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Photo # NH 64610:  USS Detroit in San Diego harbor, 10 January 1935

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

USS Detroit (CL-8), 1923-1946

USS Detroit, a 7050-ton Omaha class light cruiser built at Quincy, Massachusetts, was commissioned at the end of July 1923. She made a shakedown cruise to the Mediterranean later in that year and operated with the Scouting Fleet in the Atlantic area through 1924. Following a cruise to the Pacific to participate in fleet maneuvers early in 1925, Detroit returned to the Atlantic, where she took part in exercises and patrolled along the coast of Nicaragua. In mid-1927 she deployed as flagship of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe, visiting ports from Norway to the Middle east.

After steaming back to the U.S. in September 1928, Detroit served with the Scouting Fleet in the Atlantic until early 1931, then transferred to the Pacific to serve with the Battle Force. Except for brief periods, she spent the rest of her career in the Pacific, spending the next decade participating in fleet readiness activities. As tensions rose with Japan in the early 1940s, Detroit moved to the advanced base at Pearl Harbor, and was moored there when the Pacific War commenced with the Japanese surprise attack of 7 December 1941.

Detroit got underway during this raid and spent the next few days searching for the enemy attack force. She then began convoy escort missions between Hawaii, the U.S. West Coast and the South Pacific. In November 1942, the cruiser steamed north to take station in the Aleutian Islands area. She participated in the occupation of Amchitka in January 1943, the invasion of Attu in May and the landings on Kiska in August. Detroit remained in the North Pacific for nearly another year, taking part in a bombardment of the Kuril Islands just before she left the area in late June 1944.

For most of the rest of 1944, Detroit served as flagship of the Southeast Pacific Force, operating off the west coast of South America. In January 1945 she moved closer to the combat zone to become flagship of replenishment groups supporting carrier operations against Japan. She was present in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945, moored not far from the battleship Missouri during the ceremonies marking Japan's surrender. In October she left the Far East to return to the United States. Decommissioned at Philadelphia in January 1946, USS Detroit was soon sold for scrapping.

This page features selected views of USS Detroit (CL-8).


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 54508

USS Detroit (CL-8)


At Venice, Italy, 11 November 1923, dressed with flags in honor of King Victor Emanuel's birthday.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 430 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 64610

USS Detroit (CL-8)


In the harbor at San Diego, California, 10 January 1935.

Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-33047

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 16 August 1942.

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

Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-42678

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Off Port Angeles, Washington, 22 March 1943.

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

Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-63759

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 11 April 1944.
Her camouflage is Design 3d in the Measure 31-32-33 series.

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

Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 575 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-63828

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Off Port Angeles, Washington, 14 April 1944.
Her camouflage is Design 3d in the Measure 31-32-33 series.

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

Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 45695

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Off San Francisco, California, following overhaul, 10 January 1945.
Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 50933

Pearl Harbor Raid, December 1941


Photograph of the western side of Ford Island and ships in moorings offshore, taken from a Japanese Navy plane during the attack.
Ships are (from left to right):
USS Detroit (CL-8);
USS Raleigh (CL-7), listing to port after being hit by one torpedo;
USS Utah (AG-16), capsized after being hit by two torpedoes; and
USS Tangier (AV-8),
Japanese writing in the lower left states that the photograph's reproduction was authorized by the Navy Ministry.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 540 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-28442

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Plan view of the ship's forward superstructure and bow area, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 18 February 1942.
Note Detroit's tripod foremast, signal flag bins and 6"/53 guns in casemate mounts.

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

Online Image: 94KB; 570 x 765 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-33052

USS Detroit (CL-8)


At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 15 August 1942.
Note her anchor, anchor gear and 6"/53 guns. Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.
USS Preston (DD-379) is in the left background and YF-380 is in the far center distance. See Photo # 19-N-33052 (cropped) for a closer view of those two vessels, cropped from this image.

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

Online Image: 141KB; 610 x 765 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-33050

USS Detroit (CL-8)


At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 15 August 1942.
Note her after 6"/53 guns and men lounging on the fantail. Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.
Destroyers in the background include USS Preston (DD-379), at right, and USS Conyngham (DD-371), at left. On the far side of the pier from them are USS Caldwell (DD-605), in the far center distance beyond Preston's bow, and USS Walke (DD-416), at left beyond Conyngham.
YOS-1 is in the far right distance.

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

Online Image: 142KB; 740 x 630 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 92817

USS Detroit (CL-8)


Launching, at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, 29 June 1922.

Courtesy of Ted Stone, 1981.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 


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


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Page made 15 July 2002