In 1989 an explosion on the battleship USS Iowa occured, taking out a main gun turret with three 16” guns and snuffing out 47 lives in the process.
The USS Iowa was launched in 1942 and the original guns were manufactured in the late 1930’s to the early 1940’s. But 50 years later, when the navy got around to making a decision on repairing the damage from the explosion, it was found that the US no longer had the capability to manufacture 16” guns to replace those destroyed in the explosion.
The 16” guns could fire a 2,700-pound shell over 24 miles. (record set @ 24.6 miles in January 1989)