.gif)
USS Cincinnati (CL-6)
Encyclopedia
USS Cincinnati (CL-6), a light cruiser
of the United States Navy
, was the third ship of the four-stack Omaha-class
. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio
.
Cincinnati was built by Todd Dry Dock and Construction Co., Tacoma, Wash., where her keel was laid on 15 May 1920; Launched
on 23 May 1921 by Seattle Construction Drydock Co., Seattle, Wash., the cruiser was christened by Mrs. Charles E. Tudor, wife of the Director of Safety of Cincinnati, Ohio
, having been designated by the Honorable John Galvin, Mayor of Cincinnati; and commissioned
1 January 1924, Captain
Charles P. Nelson
in command.
, Cincinnati joined the Scouting Fleet in June 1924, for operations along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean
. With this force, she joined in fleet maneuvers in the Pacific and off the Panama Canal Zone
in spring 1925, then resumed Atlantic and Caribbean operations until early in 1927.
On 17 February 1927, Cincinnati sailed from Balboa, C.Z., for duty in the Far East, based at Shanghai
until October, then at Manila
, and again at Shanghai from February-April 1928. On the long cruise home to the east coast, she joined in exercises off Oahu
and, carried men from Honolulu to Corinto, Nicaragua
, returning to Newport, R.I. on 25 July, for operations on the east coast until 1932.
Early in 1932, she joined the Battle Force, US Fleet, in the Pacific, taking part in the Fleet's cruise to the east coast from April-July 1934 for the Presidential Review of 31 May at New York. Returning to the west coast, she operated on summer training cruises for naval reservists from 1935 to 1938, then was reassigned to Atlantic duty during 1939.
from April 1940, voyaging to Guam
and the Philippines
on transport duty at the close of that year. In March 1941, she returned to the Atlantic, and joined in the ever-expanding patrol operations in the western Atlantic. Upon the outbreak of war, she continued patrols and convoy escort assignments in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, blockading French men-of-war at Martinique
, and searching for German blockade runners. With and , Cincinnati discovered one of these, SS Annaliese Essberger, on 21 November 1942. The German crew scuttled
their ship, but a boarding party reached the ship in time to discover its identity and take all 62 crew members prisoners before the blockade runner sank.
Overhauled at New York
early in 1944, Cincinnati served as escort flagship for the crossing of three convoys from New York to Belfast from March-July, guarding the passage of men and equipment essential to the invasion of Europe. On 28 July, she sailed from Norfolk to patrol the Western Mediterranean during the time of the assault on Southern France, and returned to New York on 9 September. After overhaul, she joined the 4th Fleet at Recife
, Brazil on 17 November, and patrolled South Atlantic shipping lanes until the close of the European phase of the war.
In the summer of 1945, Cincinnati carried midshipmen
on two training cruises, and on 29 September arrived at Philadelphia, where she was decommissioned 1 November 1945 and scrapped on 27 February 1946.
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, was the third ship of the four-stack Omaha-class
Omaha class cruiser
The Omaha-class cruisers were a class of light cruisers built for the United States Navy. The oldest class of cruiser still in service with the Navy at the outbreak of World War II, the Omaha class was an immediate post-World War I design....
. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Cincinnati was built by Todd Dry Dock and Construction Co., Tacoma, Wash., where her keel was laid on 15 May 1920; Launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 23 May 1921 by Seattle Construction Drydock Co., Seattle, Wash., the cruiser was christened by Mrs. Charles E. Tudor, wife of the Director of Safety of Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, having been designated by the Honorable John Galvin, Mayor of Cincinnati; and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
1 January 1924, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Charles P. Nelson
Charles P. Nelson
For the U.S. representative from Maine, see Charles P. Nelson Charles Preston Nelson was an officer of the United States Navy. He would attain the rank of Rear Admiral by the end of his career...
in command.
Inter-war period
After a shakedown cruise off South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Cincinnati joined the Scouting Fleet in June 1924, for operations along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. With this force, she joined in fleet maneuvers in the Pacific and off the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
in spring 1925, then resumed Atlantic and Caribbean operations until early in 1927.
On 17 February 1927, Cincinnati sailed from Balboa, C.Z., for duty in the Far East, based at Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
until October, then at Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, and again at Shanghai from February-April 1928. On the long cruise home to the east coast, she joined in exercises off Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
and, carried men from Honolulu to Corinto, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, returning to Newport, R.I. on 25 July, for operations on the east coast until 1932.
Early in 1932, she joined the Battle Force, US Fleet, in the Pacific, taking part in the Fleet's cruise to the east coast from April-July 1934 for the Presidential Review of 31 May at New York. Returning to the west coast, she operated on summer training cruises for naval reservists from 1935 to 1938, then was reassigned to Atlantic duty during 1939.
World War II
Cincinnati was based at Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
from April 1940, voyaging to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on transport duty at the close of that year. In March 1941, she returned to the Atlantic, and joined in the ever-expanding patrol operations in the western Atlantic. Upon the outbreak of war, she continued patrols and convoy escort assignments in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, blockading French men-of-war at Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
, and searching for German blockade runners. With and , Cincinnati discovered one of these, SS Annaliese Essberger, on 21 November 1942. The German crew scuttled
Scuttling
Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.This can be achieved in several ways—valves or hatches can be opened to the sea, or holes may be ripped into the hull with brute force or with explosives...
their ship, but a boarding party reached the ship in time to discover its identity and take all 62 crew members prisoners before the blockade runner sank.
Overhauled at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
early in 1944, Cincinnati served as escort flagship for the crossing of three convoys from New York to Belfast from March-July, guarding the passage of men and equipment essential to the invasion of Europe. On 28 July, she sailed from Norfolk to patrol the Western Mediterranean during the time of the assault on Southern France, and returned to New York on 9 September. After overhaul, she joined the 4th Fleet at Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Brazil on 17 November, and patrolled South Atlantic shipping lanes until the close of the European phase of the war.
In the summer of 1945, Cincinnati carried midshipmen
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on two training cruises, and on 29 September arrived at Philadelphia, where she was decommissioned 1 November 1945 and scrapped on 27 February 1946.