USN · CL
AfloatCleveland-class light cruiser, CL-62. Newport News launched her on 20 March 1942 and the Navy commissioned her on 29 January 1943. On 24 October 1944, at Leyte Gulf, she came alongside the burning Princeton to fight the fires and took heavy casualties when the carrier exploded. A kamikaze hit her off Okinawa on 4 May 1945. She was not sunk. Decommissioned 2 January 1947.
| Class | Cleveland class |
|---|---|
| Type | Light cruiser (CL) |
| Hull | CL-62 |
| Builder | Newport News |
| Launched | 1942-03-20 |
| Commissioned | 1943-01-29 |
| Fate | Afloat. On 24 October 1944 she came alongside the burning Princeton (CVL-23) to fight the fires. The explosion that destroyed Princeton's stern killed and wounded many of Birmingham's men. A kamikaze hit her off Okinawa on 4 May 1945. She was not sunk. Decommissioned 2 January 1947. Struck 1 March 1959 and sold for scrap. Eight battle stars. |
| Armament (class) | Four triple 6-inch turrets and two funnels. |
| Command |
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Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.
The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.
U.S. Navy photo NH 68946, Naval History and Heritage Command (donation of Col. Robert L. Clifford, USAR). Public domain.
The pictures on this page are the originals.
No color version yet. Colored pictures and film will be added here.
Command
Power, Harry D.Captain from 21 November 1944Relieved on 9 August 1945RCCruzen, Richard HaroldCaptain from 9 August 1945Relieved on 10 October 1946WHHunt, William Andrew Jr.Commander in command from 10 October 1946In command at decommissioning, 2 January 1947Battle of the Philippine Sea
1944-06-19 · Task Group 58.3 screen; her gunners shot down torpedo planes that reached the carriers on 19 June 1944; not sunk
Battle of the Sibuyan Sea
1944-10-24 · came alongside the burning Princeton on 24 October 1944 to fight her fires; badly damaged, with heavy casualties, when Princeton's after magazines exploded; not sunk
Iwo Jima
1945-02-19 · bombarded the island from 28 February to 5 March 1945
Okinawa
1945-04-01 · bombardment from 25 March 1945; hit by a suicide plane at the Hagushi anchorage on 4 May, 52 killed; not sunk
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