USS Amsterdam (CL-101), Portland, Oregon, 1945
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USS Amsterdam (CL-101) was a Cleveland class light cruiser that reached the Pacific Fleet just in time to take part in the last carrier strikes against the Japanese Home Islands, but that entered the reserve soon after the end of the war and remained there until she was scrapped.
The Amsterdam was laid down on 3 March 1943, launched on 25 April 1944 and commissioned on 9 January 1945. Her shakedown cruise lasted from 5 February to 25 March and she underwent training exercises in April-May. In May she left for the Pacific, reaching Pearl Harbor on 18 May and Sand Pedro Bay, Leyte, on 21 June.
On her arrive with the fleet she was assigned to Task Force 38, the fast carrier task force of the Third Fleet. On 1 July she sortied with the fleet for a series of raids on the Japanese Home Islands. These attacks began on 10 July and US carrier aircraft swept across a series of Japanese cities. The Amsterdam formed part of the cruiser screen protecting the carriers against Japanese aircraft, and in particular kamikaze attacks. This was enough to earn her one Battle Star.
After the Japanese surrender the Amsterdam was part of the fleet that remained in Japanese waters to guard against any die-hard attacks. She spent 5-20 September in Tokyo Bay, before returning to the United States with returning service personnel onboard.
The Amsterdam had a short post war career. She sailed from the west coast to Pearl Harbor and back between 19 November and 18 December 1945. On 21 January 1946 she sailed for San Francisco, where work began on inactivating her. She was decommissioned on 30 June 1947 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Francisco. She was struck from the Navy List on 2 February 1971 and sold for scrap in 1972.
Displacement (standard) |
11,744t |
Displacement (loaded) |
14,131t |
Top Speed |
32.5kts |
Range |
11,000nm at 15kts |
Armour – belt |
3-5in |
- armour deck |
2in |
- bulkheads |
5in |
- barbettes |
6in |
- turrets |
6.5in face |
- conning tower |
5in |
Length |
610ft 1in oa |
Armaments |
Twelve 6in/47 guns (four triple turrets) |
Crew complement |
1,285 |
Builder |
Newport News |
Laid down |
3 March 1943 |
Launched |
25 April 1944 |
Commissioned |
8 January 1945 |
Stricken |
2 January 1971 |
US Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45, Mark Stille.
Covers the five classes of US Navy light cruisers that saw service during the Second World War, with sections on their design, weaponry, radar, combat experience. Nicely organised, with the wartime service records separated out from the main text, so that the design history of the light cruisers flows nicely. Interesting to see how new roles had to be found for them, after other technology replaced them as reconnaissance aircraft [read full review]
