USS Salt Lake City
The USS Salt Lake City is a Pensacola Class Heavy Cruiser that is considered by most to be the ship that was involved in more missions than any other. She was built in 1927 at the American Brown Boveri Electric Corporation (which is a subsidiary of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation) in Camden, New Jersey. She was launched on January 23, 1929 and commissioned on December 11, 1929.
Between the years of 1930 and 1941, The Salt Lake City sailed on many extended cruises. She travelled to a wide variety of countries and was involved in fleet maneuvers, gunnery exercises, fleet reviews and many other naval operations. When Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, the ship was part of the Enterprise Task Group, which was stationed close enough to Pearl Harbor for the group to embark on a chase for the enemy. Over the next few days they did encounter and fire upon Japanese submarines.
As The Salt Lake City continued it's mission with the Enterprise Task Group, she was involved in many battles. The ships sailed to Japan to assist in some important operations, and then headed back to Pearl Harbor. All of the ships in the fleet underwent preparations for the major battle that was expected at Midway. The Salt Lake City would operate as a rear guard for the fleet. She assisted in the battle at Guadalcanal and sailed with the USS Wasp as her escort. The Wasp was sunk on September 15, and the crew from the Salt Lake City rescued the survivors and brought them on board.
One of the major victories The Salt Lake City participated in was at Cape Esperance. United States ships had gathered to stop the Japanese ships that were bringing supplies and reinforcements via Guadalcanal, but there were not enough of them to be considered a major threat to the Japanese. The actual battle started accidentally, when a plane that was taking off from The Salt Lake City caught fire and crashed. The Japanese mistook the fire for a signal from their own troops, and sent a reply. The American fleet saw an opportunity and opened fire. By the time the Japanese realized what was happening, they had suffered enough damage to ensure an American victory. The Salt Lake City was hit by enemy fire, but did not sustain any major damage. The battle was won.
After spending time at Pearl Harbor for repairs, The Salt Lake City was involved in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands in March of 1943. The Japanese were bringing reinforcements for their military bases located in the Aleutians. An American fleet that was outnumber and outgunned set out to meet the Japanese Destroyer Ships. During the aggressive battle, The Salt Lake City was brutally attacked and received much damage. For a while the ship was crippled, and it looked like it could be the end for her. The brave crew worked fiercely to put out fires and fix the damage, and the other ships in the fleet did their best to provide cover. The Salt Lake City was repaired by the crew well enough to move forward, and the Japanese did not realize how much damage the Americans had sustained. The failure of the Japanese fleet to recognize the poor condition the American vessels were in caused them to assume they had lost, and turn away. As the Japanese fled, the Americans had been assured of another victorious battle.
The Salt Lake City was repaired and overhauled, and once again set out on new missions. She joined 13th Fleet, and was almost immediately in the midst of another savage battle. She helped to cut off support to some of the smaller Japanese forces, which helped reduce the number of American casualties and ensured the Allied Forces would not have to do battle on each individual Japanese island. She continued to be involved in battles and patrol the sea until the end of the war. Her valiant war service earned the ship 11 battle stars.
Following the war The Salt Lake City became a part of Operation Magic Carpet to bring war veterans back to the United States. Afterwards she was picked for atomic bomb testing, and suffered through two atomic blasts.She managed to survive the blasts, and was officially decommissioned on August 29, 1946. Then on May 25, 1948, she was sunk for use as a target hull and removed from the Naval Vessel Register soon after.
The Salt Lake City was a heroic vessel with a noble history. Sadly, there is one negative factor that must be noted when discussing the ship. Some of the materials used to build the ship were made from asbestos. While at one time asbestos was a commonly used building material, it was later discovered to be toxic. Exposure to asbestos can lead to diseases such as mesothelioma, a form of cancer. For this reason anyone who has been exposed to any materials made from asbestos should seek medical counsel right away.
Last modified: June 27 2008.
