Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # 80-G-383754:  USS Brooklyn underway, 11 June 1943

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Brooklyn (CL-40), 1937-1951

USS Brooklyn, name ship of a class of seven 9700-ton light cruisers, was built at the New York Navy Yard. Commissioned in late September 1937, she operated in the western Atlantic area for the first two years of her career. During this time, she participated in the New York World's Fair in the spring of 1939 and served as base ship during initial rescue and salvage operations on the sunken submarine Squalus in late May and early June 1939. Brooklyn was then transferred to the Pacific. She cruised to the south Pacific in March 1941 and was sent back to the Atlantic a few months later. For the rest of the year she made Neutrality Patrols, supported the occupation of Iceland in July, took part in Neutrality Patrols and participated in the "short of war" operations that accompanied the steadily worsening relations between the United States and Germany.

Once war formally began in December 1941, Brooklyn continued her sea control missions in the Caribbean area and later in the north Atlantic, where she escorted convoys between the United States and the British Isles. In September 1942, she rescued more than a thousand men from the burning transport Wakefield (AP-21). The cruiser provided gunfire support during the North Africa operation during October and November, then returned to convoy service. Operating in the Mediterranean after mid-1943, Brooklyn took part in the invasion of Sicily in July, the Salerno landings in September, the Anzio Campaign during January-May 1944 and the Southern France operation in August of that year.

Brooklyn returned to the United States in late 1944 and was overhauled from then until May 1945. She then served along the east coast. In commission in reserve after early 1946, she was placed out of commission in January 1947. After four years in "mothballs" at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, USS Brooklyn was sold to Chile in January 1951. Renamed O'Higgins, she served in that nation's navy into the mid-1980s and was sold for scrapping in 1991.

This page features selected views of USS Brooklyn (CL-40).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-1023215

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


In the Hudson River, off New York City, 1939. The Palisade Amusement Park is in the center background.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 81189

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Anchored in the Hudson River, off New York City, 1939.

Donation of Lieutenant Gustave J. Freret, USN (Retired), 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 81262

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Anchored in the Hudson River, off New York City, 1939. The Palisade Amusement Park is in the left background, beyond Brooklyn's aircraft crane.

Donation of Lieutenant Gustave J. Freret, USN (Retired), 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-68106

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Underway at sea, 15 May 1943.
Photographed from an aircraft based as Naval Air Station Weeksville, North Carolina.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 575 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-383754

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Underway on 11 June 1943.
Photographed by Fleet Air Wing Nine.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 154KB; 740 x 600 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 56626

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Pilothouse scene, looking to starboard, 18 January 1938.
Note men at the engine order telegraph and helm, and Radioman at the communications table at right.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 56634

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Coffee break in the Chief Petty Officers' mess, 18 January 1938.
Note the cold storage locker in the background.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 520 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 56624

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Scene at the ship's "gedunk" (soda fountain and store), 18 January 1938.
Note the variety of magazines hung behind the counter.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 56614

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Scene in the Supply Officer's stateroom, 18 January 1938.
The officer writing at the desk may be Lieutenant Commander Matthew T. Betton, USN(SC), who was Brooklyn's Supply Officer at the time.
Note safe, with combination lock, installed as part of the desk; fan, electric heater, officer's sword and .45 caliber M1911 pistol on the bulkhead above the sofa.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 83KB; 580 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 56616

USS Brooklyn (CL-40)


Enlisted crewman's storage locker in use, 18 January 1938.
Note galvanized steel washing buckets hung on the bulkheads in the background.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 103KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-42522

Invasion of Sicily, July 1943


Empty shell cases litter the deck near the forward 6"/47 gun turrets of USS Brooklyn (CL-40), after she had bombarded Licata, Sicily, during the early hours of the invasion, 10 July 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-223500

Anzio Campaign, 1944


USS Brooklyn (CL-40) bombarding with her 6"/47 guns, during the landings at Anzio, Italy, 22 January 1944.
Photographed from USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

Page made 23 April 2002