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 # NH 55113:  USS Chester running trials, 1930

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

USS Chester (CA-27, originally CL-27), 1930-1959

USS Chester, a 9200-ton Northampton class light cruiser built at Camden, New Jersey, was commissioned in June 1930. After a shakedown cruise to the Mediterranean Sea, she became flagship of Commander Light Cruiser Divisions, Scouting Fleet. In July 1931, she was reclassified as a heavy cruiser and her hull number was changed from CL-27 to CA-27. Through the 1930s, Chester was active in fleet exercises and special assignments. Among the latter was a voyage to the Philippines in September-December 1935 and a good-will cruise to South America in November-December 1936.

Chester was based at Pearl Harbor beginning in early 1941 and escorted two U.S. Army transports to the Philippines in October and November of that year. She was at sea when Japan began the Pacific War with their 7 December 1941 suprise attack on Pearl Harbor and operated in the Hawaiian area during the weeks that followed that raid. In January 1942, the cruiser took part in the reinforcement of Allied positions in the southern Pacific. On 1 February, she was damaged by a Japanese bomb during a raid on enemy facilities in the Marshall Islands. After repairs, Chester went back to the south Pacific, where in early May she participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Overhauled on the west coast during the Summer of 1942, Chester was next assigned to take part in the Guadalcanal campaign, but had only spent about a month in the area when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on 20 October and had to return to the U.S. for extensive repairs. She was back in the Pacific war zone in September 1943 and during the next six months participated in the invasions of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. Sent to the North Pacific in late May 1944, Chester bombarded Japanese-held islands in the Kuriles during June. Moving to the central Pacific, she shelled Wake and Marcus Islands in September and October, then steamed west to participate in the Leyte operation and the resulting Battle of Leyte Gulf.

In February 1945, Chester's guns supported the invasion of Iwo Jima. During the war's final two months, she operated off Okinawa and China and in the north Pacific, where she assisted in occupation activities in September and October. Her final active assignment was as a transport, bringing service personnel home from the central and western Pacific. Chester moved into the Atlantic in early 1946 and was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in June of that year. Following thirteen years in "mothballs", she was sold for scrapping in August 1959.

This page features selected views concerning USS Chester (CA-27, originally CL-27).


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 #: NH 55113

USS Chester (CL-27)


Running trials, in 1930.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 525 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 64643

USS Chester (CL-27)


At anchor in Hampton Roads, Virginia, November 1930.

Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-32461

USS Chester (CA-27)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following overhaul, 6 August 1942.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-54656

USS Chester (CA-27)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, after torpedo damage repairs and overhaul, 2 October 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-73468

USS Chester (CA-27)


Off San Francisco, California, following overhaul, circa late May 1944.
Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 9d.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 55KB; 740 x 515 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-73474

USS Chester (CA-27)


At San Francisco, California, following overhaul, circa late May 1944.
Circled numbers mark indicate recent alterations to the ship.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 108KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-84007

USS Chester (CA-27)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 16 May 1945, following her last wartime overhaul.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 93543

USS Chester (CA-27)
, at left

With other ships of Cruiser Division FOUR, in Panama Bay on 21 April 1934, at about the time of Fleet Problem XV.
Ships in column behind Chester are USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), USS Pensacola (CA-24) and the Division flagship, USS Northampton (CA-26).

Photographed from a U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 125KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 68102

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's South American Goodwill Cruise, 1936


USS Chester (CA-27) approaches the pier at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while preparing to dock, 27 November 1936. At right, already tied up, is USS Indianapolis (CA-35), which was carrying President Roosevelt.
Note the crowds awaiting the President, who was making his first stop during the "Good Neighbor" cruise.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, collection of Rear Admiral Paul H. Bastedo, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 50945

Marshalls Islands Raid, 1 February 1942


Lieutenant Wilson R. Bartlett, Senior Aviator of USS Chester (CA-27), walks forward on the cruiser's well deck to make his report, after returning from a flight spotting gunfire for the ship's bombardment of Taroa Island, Maloelap Atoll.
In the background is damage from the bomb hit sustained during a Japanese air attack at 0820 hrs. Also visible are the port wingtips of one of a SOC "Seagull" aircraft, with the open hangar beyond. The ship's port catapult "silo" is at right, dented by the bomb's blast.
Note the pilot's uniform, "Mae West" life vest, binoculars and plotting board.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 106KB; 590 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 85179-KN (Color)

USS Chester (CA-27)

Being towed away from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, on her way to be scrapped, circa 1959.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 49KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 


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 29 December 2001
Link added 31 December 2006