HISTORY CL-48 "The Blue Goose"
USS Honolulu
(CL-48: dp. 9,050, 1. 60R'4": b. cl'9"; dr. 19'5"; s. 34 k.,
cpl. 868; a. 15 6',, 8 5", l6 1.1", 8 20mm., 8 .50 cal. mg.; cl.
Brooklyn)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Volume III, 1968, Navy Department,
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division, Washington, p.
356.
The first Honolulu was built as Itasca by Armstrong Whitworth Ltd., Newcastle, England, in
1905. She was taken over by Resolution
of Congress 12 June 1917; transferred to USSB ownership and assigned to Army
service. Although she operated as a
U.S. cargo transport with Navy Crew, there is no record of her
commissioning. The name was changed to Honolulu
26 July 1918. Her service included
cargo cruises between the United States and various French ports. Navy personnel were released in March 1919
and she was rejected for further service 2 April 1919.
Reprinted from Office of Naval Records and History Ships’ Histories Section Navy Department.
History of the
U.S.S. Honolulu
CL-48
“The Blue Goose”
Mau Lanakila
The second HONOLULU
was launched 26 August 1937 by the New York Navy Yard.
The light cruiser U.S.S.
HONOLULU was named for the
capital of the Territory of Hawaii and is the first vessel of that name in the
United States Navy.
U.S.S.
HONOLULU was Authorized by
Acts of Congress of 13 February 1929 and 27 March 1934. She was built at the Navy Yard in New York
and placed in commission by Rear Admiral Clark H. Woodward, USN Commandant of
the 3rd Naval District, on 15 June 1938. Her first Commanding Officer was Captain Oscar Smith, USN.
Delegate Samuel Wilder King of
Hawaii on 20 May 1938 suggested the motto “Mau Lanakila” (“Always
Victorious!”) Delegate King’s
suggestion was contained in a letter to Commander George B. Wilson, executive
officer of the U.S.S. HONOLULU. He wrote:
“Hearty congratulations to the
officers and crew upon the commissioning of the U.S.S.
HONOLULU. My best wishes to all
of you for a successful shakedown cruise, and many happy cruises
hereafter. May your Ports of Call always
be interesting, but don’t forget that Honolulu is always your home port!
The people of Honolulu take great
pride in having a vessel of the United States Navy named after their city. I know they join me in wishing this ship and
the ship’s company every success. In
the Hawaiian phrase, we hope you will be “Mau Lanakila” (Always Victorious!).
“Me ke aloha nui ia oukou a pau
(lots of aloha to you all.)”
By early September, the HONOLULU was ready for her shakedown cruise to
England and Europe. Nine days out of
Hampton Roads a twenty-one gun national salute announced her arrival in the
British Islands. Upon entering the
harbor at Portsmouth, England, passing honors were rendered to many British
men-of-war, including H. M. S. REPULSE, later sunk by the Japanese. An unexpected surprise was the discovery
that her sister the U.S.S. Nashville was there also. War clouds hovering over Europe hastened her voyage back to the United
States. Completing her first cruise HONOLULU steamed back to New York carrying with her
over $20,000,000 in gold bullion consigned from the Bank of England to the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
A trip to the dry-dock followed by
more practice runs, and the HONOLULU was
prepared to receive Rear Admiral (now Admiral, Retired) Hargle R. Stark, who
transferred his flag from the CONCORD.
Shortly thereafter, in the latter part of January 1939, Commander
Cruisers Battle Force and Commander Cruiser Division Nine, in the HONOLULU, sailed to the West Indies via Norfolk to
participate in fleet maneuvers. Her
officers and men had the opportunity of spending the winter in and out of ports
in the Virgin Islands, Haiti, the British West Indies and Cuba. Early in April the ship turned her back on
the Caribbean and headed for a short rest in New York before assuming duties in
the West, under Commander Cruiser Battle Force.
The time had come for Captain Oscar
Smith to take his command to its name sake in the Pacific. May 24 saw New York fading on the horizon
for the last time. In company with her
sisters, the PHILADELPHIA and SAVANNAH, she cruised from Norfolk to San
Cristobal, Canal Zone, crossed to the Pacific and tied up at Balboa, Canal
Zone.
With new Rear Admiral, Husband E.
Kimmel, aboard, HONOLULU proudly steamed up the
West Coast to San Francisco via San Pedro and immediately made preparations for
a two thousand mile trip across the Pacific.
After dropping the pilot outside the Golden Gate on July fourth she
proceeded to Honolulu for her real christening. A party from the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce came aboard when
the ship arrived to make plans for the coming festivities in honor of the new
cruiser. A large “lei’ was placed over
the bow of the ship as she proceeded to her berth. That afternoon a total of 3,419 visitors came aboard. The next morning the Captain made official
calls on the Governor of Hawaii and Commandant of the 14th Naval
District, who were invited to attend the presentation ceremonies aboard
ship. The Governor’s daughter acting as
sponsor, presented a silver punch bowl and forty-eight silver cups as all hands
observed from the main deck aft. As a
return gift, the ship’s carpenter constructed a model of the cruiser for the
Mayor. Members of the crew were
presented leis which were worn continuously ashore to distinguish them as
honored guest of the city. Upon leaving
the port all hands simultaneously dropped their leis into the water by which
action they signified they were to return.
The ship was again underway, this
time to Portland, Oregon. Next stop was
San Pedro and then to dry-dock at Hunter’s Point, San Francisco, and back South
again. On one occasion, as she was
leaving Los Angeles Harbor a fishing boat, while attempting to combine an
overtaking and crossing situation, collided and a glancing blow was received
thirty feet aft of the port bow. No
damage was done to either vessel.
On 2 April 1940 HONOLULU again headed West for Hawaii returning to
Long Beach, California in June. Shortly
after, in July, Captain Oscar Smith was relieved by Captain (now Commodore)
Harold Dodd, USN. who took the ship to the Bremerton Navy Yard for
overhaul. Completing the overhaul, it
was Hawaii once more via Long Beach.
Arriving at Pearl Harbor on Armistice Day 1940, she was kept busy with
various fleet maneuvers.
Rear Admiral H. F. Leary reported
aboard on 2 February 1941, and relieved Rear Admiral H. E. Kimmel who on the
same morning went over to the U.S.S. PENNSYLVANIA and assumed the duties of
Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet.
The ship made one more trip to the
United States in September before the fateful morning of 7 December 1941. On the morning she was moored port side to
the dock with U.S.S. ST. LOUIS outboard on the starboard side. At 0755 two waves of Japanese torpedo planes
attacked battle ships moored along the quays on the South-East side of Ford
Island. Immediately General Quarters
was sounded and the word passed “enemy air raid” and anti-aircraft guns started
firing. At 0805 the ship made
preparations to get underway. At 0820 a
group of Japanese dive bombers attacked the HONOLULU
and a 250-pound bomb struck the pier about 15 feet from the ship’s side forward
of amidships. The bomb penetrated the
dock and exploded under water. The
force of the explosion ruptured a number of oil tanks and magazines and caused
leaks in the hull. Shores were
immediately used where practicable. At
0900 the ST. LOUIS was underway and stood out to sea. Soon afterwards a target raft was secured across the stern as a
torpedo precaution. During the air
attack which lasted from about 0800 to 0903 a total of 250 rounds of five-inch,
4500 rounds of fifty-caliber and 2800 rounds of thirty caliber ammunition was
expended. One plane is believed to have
been shot down.
On 13 December the ship entered
dry-dock at Pearl Harbor to repair under-water damage. During this dry-dock repair period ending on
2 January, Admiral Leary transferred his flag, leaving the ship a single major
unit of the fleet. Soon after orders
were received to escort a convoy back to the United States.
Arriving San Francisco after a nine
day crossing, preparations were immediately made to continue as a convoy
escort, this time to Australia.
Departing San Francisco on 30 January 1942 a zigzag course was set for
Melbourne, Australia. Twenty-eight days
later the convoy arrived in the land “down under”, to remain nine days before
heading North.
Leaving Melbourne with another
convoy, HONOLULU set her course for New
Caledonia where she put into Neurea on 12 March. Three days later, less her usual convoy, she was underway for
Tutuila, Samoa, from where, after a one day stay, she was ordered to Pearl
Harbor arriving 27 March.
HONOLULU
completed her South Pacific convoying after another triangular route from Pearl
Harbor to San Diego to Pago Pago, Samoa, and again back to her base on the
Island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, arriving during the latter part of May,
1942.
About this time the Japanese were
extending their three pronged drive toward Australia in the South, Hawaii in
the East, and the Alaskan peninsula to the North, HONOLULU
was chosen to strengthen our position in the latter place. Subsequently she sailed for Dutch Harbor in
company with other ships. Because of
complications which arose from the presence of Japanese task forces in the
Central and North Pacific, our course was diverted toward Kodiak Island. After maneuvering for a considerable length
of time in the Gulf of Alaska, South of Kodiak Island, Captain Dodd on 25 June
took his ship into Women’s Bay Kodiak, to refuel and take on provisions. On 11 June the ships first casualties
occurred, when two planes lost in an Alaskan fog ran out of gas and were forced
to land in a heavy sea. Several
attempts were made to locate the lost pilots and their observers, but all of
these failed. The ship continued to
operate in and out of Kodiak until 16 July at which time she proceeded from
Kodiak to join the INDIANAPOLIS, ST. LOUIS, LOUISVILLE and NASHVILLE, which
were also operating in these waters.
The task force pointed West and an attempt to bombard Japanese positions
on the Island of Kiskl failed due to poor weather conditions.
The same force proceeded to Kiska
Island on 7 August in a heavy fog, and this time succeeded in bombarding the
Island. The enemy retaliated with half
a dozen salvos from shore batteries and the HONOLULU
again opened up with her six-inch main battery during which time an enemy
fighter was driven off by anti-aircraft fire.
Shortly after the order to cease fire came, another enemy plane
appeared, but it was soon lost in the fog.
The total time for this bombardment action was one hour.
In August 1942 Captain (now Rear
Admiral) Robert W. Hayler, USN, relieved Captain Dodd as Commanding Officer of
the HONOLULU.
Before leaving Alaskan waters,
Captain Hayler took his ship to Kuluk Bay, Adak Island, in the Aleutian
Islands, where she screened for the first American landings in this area on 21
August 1942. (This base later provided
a jumping-off place for landings on Attu and Kiska.) After fueling at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians, HONOLULU set course for the Golden Gate on 20
September for repairs at the Navy Yard, Mare Island.
After a month in the yard, HONOLULU emerged as a newer, more efficient fighting
unit. She had been fitted with new
radar equipment and many other of the latest improvements. On 3 November she sailed out of San
Francisco Bay to convoy supply ships to Noumea. Enroute numerous ships were challenged, including one Swedish
ship which almost received a salvo of six-inch shells when she did not answer
up promptly. Immediately upon arrival
at Noumea, the ship was ordered to Espiritu Santo were on 26 November Rear
Admiral Tisdale brought his staff aboard and hoisted his flag. Three days later, in company with the MINNEAPOLIS
and NEW ORLEANS, PENSACOLA, NORTHAMPTON and five destroyers, she sailed North
to Lunga Point on Guadalcanal Island where calm seas, full of Japanese
torpedoes, were to await them.
The Battle of Tassafaronga viewed
from the HONOLULU began on the night of 30
November 1942, shortly after 2300. The
“Tokyo Express” was trying to effect a reinforcement of positions near Lunga
Point and it was up to the cruisers to stop them. Destroyers first made contact with a four ship formation and
proceeded to launch a torpedo attack.
Four minutes later the heavy cruisers began firing, two minutes after
which the HONOLULU (the only light cruiser
present) opened up with all the fifteen guns of her main battery on the nearest
Japanese destroyer. Direct hits were
soon observed by spotter. The five-inch
battery started illuminating the targets with star shells and a few minutes
later, the MINNEAPOLIS and NEW ORLEANS were hit by torpedoes. Both ships appeared to be on fire. Captain Hayler, in an effort to save time,
took the wheel and turned hard right to avoid torpedoes, probably saving the
ship. Half a minute later the main
battery trained on a destroyer target 7,500 yards away which was soon observed
to break up and sink. At thirty-second
intervals, fire was checked and brought to bear on the targets, one of which
was a Japanese destroyer 7,000 yards distant.
This target, as well as other in the vicinity, was observed to receive
direct hits. Fire was checked and star
shells were used to search for enemy ships in the vicinity. However, no more targets were found. The area was then patrolled until eight
o’clock the next morning when the ship secured from general quarters and headed
back to Espiritu Santo.
Meanwhile, the HONOLULU had been known as the “Blue Goose”.
This nick-name very probably came about during the period before 7
December 1941. The source of the name
is rather hazy but one attributed it to the custom of the flagship to carry one
blue colored seaplane which was used by the Admiral and his staff. The contrast between the flag’s blue and the
formation’s aluminum colored ones, gave rise to considerable comment, and this
together with the ship also wore a distinctive coat of blue paint caused the
cruiser to be referred to as the “Blue Goose”, a
name which lived on side by side with her christened one. An alternate nickname which still pops up
occasionally is “Pineapple Maru”. This
moniker is derived from her namesake city which is known as the pineapple
capital of the world.
Based on Espiritu Santo and Tulagi
the HONOLULU tried to engage the “Tokyo
Express”, which was on a rather irregular schedule. It was not until early July however, that an engagement actually
did occur. Meanwhile, the New Georgia
campaign was getting underway. On the night
of 13 May a heavy bombardment was carried out by HONOLULU,
HELENA, and NASHVILLE in Kula Gulf on Kolombangara and New Georgia
Islands.
Operations continued normally until
the night of July 4-5, 1943, when a force covered and supported allied landings
at Rice Anchorage on the New Georgia side of Kula Gulf. The bombardment of the Vila-Stanmere
plantation areas was progressing as planned until the U.S.S. STRONG had to fall
out of formation after being crippled by a torpedo or mine. A short time later the destroyer sank.
The following afternoon as the HONOLULU, HELENA and ST. LOUIS retired to the South
between San Cristobal and Guadalcanal a dispatch was received directing the task
force to cover Kula Gulf against the “Tokyo Express” which was due to run that
night. It was overcast with squally
winds up to 15 knots. Visibility was
about 4,000 yards. The first radar
contact was made shortly after 0030 the morning of the sixth when a group of
three of four ships appeared standing out of Kula Gulf. Immediately a battle formation was assumed
and shortly before 0200 the order to “commence firing” was received. At four minutes past the hour, a reversal of
course was ordered, during which a torpedo wake was sighted on the port bow and
passing down the port side close aboard.
Approximately six torpedoes were sighted from the ship. Firing continued until all the targets
disappeared.
Meanwhile a second group of our
ships had been located, eleven thousand yards distant. The turrents were then trained on one of
these, a destroyer, which two minutes later was afire and dead in the
water. Star shells illuminated what
appeared to be a sampan, possible a destroyer low in the water of a surfaced
submarine. This was soon exploded by
two fifteen gun salvos. The loss of the
HELENA was not discovered until the second group of enemy ships was under fire. She had been hit and sunk at approximately
the same time and HONOLULU had sighted torpedoes close aboard during the first
engagement. While the RADFORD and
NICHOLAS stood by to pick up survivors, the rest of the task force effected a
retirement. Approximately an hour later
at 0418, word was received from the two rescuing ships that one enemy cruiser
and two destroyers showed their valor and successfully drove them away. Later the RADFORD and NICHOLAS received the
Presidential Unit Citation for their actions here. The two cruisers finally made their way back to Tulagi Harbor,
Soloman Islands.
Once again with her magazines and
fuel tanks filled to capacity, Captain Hayler’s cruiser was ready to do battle
with the “Sons of Tojo”. The
opportunity came a week later on the fateful night of July 12-13 in the second
battle of Kula Gulf. His Majesty’s New
Zealand ship LEANDER and U.S.S. ST. LOUIS were steaming astern of Admiral
Ainsworth’s flagship when the Navy Patrol plane made contact with one light
cruiser of the Sendai Class and five destroyers in her night air search from
Kula Gulf to Bougainville. Upon closing
the initial twenty-six miles between forces, a battle disposition was formed
and the second enemy ship, the cruiser, was designated as the HONOLULU’s target.
At 0105 the leading destroyers reported sight contact and were ordered
to attack with torpedoes. Five minutes
later the enemy cruiser illuminated our leading destroyer, whereupon the “Blue Goose” started belching hard American
steel. The third salvo caused the enemy
to burst into flame and soon became dead in the water. Fire was then shifted to the leading
destroyer which was immediately hit and disappeared from view. Fire was again shifted as the remaining four
destroyers retreating to the North.
About that time, while maneuvering, the LEANDER again was hit by a
torpedo putting her out of action. The
only target now in the area was the cruiser hulk which the destroyers were
ordered to destroy.
About this time contact was lost
with four of our eleven destroyers, which had been chasing the fleeing
Japanese. Soon after, a contact was
made which was thought to be the missing “Tin Cans”. Star shells failed to identify the four ships as either friendly
or enemy. A few minutes later, however,
the water was literally flooded with torpedoes. A tremendous flash followed by a report on the starboard bow
showed the ST. LOUIS had been hit, how badly no one could tell. Radical maneuvering continued in the
following moments when three torpedoes just cleared the HONOLULU’s bow, and one passed under her
stern, and two more within a hundred yards.
At 0211 a
torpedo, which was observed to be very near the surface, struck the starboard
side of the HONOLULU about thirty-six feet from the bow. The force of the explosion raised the bow
over four feet and made a large hole in the underbody. Close to eighty fee off the bow was bent
down as a result of damage to the supporting frames. There were very few casualties and no one was killed. Another flash off the port quarter proved to be the GWIN, third
victim of the Japanese torpedoes, who was seen bearing down on the HONOLULU’s starboard beam,
out of control and in flames. The
cruiser’s rudder was thrown hard right and the burning destroyer passed about
fifty yards away. HONOLULU was then struck by
another torpedo squarely in the stern. Fortunately
this one proved to be a dud. Aviation
gasoline and the bombs in the bomb locker in the stern are known as excellent
torpedo fodder. The warhead had
penetrated about two feet inside the ship’s hull and was held there in place by
the drive of its own screws. When its
propelling force was spent, it dropped out and sank leaving a hole two feet in
diameter.
The task force
then retired to Tulagi where temporary repairs were made. The H.M.S. LEANDER had to be taken under tow
while the HONOLULU and the ST. LOUIS steamed under their own power. The destroyer GWIN, which had narrowly
missed colliding with the “Blue Goose” was taken in tow and later scuttled when an air attack
appeared imminent. On the credit side
of HONOLULU’s
ledger
is listed one Japanese cruiser definitely sunk while one destroyer was sunk or
badly damaged. The other enemy ships
escaped to the North. (This damage is
based on observations from the patrol plane which was observing the battle from
the air.) In general, the enemy’s
gunfire was ineffective as in the previous night’s engagement.
The HONOLULU in the first
year and a half of World War II had developed an interesting reputation. Through some turn of fate, the ships
directly astern of her habitually suffered from enemy action. The NORTHAMPTON, ACHILIES, HELENA, and
H.M.S. LEANDER were all either damaged or sunk while steaming in the number two
position, by receiving a direct hit.
Also a number of first can be chalked up on the “Blue Goose’s” record. She made the first trip to Melbourne after
December 7th; was in the first bombardment of Kiska; covered for the
first American landings in Alaska; and fought in the first night battle using
radar exclusively to control firing.
Admiral
Ainsworth, while leading his forces from the bridge of the HONOLULU, brought upon
himself much distinction . He was later
presented with the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal. Captain Hayler, likewise, had earned the
Navy Cross, a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross, and the Silver Star
Medal for his outstanding performances during the Battle of Tussafaronga, the
first Battle of Kula Gulf and the Second Battle of Kula Gulf respectively. The Captain took no end of opportunities to praise
his officers and men, many of whom later received citations and
commendations. Among these were
Commander Chauncey Moore, Executive Officer, Lieutenant D. P. Klain, Lieutenant
L. W. Rash, and Chief Carpernter’s Mate, P. L. Vlasich.
HONOLULU was now on her
way back to American soil for repairs.
From Tulagi she arrived at Espiritu Santo for dry-docking before
preceding to Pearl Harbor. The
sixteenth of August 1943, she steamed into Pearl Harbor where a new bow was
already being constructed in sections.
After this had been installed, she proceeded to the Mare Island,
California, Navy Yard. Here the ship
remained until November 16th.
During the overhaul period the entire crew was given a well-earned
leave. While in the yard many
alterations were made including the construction of an open bridge. The one point one inch anti-aircraft guns
were replaced with forty millimeter twin and quadruple mounts, and her worn out
six-inch guns were replaced with new ones.
It was a
different looking ship that left San Francisco that November to fight the
Japanese. Before entering the theaters
of action, however, the higher-ups decided to send the cruiser first to Pearl
Harbor for final preparations. The
fourth of December, Captain Haylor sailed his ship away from the island of Oahu
and set a course for the South Seas.
Crossing the Equator on December 7th, many pollywogs became
initiated into the Order of the Deep.
The new members of the crew bow began to sense the ships esprit as she
arrived at Espiritu Santo on December 11th. Having left the ship after the Second
Battle of Kula Gulf, Rear Admiral W. L. Ainsworth and his staff shifted
temporarily to the ST. LOUIS which had arrived in the Solomons a few weeks
before. The flag came aboard again on
December 14th, 1943.
Christmas day
found Cruiser Division Nine (U.S.S. ST. LOUIS and U.S.S. HONOLULU) in route to
Purvis Bay, Florida Island. On the
afternoon of December 26th, the ships of Task Force Thirty Eight
departed to bombard Japanese positions at Kieta and Numa Nume on the Eastern
coast of Bougainville Island. The
following day after bombarding enemy barge, troop, and supply concentrations
the force headed around the North end of Buka Islands to patrol the sea coast
of Bougainville against surface forces.
This area was covered until December 28th, when a retirement
was made to Port Purvis.
Leaving Florida
Island January 8th, 1944, the same force bombarded the Shortland
Islands where the enemy was known to have supplies, installations and
troops. Return fire from estimated
six-inch shore batteries was encountered.
The force successfully executed its mission and proceeded to screen the
seventeenth Torokina Echelon which was landing on Western Bougainville. After a two day cruise, Admiral Ainsworth
brought his ships safely back to their base in the Solomon Islands.
During the action
a five-inch gun of which VanWinkle, Coxswain, was gun captain and Cate, Seaman
Second Class, was first loader, lost all powers of endurance and determination,
having kept the gun in action for over one hundred salvos.
The HONOLULU was again
underway on February 13th to cover for the landing operations of
Green Island, off the South Eastern coast of New Ireland. Shortly before dusk, while patrolling
between New Britain and Bougainville, a formation of six enemy dive bombers
attacked the force consisting of the light cruisers ST. LOUIS and HONOLULU. The two planes were shot down, but only
after the ST. LOUIS was damaged by two near misses and a direct hit which
killed one officer and twenty-five men.
Throughout the night many enemy planes were contacted, but none came in
to attack. The next afternoon, after
burial ceremonies, the ST. LOUIS proceeded to Purvis Bay where the HONOLULU joined her two
days later.
On the 25th
of March 1944, Captain R. W. Hayler was relieved by Captain Harry R. Thurber,
USN, who was formerly Operations Officer for Admiral William F. Halsey,
Commander South Pacific Forces. The
ship’s company was sorry to see their Captain, who had been promoted to Rear
Admiral, leave after taking them through so many battles.
Then following
the first period of inactivity that the HONOLULU had experienced since the war
began. For some six weeks she stayed at
anchor in Purvis Bay with but one or two short trips out for exercises and a
practice shore bombardment on Rua Sura Island.
Early in May preparations were begun for the next operation. Several days were spent in Kula Gulf working
with marine shore fire control parties.
Then came an official rehearsal landing on Guadalcanal.
On 4 June, the HONOLULU departed for
Rei Anchorage, Kwajalein, Marshall Island.
After refueling and provisioning to capacity the bombardment group left
for Saipan. HONOLULU took part in
the D minus one day bombardment on the Southeastern part of Saipan including
the vicinity of Aslito airfield.
On D-Day the HONOLULU stood off
Saipan and Tinian and prepared to silence any short batter that dared to open
up.
The following
day, 16 June, the bombardment of Guam was scheduled to take place. HONOLULU with several other ships was
assigned to the area on the West Coast just South of Orote Peninsula near the
town of Agat. After about two hours of
shooting in which the only enemy opposition was some ineffective anti-aircraft
fire, the bombardment was suddenly called off and all ships ordered to return
to Saipan. The landing there was
meeting with strong resistances and the Japanese fleet had been sighted near
the Philippines headed East. While Task
Force 50 went out to meet the Japanese one group of bombardment and fire support
ships was stationed to the West of Saipan and HONOLULU and another
group were sent to the North and Northeast.
For eight days this group steamed up and down ready to interpass itself
between Saipan and any Japanese ships attempting to relieve the hard pressed
Japanese ashore. There was little
excitement during this time and the dawn alerts grew monotonous. The ship passed through one area where a
Japanese ship had been sunk and many bodies of Japanese soldiers were still
floating. Another day the screening
destroyers picked up several Japanese from rubber rafts. There was a daily dusk air attack against
the trans-ports but HONOLULU was to far out to be attacked or to take part in the
shooting. One day at noon four Japanese
planes made an ineffectual dive bombing attack on some escort carriers, but no
damage was done. On the 25 June, the HONOLULU left the area
and headed for Eniwetok.
Sixteen days were
spent at Eniwetok and then the task group left for Guam to start the
pre-invasion bombardment. This started
on 17 July and HONOLULU was again stationed on the West side. For four days the Agat area was thoroughly
bombarded. HONOLULU finished close
support for the demolition teams and at times worked in near enough to the
beaches to use 20 MM battery. The
Marines landed on 21 July and there followed several full days to provided fire
support. The capture of Orote Peninsula
was particularly difficult and each morning’s attack was preceded by an
intensive area bombardment. The Marines
having moved inland too far for effective fire support, HONOLULU and the other
ships moved to the Eastern side of the island on 1 August and continued to give
fire support and night illumination.
One night two torpedo wakes passing close aboard were reported but it was
never determined whether they were real or imaginary. On 9 August the capture of Guam was almost completed and the tank
group left for Eniwetok. During this
one operation HONOLULU fired approximately 6,600 rounds of 6-inch and almost
4,000 rounds of 5-inch.
After a few days
in Eniwetok spent in fuel and provisioning, the “Blue Goose” left for “home”
– Purvis Bay. The few days spent there
were used for liberty and recreation and preparation for the next
operation. After the rehearsal landing
on Guadalcanal, the task group under command of Rear Admiral Oldendorf sailed
for Palau on 6 September. The
bombardment began on 12 September and the Marines landed on the 15th. The ship remained off Palau until 29
September when it sailed for Manus. On
18 September HONOLULU was the first large ship to enter Kessel Passage. The anchorage had been partially swept clear
of mines, but it was only some 10,000 yards from Japanese-held Babelthuap and
not entirely safe from PT boats or float planes.
After twelve days
in Manus, Bombardment and fire support ships again under Admiral Oldendorf
sailed for Leyte. A storm was
encountered in route and a bad few days were experienced by HONOLULU which entered
Leyte Gulf on the afternoon of 18 October through a narrow swept channel. The bombardment began next morning. HONOLULU was assigned an area of Dulag
town in the vicinity of Catomin Hill.
No return fire was received from the beach and although many enemy
planes were reported, none appeared the first day. Early on the morning of 20 October a lone Japanese plane came in
from the East and dropped a bomb some 500 yards from the PORTLAND and 1,000
yards from the BLUE GOOSE. An intensive
bombardment of beach defenses was maintained until 1000 when the first waves of
the assault troops hit the beach.
General MacArthur landed several miles to the North near Tacloban.
At 1600 HONOLULU was in her
assigned position of Catomin Hill awaiting a fire support assignment when a
single Japanese plane was sighted coming from the center of Leyte. It was taken under fire, but it launched its
torpedo towards the HONOLULU. The ship had very
little way on and was unable to maneuver out of the way. At 1602 the plane hit the HONOLULU and there were
many personnel casualties. Prompt
damage control measures were undertaken which localized the flooding. The ship anchored that night in transport
area where another casualty occurred.
During the air attack some ship fired into a 40 MM mount killing and
wounding several more men. By noon the
next day the ship was able to get underway and after dodging two floating
mines, left Leyte Gulf for Kosgol Passage and Manus.
HONOLULU entered a
floating dry-dock in Manus. The ship
was unwatered, the remaining bodies of the dead were recovered, the damaged
hull was patched and the ship made ready for the trip to the States. She left Manus 19 November and arrived in
the States on 5 December having come by Majuro and Pearl Harbor. She had been away from the mainland for
thirteen months and had never been to a liberty port, a scheduled trip to
Australia having been cancelled in May.
HONOLULU finally arrived in Norfolk on 20 December. The 11,000miles from Manus were covered in
32 days including three days not underway.
On her bridge the
HONOLULU carries her
score card for eighteen months spent in the South and Southwest Pacific. On the credit side are: 1 cruiser, four
destroyers, 4 planes and 8 bombardments.
On the debit side are 3 torpedoes and 1 bomb. For her service she rates the American Defense Ribbon with one
star, the American Theater Ribbon and the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with nine
stars.
From December
1944 until September 1945 the NONOLULU underwent repairs in the Norfolk Navy Yard. After a shake down cruise she reported to
Naval Training Station, Newport, to act as a Training Ship.
By Directive
dated January, 1947, U.S.S. HONOLULU was placed out of commission in
reserve, at Philadelphia, and was attached to the U. S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
Sold to
Bethlehem Steel, Baltimore, Maryland for scrap October 12, 1959
Scrapped at
Sparrow Point, Maryland, August 19, 1960
Battle Record
U. S. S. HONOLULU
Service Medal, for participating in the following
operations:
PEARL HARBOR
Midway – 7
December 1941
CAPTURE AND DEFENSE
OF GUADALCANAL
10 August 1942
to February 1943
TASSAFARONGA
(Fourth Save)
30 November to 1
December 1942
CONSOLIDATION OF
SOUTHERN SOLOMONS
8 February to 20
January 1943
CONSOLIDATION OF
NORTHERN SOLOMONS
27 October 1943
to March 1945