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Photo # NH 97847:  USS New Orleans underway in Elliot Bay, Washington, 30 July 1943

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

USS New Orleans (CA-32), 1934-1959

USS New Orleans, name ship of a class of seven heavy cruisers of approximately 10,000 tons' standard displacement, was built at the New York Navy Yard. Commissioned in February 1934, she cruised to northern Europe in May and June of that year, then moved to the Pacific to conduct operations with the cruiser Houston and airship Macon. For the next two years, New Orleans mainly served in the Atlantic, though she visited the Pacific on occasion and was regularly stationed there after early 1937.

Undergoing overhaul at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard when Japan attacked the Pacific Fleet there on 7 December 1941, New Orleans' crewmen fought back as best they could with hand-operated weapons. She subsquently escorted troopships to other Pacific islands as the U.S. struggled to contain Japan's offensive. In May 1942 she took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea and a month later in the Battle of Midway, in both cases helping to protect U.S. aircraft carriers from enemy air strikes. Back in the south Pacific, she screened USS Saratoga during the early August 1942 invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons later in that month, and while Saratoga was out of the combat area for repairs after she was torpedoed in late August. In the Battle of Tassafaronga, off Guadalcanal at the end of November, New Orleans was severely damaged by a Japanese destroyer torpedo that sliced away her bow between the two forward gun turrets. Saved by her crew's effective damage control work, she received temporary repairs at Tulagi and at Sydney, Australia. In March 1943 she arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard for permanent restoration.

The thoroughly repaired New Orleans was back in the war zone by late August 1943. For the rest of the Pacific War, she used her guns in bombardments of Japanese shore positions and as part of the carrier task forces. Her major combat operations in 1943-44 included the invasions of the Gilberts in November 1943, the Marshalls in January and February 1944, New Guinea in April, the Marianas in June and July, the Palaus in September, Leyte in October and Mindoro in December, as well as a host of raids throughout the central and western Pacific.

Following a west coast overhaul, New Orleans took part in the Okinawa Campaign during April-June 1945. Beginning in late August, after the Pacific War fighting had ended, she covered occupation operations in China and Korea. During late 1945 and early 1946, New Orleans transported veterans home from the Asia-Pacific area. She arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in March 1946 to prepare for inactivation and was formally decommissioned in February 1947. USS New Orleans was sold for scrapping in September 1959, after a dozen years in the Reserve Fleet.

This page features selected views of USS New Orleans (CA-32).


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 71787

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


In English waters, about June 1934.
Photographed by Wright & Logan, Southsea, England.

Donation of Captain Joseph Finnegan, USN (Retired), 1970.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 50757

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


In port, circa 1937.
Note the broad band painted on her after smokestack, probably a recognition feature.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 555 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97846

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 9 February 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-10115

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Underway during exercises in Hawaiian waters, 8 July 1942.

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

Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 97847

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Steams through a tight turn in Elliot Bay, Washington, 30 July 1943, following battle damage repairs and overhaul at the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97848

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, following battle damage repairs and overhaul, 5 August 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 575 pixels

 
Photo #: 19-N-80227

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 8 March 1945.

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

Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 97849

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Crewman uses a hammer to test anchor chain on the cruiser's forecastle, during the 1930s.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 595 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-216014

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


Camouflaged at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, some days after she was torpedoed during the Battle of Tassafaronga on 30 November 1942.
Note that her stern is riding high, and that her forward end is low in the water. The torpedo and subsequent explosion had severed her bow between # 1 and # 2 eight-inch gun turrets.

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

Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-80232

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 8 March 1945.
The city of Vallejo is in the background.
Note the ship's welded bow structure (forward of her second 8"/55 triple gun turret). This replaced her original riveted-construction bow, which was lost during the Battle of Tassafaronga at the end of November 1942.
Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.

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

Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 600 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-80233

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


View of the ship's midships area, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 8 March 1945.
The city of Vallejo is in the background and the floating crane YD-98 is at left.
Note the ship's radar antennas, gun directors, 5"/25 guns and smokestacks.
Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.

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

Online Image: 123KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 19-N-80234

USS New Orleans (CA-32)


View of the ship from amidships to the stern, taken at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 8 March 1945.
The city of Vallejo is in the background, with Pacific Gas & Electric Company fuel storage tanks at right.
The ship has had her port aircraft catapult and starboard crane removed.
Circles mark recent alterations to the ship.
Note: men lined up in the hangar and well deck, probably for a meal; provisions stacked in crates on the after deck; "Classic Cleaners" delivery van and human activity on the pier.

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

Online Image: 129KB; 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."


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Page made 9 February 2002