USS Amsterdam (CL-101)

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USS Amsterdam (CL-101) in the Norfolk Navy Yard, January 29, 1945
USS Amsterdam (CL-101) in the Norfolk Navy Yard, January 29, 1945
Overview
Keel laying March 3, 1943
Launch April 25, 1944
Namesake Amsterdam , New York
1. Period of service flag
Commissioning January 8, 1945
Decommissioning June 30, 1947
Whereabouts scrapped
Technical specifications
displacement

11,744  ts

length

186.0 m

width

20.2 m

height
  • 23.5 m chimney
  • 34.5 m mast
Draft

7.5 m

crew

1384

drive

4 boilers, 4 steam turbines , 4 shafts , 100,000 hp

speed

32.5  kn

Range

11,000  nautical miles at 15 kn

Armament
  • 12 × 6 "(152 mm) L / 47 in 4 triplet towers
  • 12 × 5 "(127 mm) L / 38 in 6 twin towers
  • 28 × 40mm L / 56
  • 10 × 20 mm
Aircraft

4 Vought OS2U

Radio call sign

November - Uniform - Golf - Bravo

The USS Amsterdam (CL-101) was a Cleveland-class light cruiser of the United States Navy . She was the last ship in the class that was still in service during World War II .

history

The Amsterdam was born on March 3, 1943 at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News , Virginia set at Kiel . She was the second Cleveland-class ship to bear this name, but the first was renamed Independence in 1942 before it was even completed as a light aircraft carrier . On April 25, 1944, the ship was christened by Mrs. William E. Hasenfuss, whose son was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor , then the ship was launched. On January 8, 1945, the cruiser entered service at the Norfolk Navy Yard under the command of Captain Andrew P. Lawton.

After completing the equipment work in Norfolk, the Amsterdam ran on February 5 for the first test voyage in the Chesapeake Bay . On February 17, she then left Norfolk for the Caribbean, where extensive exercises took place off Trinidad until March 13 . On the way back to Norfolk, the first sharp shot was fired at the training area on Culebra , on March 20 the cruiser ran into Norfolk. After another target practice off Cape May, the Amsterdam went to dock on March 24 for repair work in Norfolk. On April 20, the cruiser set sail for another exercise in Chesapeake Bay, and four days later it set course for the Caribbean, where exercises took place off Guantanamo and Culebra. On May 5th, the Amsterdam passed the Panama Canal and on May 18th, she arrived in Pearl Harbor . After further exercises, the cruiser left Hawaii on June 9 for the Philippines, where the Amsterdam was assigned to the 3rd US Fleet on June 21. On July 1, the cruiser ran with Task Force 38 in the direction of Japan , where on July 10, air strikes on airfields, ports and shipping began. The Amsterdam took over the security of the aircraft carriers with other ships. The attacks continued until August 15, when the fleet received news of the Japanese surrender . In the following weeks, the cruiser stayed off the coast of Honshus, on September 5th it entered Tokyo Bay , where it stayed until September 20th. The Amsterdam then set course for the US west coast, with two stopovers in Buckner Bay on Okinawa and Pearl Harbor, US soldiers were taken on board and transported home. On October 15, the cruiser arrived in Portland , Oregon , where it stayed for two weeks to attend the Navy Day celebrations. On October 29th, the Amsterdam ran towards San Pedro , where it arrived on November 1st. After a short stay in the shipyard, the cruiser left California on November 19 for Hawaii, where on November 25 the first soldiers who were to be brought to the States as part of Operation Magic Carpet were taken on board . The cruiser left Pearl Harbor on December 12, and arrived in San Pedro six days later. On January 21, 1946, the cruiser ran to San Francisco , where shortly after arrival the crew began preparations for decommissioning. On June 30, 1947, after only two and a half years of active service, the Amsterdam was decommissioned and transferred to the reserve fleet . Until she was deleted from the shipping registers on January 2, 1971, the Amsterdam was in the Bay of San Francisco. after the cancellation, the former cruiser was sold to the National Metal & Steel Corporation in Terminal Island for scrapping on February 11, 1972 and was subsequently completely demolished and scrapped.

The Amsterdam was awarded a Battle Star for its service during the Second World War .

Web links

Commons : USS Amsterdam (CL-101)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ USS Amsterdam in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships , as of August 28, 2008
  2. ↑ navsource.org , as of August 28, 2008