- USS Northhampton (CA-26): 9 050 tons; 600 feet, 32.5 knots; 621 men; 9- 8", 4- 5"., 6- 21" tt ; First of her class, commissioned 17 May 1930.
Northampton was at sea with Enterprise during the Japanese attack 7 December 1941, returning to Pearl Harbor the next day. Force sortied to search and patroled with raids on Wotje and Wake in Feb and Marcus in march before joining with Hornet Raid on Tokyo in April. Screened Enterprise at Battle of Midway. Sailed to SW Pac in mid-August with Wasp, then escorted Hornet where each carrier was sunk. In the Battle of Tassafaronga, 30Nov42, American force ambushed Japanese supply destroyers, four US cruisers were torpedoed and Northampton went down.
Northampton received 6 battle stars for World War II service. - USS Chester (CA-27). 9,200 tons, 9- 8". Commissioned 24 June 1930.
From 10 Oct 41 to 13 Nov 41 she escorted two Army transports carrying reinforcements to Manila, P.I. Upon her return she joined Northampton (CA-26) and Enterprise (CV-6) and was at sea returning from Wake Island when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Chester remained on patrol with TF 8 in Hawaiian waters. Chester supported the reinforcement landing on Samoa (18-24 Jan 1942), then joined TG 8.3 for the successful raid on Taroa (1 Feb 42). Retiring under heavy air attack Chester received a bomb hit and returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Following an escort voyage to San Francisco, Chester joined TF 17 for the Guadalcanal-Tulagi raid (4 May 42), the attack on Misima Island, Louisiade Archipelago (7 May); and the Battle of the Coral Sea (8 May 42). After a west coast overhaul Chester arrived at Noumea 21 Sept 42, to join TF 62 for the landings on Funafuti, Ellice Islands (2-4 October). She then proceeded south and while cruising in support of operations in the Solomons, Chester was hit by a torpedo; she returned to Espiritu Santo under her own power for emergency repairs 23 Oct 42. [more] - USS Chicago (CA-29) 9,200 tons, 9- 8".
Commissioned 9 March 1931. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,
7Dec41, Chicago was at sea with TF 12 and began a 5-day sweep in the
Oahu-Johnston-Palmyra triangle in an effort to intercept the enemy.
During March and April, the heavy cruiser operated off the Louisiade
Archipelago, covering the attacks on Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.
In a position to intercept enemy surface units which attempted to
attack Port Moresby, Chicago also provided cover for the arrival
of American troops on New Caledonia.
On 1 May 42, Chicago was ordered from Noumea to support Yorktown (CV-5) in her strike against the Japanese on Tulagi, Solomon Islands. On 7 May, she proceeded, with the Support Group, to intercept and attack the Japanese Port Moresby invasion group. The following day, the group underwent several Japanese air attacks, but proceeded ahead until it was clear that the Japanese force had been turned back. She continued to operate in the Southwest Pacific and supported the initial landings on Guadalcanal. On 9 August, Chicago was part of the disasterous Battle of Savo Island. Hit by a Japanese destroyer torpedo, Chicago repaired at Noumea, Sydney, and San Francisco. She departed San Francisco Jan 1943 for Noumea to escort a Guadalcanal convoy. Japanese aircraft attacked the force and the Battle of Rennell Island was underway. During the torpedo attacks, two hits caused severe flooding and loss of power. The next day, with the disabled ship in tow, the Japanese attacked again and, despite heavy losses, managed to hit Chicago with four more torpedoes which sent her to the bottom.
Chicago (CA-29) received three battle stars for World War II service. - USS New Orleans (CA-32) 9,950 tons, 9- 8". Commissioned
15Feb34. Her engines under repair at Pearl Harbor, she had to work her
guns by hand. A number of her crew were injured when a fragmentation bomb
exploded close aboard. She fought in the Battles of Coral Sea, Midway,
Eastern Solomons, and Tassafaronga, where her bow, 1/5 of her
length, was ripped off by a torpedo. With a jury-rigged bow of coconut
logs, she made it to Sydney, then to Puget Sound for permanent repairs.
She returned to fight in every major battle of the Pacific War.
New Orleans received 16 battle stars for World War II service. - USS Portland (CA-33) 9,950 tons, 610 feet, 9- 8". Commissioned 23Feb33.
Portland was enroute Midway with a carrier group when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Portland served in RAdm Fletcher's carrier screen during Battle of the Coral Sea, that sank one and damaged two Japanese carriers, and the Battle of Midway when the Japanese lost four of their carriers. Portland provided cover and support for the Marine landings at Tulagi and Guadalcanal. The Battle of the Eastern Solomons prevented Japanese reinformcement by a large naval armada. Then in the Battle of Santa Cruz. Two weeks later she participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal that broke up the determined Japanese effort to disrupt the landing of 6,000 American troops, to bombard Henderson Field, and to land reinforcements. Portland took a torpedo which blew off both inboard propellers, jammed the rudder and jammed number three turret in train and elevation. Forced to steam in circles, a Japanese battleship, illuminated by nearby burning ships and flares, was taken under fire by Portland's forward turrets succeeding in starting fires in the Japanese heavy. Still circling 4-hours later, Portland opened fire on an enemy destroyer; on the sixth salvo the destroyer exploded, rolled over, and sank.
Portland later participated in the Aleutians, Gilbert, Marshalls, Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai, Hollandia, Truk, Satawan, Peleliu, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Corregidor, and Okinawa.
Portland received sixteen battle stars for World War II service. - USS Astoria (CA-34) 9,960 tons, 9- 8".
See Query about Astoria - USS Indianapolis (CA-35). 9.800 tons, 9- 8" Commissioned
15Nov32. When the Japanese bombs struck Pearl Harbor, Indianapolis,
then making a simulated raid of Johnston Island, immediately joined Task Force 12
and searched for the Japanese carriers. Her first action was off
Rabaul with Lexington where 18 of 20 enemy planes were shot down.
Reinforced by carrier Yorktown, the twin task forces attacked enemy
ports at Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. Sent to the Aleutians, she supported
the North Pacific campaigns. Back in the central pacific, she was flagship
for the Gilberts Campaign, Carolines, Palas, Marianias, Peleliu, Admiralty,
Japan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, where she was hit by a kamakaze.
Repaired at Mare Island, she made a high speed run to Tinian with atomic bomb
materials. Dispatched to Guam, her orders were evidently changed from Okinawa to
Leyte. Enroute, Indianapolis
received two torpedoes from I-58 and sank in 12 minutes.
Because changes in orders were common, she was not reported as overdue :
it was 3-1/2 days before survivors were seen and rescue operations
begun. 883 men died two weeks before the end of the war, the greatest
loss since Arizona at Pearl Harbor.
Indianapolis earned 10 battle stars for World War II service. - USS Minneapolis (CA-36). 9,950 tons, 9- 8". Ccommissioned 19 May 1934. At sea for gunnery practice about 20 miles from Pearl Harbor
during the attack.
Battle of the Coral Sea 4 to 8 May, screening Lexington through the great air engagement and shooting down three Japanese bombers. Battle of Midway 3 to 6 June, again protecting the carriers. Guadalcanal and Tulagi 7 to 9 August. Towed Saratoga when torpedoed. Supported landings west of Lunga Point and on Funafuti. Battle of Tassafaronga sank two transports before taking two torpedo hits. Minneapolis returned August 1943 for every major Pacific operation save Iwo Jima, before accepting the Japanese surrender of Korea 9 September,
Minneapolis received 16 battle stars for World War II service. - USS San Francisco (CA-38). 9,950 tons, 9- 8".
San Francisco, commissioned on 10 February 1934, the first completed of the seven "Treaty" cruisers of her class whose construction weight had been kept below 10,000 tons as agreed to by the participating nations at the London Naval Conference of 1930. She sailed in both the Pacific and the Atlantic. In 1939, she was part of the Atlantic Neutrality Patrol formed by President Roosevelt after Germany invaded Poland. She later that year returned to the Pacific.
On December 7, 1941, she was undergoing refit in the navy yard at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese launched their surprise attack. A few days later the San Francisco was underway for Wake Island with the carrier Lexington and other warships. Notable battles included Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal. San Francisco participated in 17 battle engagements and campaigns, making her one of the Navy's most decorated warships of all time. At war's end she was at anchor in the Philippines awaiting the invasion of Japan when the war was brought to a close by dropping the atomic bomb.Austalian Heavy Cruisers
- HMAS Australia
County (Kent) Class heavy cruiser built in the UK,
completed 24 April 1928. 10,000 tons ; 630 feet ; 31.5 knots ;
6- 8" , 8- 4" guns .
Severly damaged by multiple kamakaze strikes over several weeks. - HMAS Canbarra
County (Kent) Class heavy cruiser built in the UK, completed 9 July 1928.
10,000 tons ; 8- 8"
In April 1931, HMAS Canberra became the Australian Squadron flagship and held this role until she was sunk in the Battle of Savo Island, eleven years later. - HMAS Shropshire
Country Class heavy cruiser built in the UK for RN service, completed Sept 1929.
completed 24 April 1928. 9,830 tons ; 633 feet ; 32 knots ; 8- 8".
Given by Winston Churchill as a replacement for the loss of Canberra; arrived for RAN service in October 1943.
Light Cruisers See: cruiser tables.
- USS Raleigh (CL-7)
12-6"; 4- 3"; 10 21" torpedo tubes. Commissioned 6Feb24.
Raleigh was moored at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese made their infamous attack. In the first attack wave, a torpedo hit Raleigh portside amidships. The cruiser took such a list to port that it appeared she might capsize. As she fought to survive, jettisoning topside weight, her gunners helped to destroy five enemy planes. Repaired, she steamed to Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Aleutians, arriving 24Nov42. The following months were spent searching for enemy ships, carrying reinforcements, and escorting ships. Raleigh received three battle stars for World War II service. - USS Detroit
(CL-8)
7,050 tons; 12- 6"; 4- 3"; 10 torpedo tubes. Commissioned 31 July 1923
In 1941, Detroit was moored at her base with Raleigh (CL-7) and Utah (AG-16) when the Japanese attacked 7 December. The other two ships bore the brunt of an attack by six torpedo planes, and despite several strafing passes, Detroit was able to get underway safely and set up an antiaircraft fire which accounted for several planes. She was ordered to sail at once to investigate the west coast of Oahu for any indications of a landing by the Japanese, then to join the search for the retiring Japanese force. Detroit sailed 10Nov42 for Kodiak, Alaska, and remained in the Northern Pacific till Aug 1944. In 1945 she was flagship for the replenishment group serving the fast carrier task forces. Detroit received six battle stars for World War II service. - USS Trenton (CL-11) was moored at Balboa, Canal Zone during Pearl Harbor. During the early part of 1942, she escorted convoys to South East pacific, then patrolled the western coast of South America till mid-1944 when she headed north. In October 1944, Trenton joined Richmond (CL-9) and nine destroyers made sweeps of the northern Kuril Islands as a diversion during the invasion of Leyte. For the remainder of the war, she patrolled the waters of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands and made periodic sweeps of the Kuril Islands. Trentor earned one battle star for World War II service.
- USS Marblehead (CL-12) Commissioned 8 Sept 1924; 7,050 tons, 555'6" feet, 34 knots; 458 men; 12- 6", 4- 3", 6- 21" torpedoes.
Marblehead, with TF 5, dispersed from Manila to Tarakan, Borneo, to wait for war. On 8 December (7 Dec in US) she joined with the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Royal Australian Navy to screen Allied shipping moving south from the Philippines. On the 4 January, the ships steamed out of Bunda Roads and headed for a Japanese convoy at the Makassar Straits. A fourth wave of bombers made two direct hits and a near miss causing severe underwater damage. Her rudder jammed, Marblehead, retired to Tjilatjap, steering by working the engines at varying speeds. Still steering with her engines, she made Ceylon, then South Africa to make repairs, then on to New York navy yard. When rebuilt, she attached to the South Atlantic Force. Marblehead received two battle stars for World War II service. - USS Nashville (CL-43) Commissioned 6 June 1938; 9,475 tons, 604 feet, 32 knots; 868 men 15- 6", 8- 5".
Nashville rendezvoused with Hornet (CV-8) off the Virginia capes and escorted the carrier on course for Japan. When 1000 miles from Japan, 17 April the destroyers were detached; Nashville, other escorting cruisers, and carriers Hornet and Enterprise (CV-6) made a high speed run. Nashville sank a scout vessel, but the advantage of surprise was lost. The B-25's were launched 150 miles short and the ships withdrew
The cruiser left Hawaii 14 May to become flagship of TF 8 defending Alaska and the Aleutians, On 3 and 4 June, Japanese carrier planes struck Dutch Harbor. Nashville patroled fog-bound North Pacific from June to November 1942. Then proceeded south to the Fiji Islands on 24 December, became flagship of TF 67 escorting troopships to Guadalcanal. Attacked Japanese air bases at Munda, Kolombangara Island, and New Georgia. Damaged by explosion in a forward turret. After repairs and modernization joined carrier task forces for strikes on Marcus and Wake. Moved to New Guinea for 1943-44. Damaged by kamakazi, repaired stateside, returned to Borneo. Placed in reserve till 1950, overhauled, she was sold to serve in the Chilean Navy as Capitan Prat from 1951 to 1984.
Nashville received 10 battle stars for World War II service. - USS Phoenix (CL-46)
10,000 tons; 15- 6". Commissioned 3 Oct38. Phoenix escaped the disaster of Pearl Harbor
unharmed. After convoy escorting to the West Coast, she sailed to Australia and fought with
the SouthWest Pacific forces until July'43 and returned in Nov. to shell and provide landing
support at New Britain, New Guinea, Admiralties, all the way to Leyte. She fought in the
Battle of Surigao Strait where her target was the battleship Fuso. She survived dozens
of kamikaze attacks. Phoenix (CL-46) earned nine battle stars for World War II service.
On 17Oct51 she commissioned in the Argentine Navy. General Belgrano (C-4) was sunk on 2 May 1982 by two torpedoes fired by submarine HMS Conqueror during the Falklands War. - USS Boise (CL-47) 9700 tons, 608 feet , 33.5 knots; 868 men; 15- 6", 8- 5";
Commissioned 12 August 1938.
Boise had just escorted a convoy to Manila where the outbreak found her off Cebu. She joined TF 5 in the East Indies, but on 21 January 1942 struck an uncharted shoal and had to retire for repairs. She returned to the Pacific escorting a convoy to New Zealand. Hit by Japanese shells at Cape Esperance requiring repair and went to the Mediterranian, then to New Guinea with 1944 and on to the Philippines in 1945. Decommissioned 1946. She was sold to Argentina 1951 serving as Nueve de Julio until 1978.
Boise received eleven battle stars for her service in World War II. - USS Honolulu (CL-48) 9,650 tons, 15- 6" Commissioned 15June38. At Pearl Harbor during the attack, Honolulu suffered minor hull damage from a near miss. After repairs, she escorted a convoy to Australia, screened the first American landings in the Aleutians, escorted to Noumea, and intercepted an enemy convoy to Guadalcanal in The Battle of Tassafaronga. She fought throughout the Solomons campaigns where she sank an enemy cruiser and destroyer in the Battle of Kolombangara and took a torpedo. Repaired, she fought at Guam, Palau, but took another torpedo at Leyte and was under repair when the war ended. An archivist is Don Paustian, 2355 320th Street, Toledo, IA 52342. Honolulu received eight battle stars for World War II service.
- USS St Louis (CL-49)
10,00- tons; 15- 6". Commissioned 19May39. After shakedown, she
served on Neutrality Patrol for 11 months and then sailed for the Pacific arriving
Pearl Harbor 12Dec40. Moored for upkeep when the Japanese attacked, she shot down
three torpedo planes while getting underway. Exiting the channel, she was the target
of a mini-sub torpedo which stuck a shoal 200 yards short. She escorted convoys
until joining newly created TF-17 around Yorktown (CV-5) where she participated
in the Marshalls and Gilberts raid. She moved north to reinforce Aleutian defenses.
Returning to the Solomons, she fought in the Battle of Kula Gulf and
the Battle of Kolombangara, where she took a torpedo.
She returned to the Solomons Nov43. On Feb 14 she took a bomb hit.
Repaired she participated in Saipan and then Leyte where she took
a Kamakaze strike.
Repaired, she hit Japan and Okinawa. St. Louis earned eleven battle stars during World War II.
On 29Jan51 she commissioned in the Brazilian Navy as Tamandare (C-12). - USS Helena (CL-50)
10,000 tons, 15- 6", the light cruiser commissioned 18Sept39.
On 7Dec41, Helena was moored at the berth normally assigned to Pennsylvabia (BB-38) and became a prime target for the Japanese planes. Within 3 minutes she was hit by a torpedo as the crew raced to battle stations. Repaired, she escorted marines to Guadalcanal and fought the Toyko Express. At the Battle of Cape Esperance in Iron Bottom Sound, Helena battered down cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki. She fought other battles there and in the opening night of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-13Nov42, her radar first located the enemy. US cruisers turn back Jap battleships, but with heavy losses. Helena fired her guns in sequence, rather than as salvo, and was reported by the enemy as being equipped with a 6" machine gun. On 5July43, after a day of bombardment, Helena had exhausted her supply of smokeless powder and in a night action at Kula Gulf had to use black powder which lit her up as a target; Helena was struck by three torpedoes and went down. Helena earned seven battle stars. [Read: "Helena, the Fightenest Ship."] - USS ATLANTA (CLaa-51) 6,000 tons; 541 feet, 33.6 knots; 673 men; 16- 5", 8- 21" tt.
The first of her class of light anti-aircraft cruisers, Atlanta commissioned on 24 December 1941.
Atlanta screened Hornet (CV-8) at Midway and the carrier group at the invasion of Guadalcanal. She was part of the guarding force that attacked a Japanese invasion fleet escorted by the Combined Fleet at the Eastern Solomons in August and Santa Cruz in October. She escorted transports to Guadalcanal when not in fleet actions. This escort group had to defend against a Japanese bombardment force in the first night of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November. Atlanta's 5" shells were directed to enemy destroyers, but she took an enemy torpedo and then was battered by 19- 8" shells from San Fransicso which passed through the tin-skinned light cruiser, tho among those killed was Adm. Scott. Atlanta recognized the firing ship and did not return fire. Adrift and unsalvageable, Atlanta was scuttled the next evening.
Atlanta was awarded five battle stars for her World War II service and the Presidential Unit Citation for her "heroic example of invincible fighting spirit" in the battle off Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. - USS JUNEAU (CLaa-52) 6,000 tons, 541 feet, 32 knots; 623 men; 16-5".
Commissioned 14 February 1942.
Juneau was an escort to Wasp (CV-7) when she was sunk by a submarine in September. Joined Hornet (CV-8) and defended at Santa Cruz where Hornet was lost in October. Juneau was part of the escort of a large reinforcment convoy to Guadalcanal in November when an enemy battleship bombardment force arrived to cover the landing of an even larger reinforcement convoy. RAdm Callaghan's light escort force was far outnumbered and outgunned, but not outfought. He attacked at short range in what became the first night of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Juneau, like most of the American force, took a torpedo and was down 12 feet by the bow. The next morning during the withdrawal Juneau took another torpedo, from Japanese submarine I-26 , broke in two and sank in 20 seconds. Most of her crew, including the five Sullivan brothers, was lost. Only 10 crewmen survived the tragedy.
Juneau received four battle stars for World War II service.Australian Light Cruisers
- HMAS Adelaide. Completed 5 August 1922 . 5,100 tons ; 463 feet ; 25.5 knots . 8- single 6" guns , 3- 4".
- HMAS Sydney completed 24 Sept 1935 . 7,105 tons ; 555 feet ;
8- 6" guns , 8- torpedo tubes ; 32.5 knots.
Lost with all hands in the Indian Ocean in battle with German raider Komoran 19 Nov 41. See pages about that battle. - HMAS Hobart Completed Jan 1936 for Royal Navy, transferred 29Sept38 . 7,105 tons ; 555 feet ;
8- 6" guns , 8- torpedo tubes ; 32.5 knots.
Badly damaged by torpedo off the New Hebrides in 1943. - HMAS Perth 26Sept39. 7,105 tons ; 555 feet ;
8- 6" guns , 8- torpedo tubes ; 32.5 knots .
Sunk at Sunda 3Jan42.
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