Ship History
Built at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Commissioned in April 1931 with a shakedown cruise to Hawaii, Tahiti and American Samoa. Afterwards was reclassified from a light cruiser (CL) to a heavy cruiser (CA).

During July - August 1931, Chicago steamed to the U.S. Atlantic coast, where she became flagship of Commander Cruisers, Scouting Force. During the rest of the decade and into the early 1940s, she regularly participated in the exercises. On May 31, 1934 she was present during the naval review held for President Roosevelt off New York City. Later in the year the cruiser changed her base to San Pedro, until September 1940, when she was transferred to Pearl Harbor.

Chicago received three battle stars for World War II service.

Wartime History
Chicago was operating at sea on December 7, 1941. She participated in patrol and search missions during the first weeks of the conflict, and in early February was sent to the south Pacific to protect Allied positions.

She supported USS Yorktown in a carrier raid against Tulagi on May 4, then participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea. On May 7, Chicago was lightly damaged in an enemy air attack, suffering suffered several casualties from strafing.

On May 31, Chicago was anchored in Sydney Harbor, and targeted by Midget Submarine M24, that fired two torpedoes. Both missed, passing under the Dutch submarine K-9 and exploded against the sea wall of Garden Island, lifting HMAS Kuttabul out of the water and sinking it and killing 21 sailors aboard. Chicago fired on the midget submarine.

Battle of Savo Island
Remaining in the south Pacific area, Chicago supported the August 1942 invasion of Tulagi and Guadalcanal. During the night of August 8-9, 1942, she was patrolling between Guadalcanal and Savo with HMAS Canberra and two destroyers when they were attacked by a force of Japanese cruisers. Chicago was hit by a torpedo from a Japanese cruiser, causing minor damage to the bow and played no further part in the battle.

Withdrawn from the area the next day, Chicago proceeded to Nouméa where repairs were performed, then to Sydney Harbor for additional repairs and finally arrived at San Francisco on October 13, and was repaired until early January 1943. Early in January 1943, Chicago departed for the South Pacific.

Arriving at Nouméa, Chicago joined a convoy including cruisers and destroyers bound for Guadalcanal, departing on January 27, 1943.

Sinking History
On January 29, 1943 the convoy was attacked by Japanese bombers during the Battle Of Rennell Island.

G4M1 Betty piloted by Bunzaburo Imamura's was shot down astern of USS Chicago providing light for torpedo attacks. The ship was hit by two Japanese torpedoes during the . Hit in the starboard hull, damage caused severe flooding and loss of power and was taken under tow.

The next evening, January 30, 1943, eleven 751st Kokutai G4M1 Betty bombers attacked again, but were intercepted by F4F Wildcats of VF-10. Chicago was hit by four torpedoes on the damaged starboard side at 1624 hours, and she sank stern-first about seventeen minutes later.

Captain Suicide
Captain Howard D. Bode's actions during the Battle of Savo Island were questioned in a subsequent inquiry headed by Admiral Hepburn. Though the report was not intended to be made public, Bode himself learned of its implications and shot himself on April 19, 1943, dying the following day.

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Last Updated
October 8, 2009