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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # NH 94642:  USS Louisville in the Bering Sea, May 1943

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

USS Louisville (CA-28, originally CL-28), 1931-1959

USS Louisville, a 9050-ton Northampton class light cruiser built at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, was commissioned in January 1931. In July 1931, during her shakedown cruise to the east coast, she was reclassified as a heavy cruiser and her hull number was changed from CL-28 to CA-28. During the rest of the decade and into the early 1940s, she operated with the U.S. Fleet and on independent missions, mainly in the Pacific but also visiting the Caribbean, the U.S. Atlantic coast and Latin American ports. In 1938, Louisville crossed the Pacific, calling on Australia, Tahiti and Samoa. When the European War began in September 1939 the cruiser, then making a South American cruise, was sent to South Africa to pick up British gold for transportation to the United States.

In December 1941, when Japan opened World War II in the Pacific, Louisville was at sea escorting ships from the East Indies to Hawaii. She took part in U.S. aircraft carrier raids in the central and southern Pacific in February and March 1942. During the middle of the year, Louisville operated in the Aleutians area, then went to the southern Pacific late in 1942 to participate in the final months of the Guadalcanal campaign. In late January 1943, she was present during the air-sea Battle of Rennell Island. Hit by a dud torpedo, but not damaged, she then towed the crippled cruiser Chicago until that duty was taken over by the tug Navajo.

Louisville was sent back to the Aleutians in April 1943 and remained in that area until after the recapture of Attu and Kiska. She was overhauled at the Mare Island Navy Yard and then began long service providing heavy gunfire support for amphibious landings. In this role, the cruiser bombarded Wotje, Kwajalein and Eniwetok, in the Marshall Islands, in January-February 1944. After serving with the carriers on central Pacific raids in March and April, Louisville provided invasion support bombardments at Saipan, Tinian and Guam during June and July 1944, Peleliu in September and Leyte in October. On 24-25 October, when the Japanese Navy attempted to counter the Leyte landings, she took part in the Battle of Surigao Strait.

On 5-6 January 1945, Louisville was hit by two Japanese suicide planes but remained on station to support the invasion of Leyte at Lingayen Gulf. Withdrawn for repairs, she arrived back in the war zone in time to take part in the last weeks of the Okinawa campaign, and was hit by another Kamikaze on 5 June. After the end of the Pacific War, Louisville supported occupation activities along the China coast. She was sent back to the U.S. later in 1945 and decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in June 1946. Louisville was retained in the Reserve Fleet until September 1959, when she was sold for scrapping.

This page features selected views of USS Louisville (CA-28, originally CL-28).


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 51903

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Photographed during the early 1930s.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 530 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51905

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Steams past Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, New York City, in 1934.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 98KB; 740 x 580 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-30497

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 26 May 1942.

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

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-57222

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 17 December 1943.
Her camouflage scheme is probably Measure 32, Design 6d.

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

Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-83896

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 7 April 1945.

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

Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 684

USS Louisville (CA-28)


"Vanguard of Fleet Honors War Dead.".
"Veterans and sons of veterans stand at attention at Grant's Tomb as the U.S.S. Louisville fires a salute." (quoted from the original photo caption).
These Memorial Day ceremonies took place in New York City, 31 May 1934.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 112KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96172

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Passengers from the British Motor Ship Silver Larch pose with Louisville's Commanding Officer, Captain William S. Farber, upon their arrival at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 14 March 1937. The cruiser had rescued them on the previous day from the burning Silver Larch, about 450 miles northeast of Honolulu.

Courtesy of Don S. Montgomery, USN (Retired), 1987.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-72060

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Steams out of Kulak Bay, Adak, Aleutian Islands, bound for operations against Attu, 25 April 1943.
The photograph looks toward Sweepers Cove.

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

Online Image: 79KB; 590 x 765 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 94642

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Operating in the Bering Sea during May 1943. She is followed by USS San Francisco (CA-38).

Collection of Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 55KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96018-KN (color)

USS Louisville (CA-28)

In a Pacific anchorage in 1944, while wearing camouflage Measure 32, Design 6d.
This image has been taken from a color motion picture film.

Courtesy of Don S. Montgomery, USN (Retired), 1987.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 505 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-363217

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Is hit by a Kamikaze in Lingayen Gulf, Philippine Islands, 6 January 1945.
Photographed from USS Salamaua (CVE-96).

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

Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 92362

USS Louisville (CA-28)


Arrives off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 6 February 1945 to receive repairs for damage inflicted by two Kamikazes a month earlier.
The photograph is annotated with details about the suicide plane crashes and the damage inflicted.
The ship's camouflage scheme is probably Measure 32, Design 6d.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 590 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 18 February 2002