HISTORY OF THE USS JUNEAU
From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. III, 1968, Navy
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History
Division, Washington, D.C.
JUNEAU (CL-52)
dp. 6,000;
l. 541' 6";
b. 53' 2";
dr. 16' 4";
s. 32 k.;
cpl. 623;
a. 16 5", 16 1.1", 8 20-mm., 6 dcp., 2 dct.;
cl. ATLANTA
JUNEAU (CL-52) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding Co., Kearny, N.J.,
27 May 1940; launched 25 October 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Harry I. Lucas,
wife of the Mayor of the city of Juneau, and commissioned 14 February
1942, Captain Lyman K. Swenson in command.
Following a hurried shakedown cruise along the Atlantic coast in the
spring of 1942, JUNEAU assumed blockade patrol in early May off
Martinique and Guadeloupe Islands to prevent the escape of Vichy French
Naval units. She returned to New York to complete alterations and
operated in the North Atlantic and Caribbean from 1 June to 12 August on
patrol and escort duties. The cruiser departed for the Pacific Theater
22 August.
After stopping briefly at the Tonga Islands and New Caledonia, she
rendezvoused 10 September with Task Force 18 under the command of Rear
Admiral Leigh Noyes, flying his flag in WASP (CV-7). The following day
Task Force 17, which included HORNET (CV-8), combined with Admiral
Noyes' unit to form Task Force 61 whose mission was to ferry fighters to
Guadalcanal. On 15 September WASP took three torpedo hits from the
Japanese submarine I-l9, and, with fires raging out of control, was sunk
at 2100 by LANSDOWNE (DD-486). JUNEAU and screen destroyers rescued
1,910 survivors of WASP and returned them to Espiritu Santo, New
Hebrides, 16 September. The net day the fast cruiser rejoined Task Force
17. Operating with the HORNET group, she supported three actions that
repulsed enemy thrusts at Guadalcanal: the Buin-Fasi-Tonolai Raid; the
Battle of Santa Cruz Island; and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (Third
Savo).
The ship's first major action was the Battle of Santa Cruz Island 26
October. On 24 October HORNET's task force had combined with the
ENTERPRISE (CV-6) group to reform Task Force 61 under the command of
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid. This force positioned itself north of
the Santa Cruz Islands in order to intercept enemy units that might
attempt to close Guadalcanal. Meanwhile, on Guadalcanal, the Japanese
achieved a temporary breakthrough along Lunga Ridge on the night of 25
October. That short-lived success evidently was a signal for enemy
surface units to approach the island.
Early in the morning 26 October, U.S. carrier planes uncovered the enemy
force and immediately attacked it, damaging two Japanese carriers, one
battleship, and three cruisers. But while our aircraft were locating and
engaging the enemy, American ships were also under fire. Shortly after
1000 some 27 enemy aircraft attacked HORNET. Though JUNEAU and other
screen ships threw up an effective AA barrage which splashed about 20 of
the attackers, HORNET was badly damaged and sank the net day. Just
before noon JUNEAU left HORNET's escort for the beleaguered ENTERPRISE
group several miles away. Adding her firepower, JUNEAU assisted in
repulsing four enemy attacks on this force and splashing 18 Japanese
planes.
That evening the American forces retired to the southeast. Although the
battle had been costly, it, combined with the Marine victory on
Guadalcanal, turned back the attempted Japanese parry in the Solomons.
Furthermore, the damaging of two Japanese carriers sharply curtailed the
air cover available to the enemy in the subsequent Naval Battle of
Guadalcanal.
On 8 November JUNEAU departed Noumea, New Caledonia, as a unit of Task
Force 67 under the command of Rear Admiral R. K. Turner to escort
reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The force arrived there early morning 12
November, and JUNEAU took up her station in the protective screen around
the transports and cargo vessels. Unloading proceeded unmolested until
1405 when 30 Japanese planes attacked the alerted United States group.
The AA fire was devastating, and JUNEAU alone accounted for six enemy
torpedo planes shot down. The few remaining attackers were pounced on by
American fighters; only one bomber escaped. Later in the day an American
attack group of cruisers and destroyers cleared Guadalcanal on reports
that a large enemy surface force was headed for the island. At 0148 on
13 November Rear Admiral D. J. Callaghan's relatively small Landing
Support Group engaged the enemy. The Japanese force of 18 to 20 hips,
including 2 battleships, far outnumbered and outgunned his force, but
did not outfight it.
American gunnery scored effectively almost immediately sinking an enemy
destroyer. JUNEAU teamed with ATLANTA (CL-51) to destroy another as the
two forces slugged it out at close range. During the exchange JUNEAU was
struck on the port side by a torpedo causing a severe list and
necessitating withdrawal. Before noon 13 November, the battered American
force began retirement. JUNEAU was steaming on one screw, keeping
station 800 yards on the starboard quarter of the likewise severely
damaged SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38). She was down 12 feet by the bow, but able
to maintain 13 knots. A few minutes after 1100 three torpedoes were
launched from the Japanese submarine I-26. JUNEAU successfully avoided
two, but the third struck her at the same point which had been damaged
during the surface action. There was a terrific explosion; JUNEAU broke
in two and disappeared in 20 seconds. The gallant ship with Captain
Swanson and most of her crew, including the five Sullivan brothers, was
lost. Only 10 members of the crew survived the tragedy.
JUNEAU received four battle stars for World War II service.
Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History
Division, Washington, D.C.
JUNEAU (CL-52)
dp. 6,000;
l. 541' 6";
b. 53' 2";
dr. 16' 4";
s. 32 k.;
cpl. 623;
a. 16 5", 16 1.1", 8 20-mm., 6 dcp., 2 dct.;
cl. ATLANTA
JUNEAU (CL-52) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding Co., Kearny, N.J.,
27 May 1940; launched 25 October 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Harry I. Lucas,
wife of the Mayor of the city of Juneau, and commissioned 14 February
1942, Captain Lyman K. Swenson in command.
Following a hurried shakedown cruise along the Atlantic coast in the
spring of 1942, JUNEAU assumed blockade patrol in early May off
Martinique and Guadeloupe Islands to prevent the escape of Vichy French
Naval units. She returned to New York to complete alterations and
operated in the North Atlantic and Caribbean from 1 June to 12 August on
patrol and escort duties. The cruiser departed for the Pacific Theater
22 August.
After stopping briefly at the Tonga Islands and New Caledonia, she
rendezvoused 10 September with Task Force 18 under the command of Rear
Admiral Leigh Noyes, flying his flag in WASP (CV-7). The following day
Task Force 17, which included HORNET (CV-8), combined with Admiral
Noyes' unit to form Task Force 61 whose mission was to ferry fighters to
Guadalcanal. On 15 September WASP took three torpedo hits from the
Japanese submarine I-l9, and, with fires raging out of control, was sunk
at 2100 by LANSDOWNE (DD-486). JUNEAU and screen destroyers rescued
1,910 survivors of WASP and returned them to Espiritu Santo, New
Hebrides, 16 September. The net day the fast cruiser rejoined Task Force
17. Operating with the HORNET group, she supported three actions that
repulsed enemy thrusts at Guadalcanal: the Buin-Fasi-Tonolai Raid; the
Battle of Santa Cruz Island; and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (Third
Savo).
The ship's first major action was the Battle of Santa Cruz Island 26
October. On 24 October HORNET's task force had combined with the
ENTERPRISE (CV-6) group to reform Task Force 61 under the command of
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid. This force positioned itself north of
the Santa Cruz Islands in order to intercept enemy units that might
attempt to close Guadalcanal. Meanwhile, on Guadalcanal, the Japanese
achieved a temporary breakthrough along Lunga Ridge on the night of 25
October. That short-lived success evidently was a signal for enemy
surface units to approach the island.
Early in the morning 26 October, U.S. carrier planes uncovered the enemy
force and immediately attacked it, damaging two Japanese carriers, one
battleship, and three cruisers. But while our aircraft were locating and
engaging the enemy, American ships were also under fire. Shortly after
1000 some 27 enemy aircraft attacked HORNET. Though JUNEAU and other
screen ships threw up an effective AA barrage which splashed about 20 of
the attackers, HORNET was badly damaged and sank the net day. Just
before noon JUNEAU left HORNET's escort for the beleaguered ENTERPRISE
group several miles away. Adding her firepower, JUNEAU assisted in
repulsing four enemy attacks on this force and splashing 18 Japanese
planes.
That evening the American forces retired to the southeast. Although the
battle had been costly, it, combined with the Marine victory on
Guadalcanal, turned back the attempted Japanese parry in the Solomons.
Furthermore, the damaging of two Japanese carriers sharply curtailed the
air cover available to the enemy in the subsequent Naval Battle of
Guadalcanal.
On 8 November JUNEAU departed Noumea, New Caledonia, as a unit of Task
Force 67 under the command of Rear Admiral R. K. Turner to escort
reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The force arrived there early morning 12
November, and JUNEAU took up her station in the protective screen around
the transports and cargo vessels. Unloading proceeded unmolested until
1405 when 30 Japanese planes attacked the alerted United States group.
The AA fire was devastating, and JUNEAU alone accounted for six enemy
torpedo planes shot down. The few remaining attackers were pounced on by
American fighters; only one bomber escaped. Later in the day an American
attack group of cruisers and destroyers cleared Guadalcanal on reports
that a large enemy surface force was headed for the island. At 0148 on
13 November Rear Admiral D. J. Callaghan's relatively small Landing
Support Group engaged the enemy. The Japanese force of 18 to 20 hips,
including 2 battleships, far outnumbered and outgunned his force, but
did not outfight it.
American gunnery scored effectively almost immediately sinking an enemy
destroyer. JUNEAU teamed with ATLANTA (CL-51) to destroy another as the
two forces slugged it out at close range. During the exchange JUNEAU was
struck on the port side by a torpedo causing a severe list and
necessitating withdrawal. Before noon 13 November, the battered American
force began retirement. JUNEAU was steaming on one screw, keeping
station 800 yards on the starboard quarter of the likewise severely
damaged SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38). She was down 12 feet by the bow, but able
to maintain 13 knots. A few minutes after 1100 three torpedoes were
launched from the Japanese submarine I-26. JUNEAU successfully avoided
two, but the third struck her at the same point which had been damaged
during the surface action. There was a terrific explosion; JUNEAU broke
in two and disappeared in 20 seconds. The gallant ship with Captain
Swanson and most of her crew, including the five Sullivan brothers, was
lost. Only 10 members of the crew survived the tragedy.
JUNEAU received four battle stars for World War II service.
