USS Bremerton (CA-130),
14 February 1952
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USS Bremerton (CA-130) was a Baltimore class heavy cruiser that was completed just too late to see combat during the Second World War but was recommissioned and was used during the Korean War. Bremerton received two battle stars for service performed during the Korean action.
The Bremerton was launched in July 1944 and commissioned on 29 April 1945. Her shakedown cruiser took her to the Caribbean in late May, and was completed with a spell as flagship of Admiral Jonas Ingram, the Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet as he made a visit to South America (in the aftermath of the German surrender and the end of the war in the Atlantic). She then returned to the East Coast, and was used for experimental work from 22 July to 2 October 1945.
Towards the end of the year she was allocated to the 7th Fleet in the Pacific. She reached Pearl Harbor on 14 December and Korea on 4 January 1946. She spent most of the rest of the year in the Far East, before returning to the United States where she was briefly used as a training ship before being decommissioned on 9 April 1948.
After the outbreak of the Korean War the US Navy needed more shore bombardment vessels. The Bremerton was recommissioned on 23 November 1951 and joined the 7th Fleet for a second spell. She would carry out four tours of duty in the western Pacific, two during the Korean War and two after the armistice.
Her first tour came in 1952 and saw her used to bombard the North Korean positions at Wonsan, Kojo, Chongjin, and Changjon Hang, all on the eastern side of the country. She was relieved on 13 September 1952 and returned to the United States.
In April 1953 she left for her second tour, joining TF 77. She arrived in time for the last months of the fighting, before the war ended in an armistice in July 1953. The Bremerton remained off Korean until November 1953.
The Bremerton's third tour lasted from May to October 1954 and her fourth from July 1955-February 1956. She was then based on the US West Coast, before being decommissioned for the second time on 29 July 1960. She was struck off the Navy List on 1 October 1973 and sold for scrap in 1974.
Displacement (standard) |
14,472t |
Displacement (loaded) |
17,031t |
Top Speed |
33kts |
Range |
10,000nm at 15kts |
Armour – belt |
4-6in |
- armour deck |
2.5in |
- barbettes |
6.3in |
- turrets |
8in face |
- conning tower |
6in |
- underwater magazines |
3in side |
Length |
673ft 5in oa |
Armaments |
Nine 8in guns (three triple turrets) |
Crew complement |
2039 |
Laid down |
1 February 1943 |
Launched |
2 July 1944 |
Completed |
29 April 1945 |
Stricken |
1 October 1973 |