USS Spokane (CL-120)

Last updated
Amerikaanse lichte kruiser USS Spokane, gaat voor de Parkkade te Rotterdam op , Bestanddeelnr 902-5877.jpg
USS Spokane in Rotterdam on 12 February 1948
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameSpokane
NamesakeCity of Spokane, Washington
Builder Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down15 November 1944
Launched22 September 1945
Sponsored byMrs Patrice Munsel
Commissioned17 May 1946
Decommissioned27 February 1950
Reclassified
  • CLAA-120, 18 March 1949
  • AG-191, 1 April 1966
Stricken15 April 1972
Identification
Honors and
awards
See Awards
Fate Scrapped, 17 May 1973
General characteristics (as built) [1] [2]
Class and type Juneau-class light cruiser
Displacement6,500 tons (standard); 8,450 tons (loaded)
Length541 ft 0 in (164.9 m)
Beam52 ft 10 in (16.1 m)
Draft20 ft 6 in (6.2 m)
Propulsion
  • 4 × 665 psi boilers
  • 2 geared steam turbines
  • 78,749 hp (58.723 MW)
Speed32.7 knots (61 km/h)
Range6,440 nautical miles (11,930 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × lifeboats
Complement
  • Officer: 47
  • Enlisted: 695
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Armor
  • Belt: 1.1–3+34 in (28–95 mm)
  • Deck: 1+14 in (32 mm)
  • Turrets: 1+14 in (32 mm)
  • Conning Tower: 2+12 in (64 mm)

USS Spokane (CL-120/CLAA-120/AG-191) was the second ship of the Juneau-class light cruiser of the United States Navy.

Contents

Construction and career

She was laid down on 15 November 1944 at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey; launched on 22 September 1945, sponsored by Miss Patrice Munsel; and commissioned on 17 May 1946. [3]

Spokane shifted to Bayonne, New Jersey, and then to Brooklyn, New York, where she sailed on 24 June for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for her shakedown cruise and to conduct battle practice and weapons firing. She returned to New York on 11 September. The cruiser was assigned to the 2nd Fleet for duty in European waters, and sailed for Plymouth, England, on 7 October. [3]

USS Spokane in Rotterdam Amerikaanse lichte kruiser USS Spokane, bezoek aan Rotterdam in de mist, Bestanddeelnr 902-5874.jpg
USS Spokane in Rotterdam

Spokane operated out of British ports until mid-January 1947. During her tour, she visited Scotland, Ireland, Norway, and Denmark. On 27 January, she stood out of Plymouth and proceeded to the United States via Portugal, Gibraltar, and Guantánamo Bay, where she participated in fleet exercises before arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, on 18 March. Following fleet and bombardment exercises in the Chesapeake Bay during the summer, she had a period of yard availability at the Brooklyn Navy Yard from 22 September to 14 October. The cruiser returned to Norfolk for Navy Day, 27 October, and then prepared for another deployment. [3]

Spokane stood out of Norfolk on 29 October, and rendezvoused with other units of the 2nd Task Fleet for tactical exercises off Bermuda until 8 November, when she sailed for England. She arrived at Plymouth on 16 November, and was assigned to duty with Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Four days later, the ship donned "full dress" in celebration of the marriage of Her Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth of England. The cruiser visited Bremerhaven, Germany from 24–26 November, and returned to England for tactical operations. In February 1948, the ship called at Rotterdam, Netherlands, where she was visited by his Royal Highness Prince Bernhard on 17 February. On 1 March, Spokane stood out of Plymouth en route to the east coast, and arrived at Norfolk on 11 March. On 18 March, her designation was changed to CLAA-120. [3]

Spokane's operations along the eastern seaboard during the remainder of the year were broken by an overhaul at the New York Navy Yard from 27 May-15 September. On 4 January 1949, the ship sortied with Philippine Sea and Manchester for the Mediterranean. On 25 January, at Athens, the cruiser was paid a royal visit by King Paul and Queen Fredrika of Greece. Spokane participated in war games with 6th Fleet units, and visited ports in Turkey, Italy, France, Sardinia, Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria before returning to Norfolk on 23 May. [3]

Spokane acted as a training ship for Naval Reserves of the 4th Naval District during the summer and then participated in training exercises in the Virginia Capes area. [3]

Decommissioning

On 24 October 1949, Spokane sailed to New York for inactivation. She was placed in reserve, out of commission, on 27 February 1950, and berthed at New York. On 1 April 1966, she received the new hull number AG-191, to be used as a sonar test ship. [4] Spokane was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 April 1972. She was sold to Luria Brothers & Company, Inc., on 17 May 1973 and scrapped. [3]

Awards

Footnotes

Notes

    Citations

    1. Rickard, J (13 January 2015). "Atlanta Class Cruisers". Historyofwar.org. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
    2. "US Cruisers List: US Light/Heavy/AntiAircraft Cruisers, Part 2". Hazegray.org. 24 April 2000. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Spokane". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
    4. Friedman 1984, p. 242.

    Related Research Articles

    USS <i>Iowa</i> (BB-4) Pre-dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy

    USS Iowa was a pre-dreadnought battleship built for the United States Navy in the mid-1890s. The ship was a marked improvement over the previous Indiana-class battleships, correcting many of the defects in the design of those vessels. Among the most important improvements were significantly better seaworthiness owing to her greater freeboard and a more efficient arrangement of the armament. Iowa was designed to operate on the high seas, which had been the impetus to increase the freeboard. She was armed with a battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns in two twin-gun turrets, supported by a secondary battery of eight 8-inch (203 mm) guns.

    USS <i>Kentucky</i> (BB-6) Kearsarge-class pre-dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy

    USS Kentucky (BB-6), was the second and final Kearsarge-class pre-dreadnought battleship built for the United States Navy in the 1890s. Designed for coastal defense, the Kearsarge-class battleships had a low freeboard and heavy armor. The ships carried an armament of four 13-inch (330 mm) and four 8-inch (203 mm) guns in an unusual two-story turret arrangement. The Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Virginia laid down her keel on 30 June 1896. She was launched on 24 March 1898 and was commissioned on 15 May 1900.

    USS <i>New Orleans</i> (CL-22) United States Navy warship

    USS New Orleans was a United States Navy protected cruiser of the New Orleans class.

    USS <i>Kansas</i> (BB-21) United States Navy battleship

    USS Kansas (BB-21) was a US Connecticut-class pre-dreadnought battleship, the fourth of six ships in the class. She was the second ship of the United States Navy named Kansas, but the only one named in honor of the state of Kansas. The ship was launched in August 1905 and commissioned into the fleet in April 1907. Kansas was armed with a main battery of four 12-inch (305 mm) guns and was capable of a top speed of 18 kn.

    USS <i>West Virginia</i> (ACR-5) United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser

    The first USS West Virginia (ACR-5/CA-5), also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 5", and later renamed Huntington, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser.

    USS <i>Newark</i> (C-1) Protected cruiser

    The first USS Newark (C-1) was a United States Navy protected cruiser, the eighth protected cruiser launched by the United States. In design, she succeeded the "ABC" cruisers Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago with better protection, higher speed, and a uniform 6-inch gun armament. Four additional protected cruisers were launched for the USN prior to Newark.

    USS <i>Arkansas</i> (BB-33) Dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy

    USS Arkansas (BB-33) was a dreadnought battleship, the second member of the Wyoming class, built by the United States Navy. She was the third ship of the US Navy named in honor of the 25th state, and was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. She was laid down in January 1910, launched in January 1911, and commissioned into the Navy in September 1912. Arkansas was armed with a main battery of twelve 12-inch (305 mm) guns and capable of a top speed of 20.5 knots.

    USS <i>Amsterdam</i> (CL-101) Light cruiser of the United States Navy

    USS Amsterdam was a Cleveland-class light cruiser of the United States Navy, which were built during World War II. The class was designed as a development of the earlier Brooklyn-class cruisers, the size of which had been limited by the First London Naval Treaty. The start of the war led to the dissolution of the treaty system, but the dramatic need for new vessels precluded a new design, so the Clevelands used the same hull as their predecessors, but were significantly heavier. The Clevelands carried a main battery of twelve 6-inch (152 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, along with a secondary armament of twelve 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns. They had a top speed of 32.5 knots.

    USS <i>Colorado</i> (ACR-7) United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser

    USS Colorado (ACR-7), also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 7", and renamed USS Pueblo (CA-7) in 1916, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser. She was the second US Navy ship named Colorado, and the first to be named after the State of Colorado. The first, Colorado, was named for the Colorado River.

    USS <i>Washington</i> (ACR-11) United States Navy Tennessee-class armored cruiser

    The seventh USS Washington (ACR-11/CA-11/IX-39), also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 11", and later renamed Seattle and reclassified CA-11 and IX-39, was a United States Navy Tennessee-class armored cruiser. She was laid down on 23 September 1903 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, launched on 18 March 1905, sponsored by Miss Helen Stewart Wilson, daughter of United States Senator John L. Wilson of Washington state, and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 7 August 1906, Captain James D. Adams in command.

    USS <i>Norfolk</i> (DL-1) 1951 US Navy destroyer leader

    The second USS Norfolk (DL-1) was the first destroyer leader of the United States Navy. Originally projected as a hunter-killer cruiser, she was in service until 1970, and was scrapped in 1974.

    USS <i>Northampton</i> (CLC-1) US Navy command light cruiser (1953–1970)

    The third USS Northampton (CLC-1/CC-1) was a US Navy command light cruiser. She was laid down as an Oregon City-class heavy cruiser (CA–125), on 31 August 1944 by the Fore River Yard, Bethlehem Steel Corp., Quincy, Massachusetts. Work suspended between 11 August 1945 and 1 July 1948; she was converted to a command cruiser under project SCB 13 and launched as CLC–1, on 27 January 1951; sponsored by Mrs. Edmond J. Lampron; and commissioned as CLC–1, on 7 March 1953.

    USS <i>Huntington</i> (CL-107) Light cruiser of the United States Navy

    USS Huntington (CL-107), a Fargo-class light cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of Huntington, West Virginia. She was built during World War II but not completed until after the end of the war and in use for only a few years.

    USS <i>Fresno</i> (CL-121) Juneau-class light cruiser

    The second USS Fresno (CL-121) was a United States Navy Juneau-class light cruiser launched on 5 March 1946 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey, sponsored by Mrs. Ruth R. Martin; and commissioned on 27 November 1946, with Captain Elliott Bowman Strauss in command. She was reclassified CLAA-121 on 18 March 1949.

    USS <i>Juneau</i> (CL-119) Light cruiser of the United States Navy

    The second USS Juneau (CL-119/CLAA-119) was the lead ship of the United States Navy Juneau-class cruisers.

    USS <i>Salem</i> (CA-139) Des Moines-class cruiser of the United States Navy

    USS Salem (CA-139) is a Des Moines-class heavy cruiser completed for the United States Navy shortly after World War II and commissioned in 1949. The second ship of her class, she was the world's last heavy cruiser to enter service and is the last remaining. She was decommissioned in 1959 after serving in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. She is open to the public as a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts.

    USS <i>Harding</i> (DD-91) American Wickes-class destroyer

    USS Harding (DD-91) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the first ship named in honor of Seth Harding.

    USS <i>Willard Keith</i> (DD-775) Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

    USS Willard Keith (DD-775), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is currently the only completed ship of the United States Navy ever named for Willard Keith, a United States Marine Corps captain who died in combat during the campaign for Guadalcanal. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions.

    USS <i>Stormes</i> Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

    USS Stormes (DD-780) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer that served in the United States Navy.

    USS <i>Topeka</i> (PG-35) Gunboat of the United States Navy

    USS Topeka (PG-35) was a gunboat of the United States Navy.

    References

    PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entry can be found here.