. NAVY STANDARD PELORUS
7 1/2 INCH ILLUMINATED DIAL
Mark III, MOD. 0, SER. NO 3009
CONTRACT NO NOs-88774 1941
KELVIN & WILFRID O. WHITE CO..
BOSTON
-#3009 written on top lid of box
-Box has two metal handles on either side
-Compass has black metal cover
-Compass white w/black lettering
-Sight valve clamp attached
-Power cord attached at bottom
-Set up instructions stapled on inside of box
A pelorus is a magnetic compass with a vane for measuring the bearing to an object. It is used on the deck of a ship to quickly measure the true bearing (angle from north) or relative bearing (angle off the ship's bow) to a line of sight. It can be used in pilotage, or navigation by sighting landmarks when within sight of shore.
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