USS Honolulu (CL-48)

Missing image USS_Honolulu_after_Kula_Gulf.jpg With USS St. Louis and a destroyer after the battle of Kula Gulf, 1943-07-06
Career
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	26 August 1937
Commissioned:	15 June 1938
Decommissioned:	3 February 1947
Fate:	Scrapped in 1949
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	9,650 tons
Length:	608 ft 4 in
Beam:	61 ft 9 in
Draught:	19 ft 5 in
Propulsion:
Speed:	34 knots
Range:
Complement:	868 officers and enlisted
Armament:	15 x 6 in, 8 x 5 in, 16 x 1.1 in, 8 x .50 calibre guns
Aircraft:
Motto:

The second USS Honolulu (CL-48) of the United States Navy was a Brooklyn-class light cruiser active in the Pacific War.

Named for Honolulu, Hawaii, the ship was launched 26 August 1937 at the New York Navy Yard, sponsored by Helen Poindexter (daughter of Joseph B. Poindexter, Governor of Hawaii), and commissioned 15 June 1938, Captain Oscar Smith in command.

After a shakedown cruise to England Honolulu engaged in fleet problems and exercises in the Caribbean. She sailed from New York 24 May 1939 to join the Pacific fleet, arriving San Pedro, California, 14 June. For the remainder of the year she engaged in exercises along the West Coast. During the first half of 1940, Honolulu continued operations out of Long Beach and after overhaul at Puget Sound, sailed 5 November for duty out of Pearl Harbor. She operated there through 1941 and was moored at the Naval Station when the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941. Honolulu suffered only minor hull damage from a near miss. Following repairs she sailed 12 January 1942 to escort a convoy to San Francisco, arriving 21 January. The cruiser continued convoy escort duty to Australia, Samoa, and the United States until late May.

With the Japanese pushing north toward the Alaskan peninsula, Honolulu departed 29 May to strengthen US forces in that area. After 2 months of continuous operations out of Kodiak, she proceeded to Kiska in the Aleutian Islands 7 August, to begin bombardment of the island. On 21 August, she screened the first American landings in the Aleutians at Adak Island (a jumping-off place for future landings in the island chain). After a yard period at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Honolulu departed San Francisco 3 November escorting a convoy to Noumea. Later that month Honolulu sailed from Espiritu Santo to intercept an enemy convoy attempting to reinforce positions on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The battle of Tassafaronga began shortly before midnight 30 November, continuing through the night.

Honolulu operated out of Espiritu Santo in early 1943 with Task Force 67 in an attempt to engage the "Tokyo Express." During May she engaged in heavy bombardment on New Georgia in the Solomons. Honolulu departed Espiritu Santo 28 June for more bombardment of the Solomons. After supporting the landings on New Georgia on 4 July, she opened fire on enemy ships in the battle of Kula Gulf, knocking out one destroyer and assisting in the destruction of others.

The battle-proved cruiser had another opportunity to damage the Japanese fleet 13 July in the battle of Kolombangara. Shortly after midnight contact was made with an enemy cruiser-destroyer force in "the Slot." At 01:10, Honolulu opened fire on a Sendai class cruiser; after three salvos the target burst into flame and was soon dead in the water. Honolulu then shifted fire on an enemy destroyer, which was immediately hit and disappeared. At 02:11, a torpedo very near the surface struck the starboard side of Honolulu, causing hull damage. The task force then retired to Tulagi for temporary renairs, and on 16 August Honolulu arrived Pearl Harbor for overhaul.

After additional repairs at Mare Island, Honolulu departed San Francisco 17 November to continue her role in the struggle against Japan. She arrived Espiritu Santo 11 December, resuming operations in the Solomons later that month. On 27 December she engaged in the bombardment of an enemy barge, troop, and supply concentration on Bougainville Island. In the early months of 1944 the cruiser continued bombardment and patrol of the Solomon Islands. She screened the landings off Green Island 13 February before retiring to begin preparations for the Saipan and Guam operations.

Honolulu took part in bombardment of the southeastern part of Saipan in early June as the Navy drove steadily across the Pacific. While bombarding Guam in mid-June, Honolulu was deployed north to intercept the Japanese fleet. She returned to Eniwetok 28 June for replenishment before providing support for the invasion of Guam. She remained on station for 3 weeks performing great service with her accurate gunfire before returning to Purvis Bay, Florida Island, 18 August. Honolulu sailed 6 September to provide fire support for the landings on Palau Island, remaining in this area during September uncontested by the Japanese fleet. America now had decisive command of the sea and therefore full freedom of operations.

Honolulu departed the staging area at Manus Island 12 October and sailed for the Philippines invasion. She began bombardment 19 October at Leyte Gulf and the next day began screening the landings. At 16:00, 20 October an enemy torpedo plane was sighted as it aimed its torpedo at Honolulu. Despite the skillful maneuvering of Captain Thurber to evade, the torpedo found its mark on the port side.

Honolulu sailed the next day, arrived Manus 29 October for temporary repairs, sailed for Norfolk 19 November, arriving 20 December via Pearl Harbor and San Diego. Honolulu remained at Norfolk for the duration of the war undergoing repairs and after a shakedown cruise in October 1945, sailed to Newport for duty as a training ship. Honolulu arrived Philadelphia 8 January 1946 and decommissioned there 3 February 1947 and joined the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia. On 17 November 1949 Honolulu was sold for scrapping.

Honolulu received eight battle stars for World War II service.

See USS Honolulu for other Navy ships of the same name.

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Brooklyn-class cruiser

Brooklyn | Philadelphia | Savannah | Nashville | Phoenix | Boise | Honolulu

List of cruisers of the United States Navy