Tag Archives: USS Minneapolis (CA-36)

Hawaii Cruiser Cluster, 80 Years Ago

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Eight cruisers, including some of the most decorated and famous of the Pacific War, just taking a break before getting back to the push to Tokyo.

Via Haze Grey History:

“A cluster of cruisers moored in Pearl Harbor, on 12 December 1943, after returning from the Tarawa invasion. The berths shown, near to far, are C-3, C-4, C-5, and C-6 for the cruisers, plus X-6, X-7, X-8, and X-9 in the background.

Photo from the Admiral Furlong Collection in the Hawaiʻi State Archives

At berth C-3 are a trio of New Orleans-class cruisers, with USS Minneapolis (CA-36) nearest, New Orleans (CA-32) in the middle, and San Francisco (CA-38) outboard in the distance. Berth C-4 serves USS Indianapolis (CA-35) with Baltimore (CA-68) along her port side. Santa Fe (CL-60) and Mobile (CL-63), the original “Mighty Mo,” are at C-5. The Atlanta-class cruiser Oakland (CL-95) has C-6 entirely to herself.
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USS Phelps (DD-360) is at berth X-6, with the destroyer tender Prairie (AD-15) next at X-7. Though not readily visible, the destroyers MacDonough (DD-351), Maury (DD-401), and Mullany (DD-528) are nested alongside. Morris (DD-417) and Bache (DD-407) populate berth X-8. The assault transport Gemini (APA-75) rounds out the photo at the upper left, sitting at berth X-9.
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It’s interesting to note the anti-torpedo protection in this section of the anchorage. Nets surround berths C-3, C-4, C-5, and X-7 – basically any cruiser berth with multiple ships, and the destroyer tender nest. By the lack of netting at C-6, Oakland was apparently not deemed to be as inviting of a target as the more versatile heavy and light cruisers to starboard.”
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Butaritari Smoke Rings

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80 years ago today: The heavy cruiser USS Minneapolis (CA-36) is seen bombarding Butaritari Island, Makin Atoll, on 20 November 1943, shortly before U.S. Army forces landed there as part of Operation Galvanic. Guns firing are from the cruiser’s starboard side 5″/25-caliber Mk 19 secondary battery. The simultaneous discharge of these guns indicates that they are firing under remote control.

(NHHC: 80-G-202518)

Her guns, as well as the rest of the bombardment force and the planes screening them, did fine work, apparently. 

Wrecked facilities on Butaritari Island, Makin Atoll, on 20 November 1943, following the pre-invasion bombardment. Seen from a USS MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36) plane, on Chong’s wharf is in the center background, with bomb craters and wrecked buildings nearby. Note trucks by their garage in the lower center. 80-G-216785

U.S. Army casualties to seize the island were relatively light, with 64 killed and 150 wounded and the fighting soon over on Makin.

A New Orleans-class cruiser, Minneapolis was designed as a light cruiser but was redesignated as a heavy before she was commissioned in 1934. “Minnie” earned an impressive 16 battle stars in WWII across 25 combat engagements, but that didn’t save her from the breakers. She was sold for scrap, on 14 August 1959, after spending 12 years in mothballs.

Patched Minnie gets back to work

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Some 80 years ago today, check out these beautiful original color images of the New Orleans-class light/heavy cruiser USS Minneapolis (CA-36), seen at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard on 11 April 1943, showing off her shiny new bow.

U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-544. Note the New Mexico-class battleship in the left distance.

Same date, heading out for points West. 80-G-K-541

Same as above, 80-G-K-545

The 10,000-ton “Treaty” cruiser was commissioned in 1934 and, at the forefront of the Pacific War, would earn an amazing 17 battle stars for her combat service.

Some of these were harder than others, for instance, while at the Battle of Tassafaronga in late November 1942, while she is credited with sinking the Japanese destroyer Takanami with her 8-inch shells, Minneapolis took two torpedo hits which ultimately caused her bow to collapse back to the hawsepipes.

Able to repair under heavy camouflage at Tulagi, she ultimately made it back to Mare Island Naval Shipyard where a new bow had been constructed in the time it took her to retire to California.

Hence, she is seen in the above period Kodachromes less than five months later good as new and headed back to the fight. 

Laid up in 1947, she was ultimately scrapped in 1959.

Blowing smoke, 75 years ago today

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USS Minneapolis (CA-36) bombarding Butaritari Island, Makin Atoll, on 20 November 1943, shortly before U.S. Army forces landed there. Guns firing are from the cruiser’s starboard side 5″/25-caliber secondary battery. Note smoke rings. Simultaneous discharge of these guns indicates that they are firing under remote control.

(NHHC: 80-G-202518)

A New Orleans-class cruiser, Minneapolis was designed as a light cruiser but was redesignated as a heavy before she was commissoned in 1934. “Minnie” earned an impressive 16 battle stars in WWII, but it didn’t save her from the breakers. She was sold for scrap, 14 August 1959, after spending 12 years in mothballs.