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| USN Pensacola-class cruiser 9,200 Tons (standard) 585' 6" x 65' 3" x 16' 2" (1945) 10 x 8" 55 cal guns 8 x 5" 25 cal AA guns 2 x 3 pdr guns 6 x Quad 40mm AA guns 19 x 20mm cannons 2 x catapults 4 x floatplanes  USN March 26, 1943 |
Ship History Built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, NJ at a cost of $8,673,833. Laid down June 9, 1927 as a Pensacola-class cruiser. Launched January 23, 1929 as USS Salt Lake City (CL-25) named for Salt Lake City, NV sponsored by Miss Helen Budge. Commissioned December 11, 1929 in the U.S. Navy (USN) at Philadelphia Navy Yard with Captain Frederick Lansing Oliver in command. On January 20, 1930 departs Philadelphia for a shakedown cruiser off Maine. On February 10, 1930 departs on her first extended cruise to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; Culebra, Virgin Islands; Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, Brazil; then returned to Guantanamo Bay. On March 31, 1930 assigned Cruiser Division 2 (CruDiv 2), Scouting Force and operates off the northeast United States. On September 12, 1930 assigned to Cruiser Division 5 (CruDiv 5) and operates off New York and Chesapeake Bay until the end of 1931. On July 1, 1931 redesignated USS Salt Lake Cit (CA-25) in accordance with the provisions of the London Naval Treaty. PARTIAL HISTORY On October 7, 1942 assigned to Task Force 64 (TF-64) funder the command of Rear Admiral Willis Lee formed around USS Salt Lake City, USS Boise, USS Helena (CL-50) and USS San Francisco (CA-38) at Espiritu Santo and departs for Guadalcanal to intercept Japanese "Tokyo Express" resupply efforts. On October 11, 1942 a Japanese force was spotted by U.S. planes steaming down "The Slot" and Task Force 64 moved into position north of Savo Island to intercept the Japanese force. At the start of the Battle of Cape Esperance (Second Battle of Savo Island) Salt Lake City was launching her floatplane when flares in the cockpit ignited causing a fire then crashed nearby with the pilot escaping. Beyond to the northwest, the fire from her burning floatplane was seen by the Japanese who assumed it was a signal from Japanese forces and began signaling with a light. At 11:35pm, USS Helena (CL-50) SG radar was the first to spot the incoming Japanese force with Salt Lake City's SG radar spotting them a minute later and formed a battle line a right angle then commenced gunfire for a cross the "T" of the Japanese warships. The Americans fired for seven minutes before the Japanese returned fire and scored three hits on Salt Lake City. Sunk is heavy cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki. Damaged is heavy cruiser Aoba and heavy cruiser Kinugasa. Afterwards, the American warships formed up and steamed to Espiritu Santo. Damaged Salt Lake City departed for Pearl Harbor and for four months was under repair. In late March 1943 joins Task Force 8 (TF-8) bound for the Aleutian Islands and operates from Adak Island to prevent the Japanese from resupplying Attu and Kiska. On March 26, 1943 part of U.S. Navy Task Group Mike commanded by Rear Admiral Charles McMorris with USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), USS Richmond (CL-9) with destroyers USS Coghlan (DD-606), USS Bailey (DD-492), USS Dale (DD-353) and USS Monaghan (DD-354) sent to intercept the Japanese "Northern Force" of Nachi, Maya, Tama and destroyers Wakaba and Hatsushimo escorted a convoy including Abukuma, destroyers Ikazuchi, Inazuma, Asaka Maru, Sakito Maru, Usugumo and Sanko Maru. On March 27, 1943 at 7:30am the U. S. Navy force was in the Bering Sea off the Komandorski Islands when they spotted the Japanese convoy on radar. At 8:40am Nachi opened fire, and USS Richmond returned fire. The battle was entirely between surface warships, making it one of the last solely ship versus ship gunnery and torpedo duels in Naval history. PARTIAL HISTORY Fate On May 25, 1948 sunk as a target off the coast of southern California. References NavSource - USS Salt Lake City (CL/CA-25) Contribute
Information Last Updated
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 Map October 11,-12 1942 |
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