USS Cleveland, first of a class of twenty-seven 10,000-ton light cruisers, was built at Camden, New Jersey. Commissioned in June 1942, she shook down in American waters and, in November of that year participated in the North African invasion. Cleveland was then transferred to the South Pacific war zone, arriving in time to participate in the air-sea Battle of Rennell Island in late January 1943.
Following the end of the Guadalcanal Campaign, Cleveland took part in operations "up the Slot" into the Central Solomons. On 6 March 1943, she helped sink the Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame in a night action off Kolombangara. She used her guns to bombard the enemy ashore during the invasion of New Georgia in June and July, and played a similar role in landings on the Treasury Islands in late October 1943 and on Bougainville in November. When the Japanese sent a cruiser-destroyer force to attack U.S. forces off Bougainville on 2 November, Cleveland helped defeat them in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay. She also participated in operations to seize islands in the Bismarcks during the first months of 1944.
In June-August 1944, Cleveland provided anti-aircraft gunfire and bombardment support during the campaign that conquered Saipan, Guam and Tinian, in the Mariana Islands, and in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. She again shelled Japanese shore positions during the Palaus invasion in September. Overhauled in the U.S. in late 1944, Cleveland returned to the Western Pacific in February 1945 and subsequently took part in the capture of Corregidor, in Manila Bay, and other amphibious operations in the Philippines. During June and July she supported landings on Borneo. Her final combat duties included anti-shipping sweeps in the East China Sea.
Following Japan's surrender, Cleveland participated in the recovery of Allied prisoners of war and other occupation missions before returning to the United States in the last part of 1945. The next year, she conducted training cruises out of Newport, Rhode Island. USS Cleveland was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in February 1946 and remained there until sold for scrapping in February 1960.
This page features all the views we have of USS Cleveland (CL-55) and her activities, plus selected views of her construction.
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 55173 USS Cleveland (CL-55) Underway at sea in late 1942. Note that the ship's forward six-inch gun turrets and gun director appear to be tracking the photo aircraft. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 98059 USS Cleveland (CL-55) In floating drydock ABSD-1, at Aessi Island, off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 12 January 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 75KB; 600 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 98058 USS Cleveland (CL-55) With her crew paraded on deck for Captain's inspection, 28 March 1944. She was then serving in the Southwest Pacific area. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 123KB; 740 x 610 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 98060 Church services On board the cruisers Wichita (CA-45) and Cleveland (CL-55), circa 1942-1943. Collection of Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 146KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-30225 North Africa Invasion, November 1942 USS Swanson (DD-443) passes astern of USS Ranger (CV-4), while escorting the carrier during Operation "Torch" November 1942. USS Cleveland (CL-55) is in the distance. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 100389 Action in Kula Gulf, 6 March 1943 USS Denver (CL-58) SG radarscope image, showing the situation at time 0117, as the U.S. force begins to turn north after firing on the Japanese destroyers Murasame and Minegumo. Denver is the bright spot in the center of the scope, with USS Cleveland (CL-55) and USS Montpelier (CL-57) ahead of her, still heading SSW. USS Conway (DD-507) and USS Waller (DD-466) are further ahead, starting to turn north. Kolombangara is the large white patch at left, with one of the Japanese ships showing as a faint spot offshore in the upper left center. Arundel Island is in the lower left and New Georgia is on the right. Both Japanese destroyers were sunk in this engagement. Copied from a photograph in Denver's 9 March 1943 Action Report, 1985 U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 53KB; 600 x 725 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 78967 Navy Unit Commendation letter Signed by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, circa 1944. It commends Cruiser Division Twelve and the crews of the division's cruisers -- USS Cleveland (CL-55), USS Columbia (CL-56), USS Montpelier (CL-57) and USS Denver (CL-58) -- for their performance in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, on 2 November 1943. Courtesy of John R. Henry, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 111KB; 530 x 765 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-232270 Waterspout in Solomon Islands waters Photographed from USS Montpelier (CL-57) on 19 May 1944. The ship between the photographer and the waterspout is USS Cleveland (CL-55). This was one day before Cleveland bombarded an island in the Solomons and was straddled by return fire. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-305461 Corregidor Operation, February 1945 Column of five light cruisers leaving Subic Bay en route to bombard Corregidor, 13 February 1945. Photographed from USS Phoenix (CL-46), which is followed by (from left to right): USS Boise (CL-47); USS Denver (CL-58); USS Cleveland (CL-55); and USS Montpelier (CL-57). Note signalman in the foreground, working with a blinker lamp. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 610 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 19-N-31741 USS Cleveland (CL-55) Under construction, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 1 October 1941. She was launched one month later. This view looks aft from amidships, and shows the armored barbettes for her after six-inch gun turrets, with her aircraft hangar hatch at the stern. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 181KB; 595 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 19-N-31744 USS Cleveland (CL-55) Under construction, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 1 October 1941. She was launched one month later. This view looks forward from amidships, and shows the armored barbettes for her forward six-inch gun turrets. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 183KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Cleveland (CL-55). The following list features some of these images:
The images listed below are NOT in
the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
USS Cleveland (CL-55) in the floating drydock ABSD-1 at Naval Advance base, New Hebrides Islands, 13 January 1944. Photographed by squadron VJ-9. This aerial view, taken from directly ahead of the cruiser and drydock, shows Cleveland entering the dock, which is still flooded down. USS Cleveland (CL-55) in the floating drydock ABSD-1 at Naval Advance base, New Hebrides Islands, 13 January 1944. Photographed by squadron VJ-9. This aerial view is taken from off the cruiser's (and the drydock's) port bow. It shows the dock after it was largely pumped out, with Cleveland resting on keel blocks.
Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 10 September 2002