USS Oakland (CL-95)
Encyclopedia
USS Oakland (CL-95), was a modified Atlanta-class
light cruiser
, the first of a group of four sometimes referred to as the "Oakland class". She was laid down by Bethlehem Steel
Co., San Francisco, California
on 15 July 1941; launched on 23 October 1942; sponsored by Dr. Aurelia H. Reinhardt
; and commissioned on 17 July 1943, Captain William K. Phillips in command. She was named for the city of Oakland, California
. Like the Atlanta class, the Oakland class was designed as an anti-aircraft cruiser, with a main battery of dual-purpose guns. The Oakland class omitted the wing 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal gun turret
s of the Atlanta class.
Oakland sustained three casualties during World War II
.
arriving on 3 November. Joining with three heavy cruisers and two destroyers, she linked up with Task Group 50.3 (TG 50.3) near Funafuti in the Ellice Islands, for support of Operation Galvanic, the amphibious push into the Gilbert Islands
. The carriers launched initial air strikes on 19 November, and in retaliation, a wave of Japanese torpedo bomber
s attacked the formation on the afternoon of the 20th. Oakland scored two kills and two assists in fighting off the raiders.
On 26 November, northeast of the Marshall Islands
, Oakland again fought off strong coordinated torpedo plane attacks. At 2332 on 4 December, a torpedo tore into the side of and Oakland covered her slow withdrawal, arriving Pearl Harbor on 9 December.
on the 30th. An amphibious assault was made on Kwajalein on 1 February. Oakland with her carriers supported American operations ashore until they entered Majuro
Lagoon on 4 February.
Weighing anchor on 12 February, the ships of TG 58.1 sailed from Majuro and launched air strikes against Truk on 16-17 February, greatly damaging the important Japanese naval base there.
Then, despite a night-long series of Japanese aerial attacks on 21–22 February, to hit the Marianas with damaging blows, Oaklands gunners bagged two more enemy planes and assisted in splashing two others before returning to Majuro.
Oakland sortied with TG 58.1 on 7 March, bound for Espiritu Santo
in the New Hebrides
. The group skirted the Solomons and covered the occupation of Emirau Island
, north of New Britain
, on the 20th. On the 27th, the task group swept on to the western Carolines. Heavy air attacks greeted the carriers, but Oakland and her partners in the screen fought them off before any damage was incurred. They pounded Palau
on 30 March, Yap
on the 31st and Woleai
on 1 April, before returning to Majuro on 6 April.
Through April the group carried out similar operations at Wake and Sawar. They again hammered Truk on the 29th-30th, as well as hitting Satawan
on the later date. Allied surface and aerial bombardment battered Ponape
on 1 May, before Oakland retired to Kwajalein on 4 May.
Following anti-aircraft training, Oakland helped to attack Guam
on 11 June, then steamed north to hit the Volcano and Bonin Islands by the 14th.
West of the embattled Marianas, Task Force 58 (TF 58) sped to intercept a large Japanese surface force approaching from the Philippines. In the ensuing Battle of the Philippine Sea
, the famed "Turkey Shoot" took place as US planes decimated the trained air groups of three Japanese carrier divisions, almost eliminating Japanese naval aviation.
Toward the end of the battle, as darkness was creeping in, the returning American pilots were scanning the sea for their carriers. Admiral Mitscher, on the bridge of his flagship, concerned about his men, gave the order "Turn on the lights." In response, Oaklands 36 in (914.4 mm) searchlights were turned on, helping to light up the Philippine Sea.
TG 58.1 next struck at Pagan Island
on 23 June and Iwo Jima
the next day. On the 27th, the units gathered at Eniwetok Atoll for replenishment, and on the 30th nosed northwest to the Bonin Islands. The group delivered a withering air-sea bombardment against Iwo and Chichi Jima on 3-4 July, and by the 5th was speeding south for a return engagement in the Marianas.
On 7 July, the carriers began launching a series of alternating strikes against Guam and Rota
. Oakland and teamed up to recover downed pilots off Guam, and fired at targets on Orote Peninsula
.
At 0800 on 4 August, search planes reported a Japanese convoy zig-zagging out of Chichi Jima Bonin Islands. Two hours later, the carriers' planes reported they were attacking enemy vessels. An attack group was quickly formed, consisting of Oakland, , and , and Destroyer Division 91.
Detached from the task group at 1241, the killer band raced at 30 kn (36.5 mph; 58.8 km/h) between Ototo and Yome Jima and arrived on the scene at about 1730. The destroyers formed an attack group ahead of the cruisers and, at 1845, sank a small oiler. Another straggler from the convoy, later identified as the destroyer Matsu, was sighted at 1924 and subsequently sunk.
At 2145, Oakland and company contacted a 7500-ton supply ship and sank her, before turning south to rake Chichi Jima. Oakland made three runs shelling shipping in Chichi's harbor of Funtami Ko, and helped to silence a shore battery before she retired at 1119 on 5 August. Several Japanese ships had been sunk, a seaplane base damaged, and fires started among the wharves and warehouses.
From 6-8 September, Oaklands task group hit the Palau Islands, Peleliu
being the main target. On the evening of the 8th, they steamed west to raid enemy airfields in the Philippines
through the 22nd.
On 6 October, Oakland departed Ulithi
shepherding her own carriers toward the Ryukyu Islands
and hit Okinawa on the 10th. They attacked installations on Formosa
and the Pescadores
on 12 October and, at 1835, as they were withdrawing, fought off Japanese air counter attack.
They hit Formosa again on 13 October, and again the Imperial Air Force lashed out in full fury as the task force withdrew at nightfall. Oakland assisted in turning back the aerial opponents but, at 1835, in TG 38.1 was damaged by a torpedo, and on the 14th received a torpedo hit. Oakland then covered the withdrawal of the two hit ships, before participating in the strikes against Luzon
from 17–19 October and supporting the landings on Leyte the 20th.
Enroute to Ulithi on the 24th, Oakland received orders to backtrack at once to help stop the Japanese Fleet which was converging on Leyte Gulf. By the time she arrived on the scene, the enemy had been repulsed, and the carriers began long range strikes against the retreating enemy. The Battle for Leyte Gulf was essentially the end of the Imperial Navy as an effective fighting force.
From November-December, Oakland operated with various task groups of TF 38 supporting the Philippine liberation campaign. On 18 December, she rode out a raging typhoon in the Philippine Sea escaping serious damage.
on 4 March. Arriving Pearl Harbor on the 9th, Oakland began additional training south of Oahu
. She received movement orders on the 14th and sailed for Ulithi, the staging area for Okinawa.
Reaching Ulithi on 30 March, she sailed again with other units the following day. On tap was the most ambitious amphibious assault of the Pacific war. On 2 April, the group separated, Oakland going ahead to join TG 58.4. For five days, she engaged in hitting Sakashima Gunto in the southern Nansei Shoto and then proceeded to Okinawa.
On 10 April, Oakland was reassigned to TG 58.3 for the remainder of the Okinawa campaign. She came under air attack again on 11 April with her gunners splashing a dive bomber.
With other groups of TF 58, Oakland moved northward on 15 April to launch strikes against airfields at Kyūshū
. Enemy planes tried time and again to pierce the task force's protective fighter umbrella. Twice Oaklands guns opened up, aiding in the destruction of one "Frances" and driving off another.
Okinawan defenses were struck again on the 17th. Kamikaze
s evaded the combat air patrol in the morning and Oakland took two under fire as they passed over the ship. Both were dropped within the formation, with Oakland scoring one. On the 29th, Oakland drove away another enemy aircraft. TG 58.3 had taken the best the Imperial Air Force had to offer during 11 days of April. The rest of the month was utilized in making additional strikes against Okinawa and conducting gunnery exercises with drones and towed sleeves.
Snooper planes began winging near the group early in the morning on 11 May. After breakfast, the Oakland crew scrambled to General Quarters but an attack failed to materialize at that time. Two kamikazes plummeted into the flight deck of 2000 yd (1,828.8 m) from the cruiser. A trio of life rafts were cut loose from Oakland to aid in the rescue of Bunker Hill survivors sighted ahead.
The task force struck again at airfields on Kyūshū on 13 May. On the 14th, the Japanese reciprocated. Shortly after breakfast, a lone Zero was spotted circling through the clouds and Oaklands guns quickly opened fire, but their quarry just as quickly disappeared from view. Then he came back like a comet. bore the brunt of his crash-dive as he blew up in a blossom of flame on her flight deck.
Shortly, a flock of kamikazes appeared, and within the space of 15 minutes, Oakland took four separate kamikazes under fire. Oaklands claim of two assists was substantiated by the task group commander.
For the duration of May, Oakland remained with the task group off Okinawa. On the 29th she shifted back to TG 38.1 under Admiral
Halsey and made for Leyte Gulf, anchoring in San Pedro Bay
on 1 June.
On 10 July, TG 38.1 commenced raids on the Japanese mainland beginning with Honshū and then thundering north to Hokkaidō
. From 17–20 July, Oakland participated in strikes against Tokyo
and 24–27 July against Kure
and Kobe
. Tokyo was hit again on the 30th along with Nagoya. On 7 August, the ships turned north to strike the Honshū-Hokkaido area for a second time. 15 August brought the long awaited "cease all offensive operations" order. Oakland then proceeded to her assigned operating area for the occupation of Japan.
Sailing on 30 August to the most important rendezvous of her career, Oakland dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay the next day, outside the breakwater of the Yokosuka Naval Base
. Berthed several thousand yards away from , Oakland provided a box seat for her sailors to witness the unforgettable conclusion to their war.
on the night of 27 September, a typhoon swept close to the harbor entrance. A tanker dragged anchor and struck Oaklands bow, causing minor damage.
On 1 October, Oakland sailed for Okinawa to embark homeward bound veterans for a "magic carpet" voyage to San Francisco. Leaving Okinawa on 3 October, she arrived at San Francisco on 20 October. Navy Day (27 October) observances at Oakland, California were highlighted by the presence of Oakland. "Magic carpet" duty in November and December took Oakland back to the Pacific twice, first to Eniwetok and then to Kwajalein. At the year's end, the Navy turned the task of bringing home the veterans solely over to its transportation service, and Oakland was ordered to an inactivation area at Bremerton, Washington
Reprieve came in the form of a change in orders and, instead of inactivation, Oakland was slated to continue as an active postwar fleet unit. A thorough overhaul was afforded her at the Puget Sound Navy Yard to erase the effects of long months of battle.
From July 1946 to January 1947, Oakland operated in and around San Diego as a Fleet Gunnery Training Ship. From 6 January to 8 September, she participated in a Western Pacific training cruise.
On 18 March, Oakland was reclassified CLAA-95. On 1 July 1949, Oakland decommissioned at San Francisco. Struck on 1 March 1959, she was sold to Louis Simons on 1 December for scrapping.
Oaklands mast and nameplate were restored and given to the city of Oakland. In July 2002, they were installed in the Port of Oakland's Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
, on the western waterfront, at the site of the former Fleet and Industrial Supply Center.
Atlanta class cruiser
The Atlanta-class cruisers were United States Navy light cruisers originally designed as fast scout cruisers or flotilla leaders, but later proved to be effective anti-aircraft cruisers during World War II. They were also known as the Atlanta-Oakland class. The lead ship Atlanta was sunk in action...
light cruiser
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...
, the first of a group of four sometimes referred to as the "Oakland class". She was laid down by Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
Co., San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 15 July 1941; launched on 23 October 1942; sponsored by Dr. Aurelia H. Reinhardt
Aurelia H. Reinhardt
Aurelia Henry Reinhardt an educator and social activist, born in San Francisco, California April 1, 1877. Her maiden name was Henry and her mother's maiden name was Merritt. She was the first female moderator of the American Unitarian Association...
; and commissioned on 17 July 1943, Captain William K. Phillips in command. She was named for the city of Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. Like the Atlanta class, the Oakland class was designed as an anti-aircraft cruiser, with a main battery of dual-purpose guns. The Oakland class omitted the wing 5 in (127 mm)/38 cal gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s of the Atlanta class.
Oakland sustained three casualties during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
1943
Following a shakedown and training cruise off San Diego in the summer of 1943, Oakland sailed for 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...
arriving on 3 November. Joining with three heavy cruisers and two destroyers, she linked up with Task Group 50.3 (TG 50.3) near Funafuti in the Ellice Islands, for support of Operation Galvanic, the amphibious push into the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
. The carriers launched initial air strikes on 19 November, and in retaliation, a wave of Japanese torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
s attacked the formation on the afternoon of the 20th. Oakland scored two kills and two assists in fighting off the raiders.
On 26 November, northeast of the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, Oakland again fought off strong coordinated torpedo plane attacks. At 2332 on 4 December, a torpedo tore into the side of and Oakland covered her slow withdrawal, arriving Pearl Harbor on 9 December.
1944
Oakland departed Pearl Harbor on 16 January 1944 with the carriers of TG 58.1 headed for the Marshall Islands. The task group launched strikes against Maloelap on 29 January and against KwajaleinKwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
on the 30th. An amphibious assault was made on Kwajalein on 1 February. Oakland with her carriers supported American operations ashore until they entered Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
Lagoon on 4 February.
Weighing anchor on 12 February, the ships of TG 58.1 sailed from Majuro and launched air strikes against Truk on 16-17 February, greatly damaging the important Japanese naval base there.
Then, despite a night-long series of Japanese aerial attacks on 21–22 February, to hit the Marianas with damaging blows, Oaklands gunners bagged two more enemy planes and assisted in splashing two others before returning to Majuro.
Oakland sortied with TG 58.1 on 7 March, bound for Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
in the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
. The group skirted the Solomons and covered the occupation of Emirau Island
Landing on Emirau
The Landing on Emirau was the last of the series of operations that made up Operation Cartwheel, General Douglas MacArthur's strategy for the encirclement of the major Japanese base at Rabaul. A force of nearly 4,000 United States Marines landed on the island of Emirau on 20 March 1944. The island...
, north of New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
, on the 20th. On the 27th, the task group swept on to the western Carolines. Heavy air attacks greeted the carriers, but Oakland and her partners in the screen fought them off before any damage was incurred. They pounded Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
on 30 March, Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
on the 31st and Woleai
Woleai
Woleai is a coral atoll of twenty-two islands in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia and is located approximately west-northwest of Ifalik and northeast of Eauripik...
on 1 April, before returning to Majuro on 6 April.
Through April the group carried out similar operations at Wake and Sawar. They again hammered Truk on the 29th-30th, as well as hitting Satawan
Satawan
Satawan Atoll is part of the Mortlock Islands in the Caroline Islands, administratively part of Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Captain James Mortlock discovered two sets of islands on 19 and 27 November 1795. Confusingly, both were later called Mortlock Islands...
on the later date. Allied surface and aerial bombardment battered Ponape
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
on 1 May, before Oakland retired to Kwajalein on 4 May.
Following anti-aircraft training, Oakland helped to attack 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...
on 11 June, then steamed north to hit the Volcano and Bonin Islands by the 14th.
West of the embattled Marianas, Task Force 58 (TF 58) sped to intercept a large Japanese surface force approaching from the Philippines. In the ensuing Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
, the famed "Turkey Shoot" took place as US planes decimated the trained air groups of three Japanese carrier divisions, almost eliminating Japanese naval aviation.
Toward the end of the battle, as darkness was creeping in, the returning American pilots were scanning the sea for their carriers. Admiral Mitscher, on the bridge of his flagship, concerned about his men, gave the order "Turn on the lights." In response, Oaklands 36 in (914.4 mm) searchlights were turned on, helping to light up the Philippine Sea.
TG 58.1 next struck at Pagan Island
Pagan Island
Pagan is an island of the Northern Mariana Islands chain,located at , approximately 320 kilometers northof Saipan.Pagan has an area of 47.23 km² , making it the fourth largest island of the Northern Marianas, and consists of two stratovolcanoes joined by a narrow strip of land.The...
on 23 June and Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
the next day. On the 27th, the units gathered at Eniwetok Atoll for replenishment, and on the 30th nosed northwest to the Bonin Islands. The group delivered a withering air-sea bombardment against Iwo and Chichi Jima on 3-4 July, and by the 5th was speeding south for a return engagement in the Marianas.
On 7 July, the carriers began launching a series of alternating strikes against Guam and Rota
Rota (island)
Rota also known as the "peaceful island", is the southernmost island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the second southernmost of the Marianas Archipelago. It lies approximately 40 miles north-northeast of the United States territory of Guam...
. Oakland and teamed up to recover downed pilots off Guam, and fired at targets on Orote Peninsula
Orote Peninsula
The Orote Peninsula is a four kilometre-long peninsula jutting from the west coast of Guam. It forms the southern coast of Apra Harbor, and its westernmost tip, Point Udall, is also Guam's westernmost point...
.
At 0800 on 4 August, search planes reported a Japanese convoy zig-zagging out of Chichi Jima Bonin Islands. Two hours later, the carriers' planes reported they were attacking enemy vessels. An attack group was quickly formed, consisting of Oakland, , and , and Destroyer Division 91.
Detached from the task group at 1241, the killer band raced at 30 kn (36.5 mph; 58.8 km/h) between Ototo and Yome Jima and arrived on the scene at about 1730. The destroyers formed an attack group ahead of the cruisers and, at 1845, sank a small oiler. Another straggler from the convoy, later identified as the destroyer Matsu, was sighted at 1924 and subsequently sunk.
At 2145, Oakland and company contacted a 7500-ton supply ship and sank her, before turning south to rake Chichi Jima. Oakland made three runs shelling shipping in Chichi's harbor of Funtami Ko, and helped to silence a shore battery before she retired at 1119 on 5 August. Several Japanese ships had been sunk, a seaplane base damaged, and fires started among the wharves and warehouses.
From 6-8 September, Oaklands task group hit the Palau Islands, Peleliu
Peleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
being the main target. On the evening of the 8th, they steamed west to raid enemy airfields in 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...
through the 22nd.
On 6 October, Oakland departed Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
shepherding her own carriers toward the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
and hit Okinawa on the 10th. They attacked installations on Formosa
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the Pescadores
Pescadores
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores are an archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers....
on 12 October and, at 1835, as they were withdrawing, fought off Japanese air counter attack.
They hit Formosa again on 13 October, and again the Imperial Air Force lashed out in full fury as the task force withdrew at nightfall. Oakland assisted in turning back the aerial opponents but, at 1835, in TG 38.1 was damaged by a torpedo, and on the 14th received a torpedo hit. Oakland then covered the withdrawal of the two hit ships, before participating in the strikes against Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
from 17–19 October and supporting the landings on Leyte the 20th.
Enroute to Ulithi on the 24th, Oakland received orders to backtrack at once to help stop the Japanese Fleet which was converging on Leyte Gulf. By the time she arrived on the scene, the enemy had been repulsed, and the carriers began long range strikes against the retreating enemy. The Battle for Leyte Gulf was essentially the end of the Imperial Navy as an effective fighting force.
From November-December, Oakland operated with various task groups of TF 38 supporting the Philippine liberation campaign. On 18 December, she rode out a raging typhoon in the Philippine Sea escaping serious damage.
1945
Oakland returned to San Francisco on 11 January 1945. She remained for repairs and trial runs until sailing for HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on 4 March. Arriving Pearl Harbor on the 9th, Oakland began additional training south of 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...
. She received movement orders on the 14th and sailed for Ulithi, the staging area for Okinawa.
Reaching Ulithi on 30 March, she sailed again with other units the following day. On tap was the most ambitious amphibious assault of the Pacific war. On 2 April, the group separated, Oakland going ahead to join TG 58.4. For five days, she engaged in hitting Sakashima Gunto in the southern Nansei Shoto and then proceeded to Okinawa.
On 10 April, Oakland was reassigned to TG 58.3 for the remainder of the Okinawa campaign. She came under air attack again on 11 April with her gunners splashing a dive bomber.
With other groups of TF 58, Oakland moved northward on 15 April to launch strikes against airfields at Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. Enemy planes tried time and again to pierce the task force's protective fighter umbrella. Twice Oaklands guns opened up, aiding in the destruction of one "Frances" and driving off another.
Okinawan defenses were struck again on the 17th. Kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s evaded the combat air patrol in the morning and Oakland took two under fire as they passed over the ship. Both were dropped within the formation, with Oakland scoring one. On the 29th, Oakland drove away another enemy aircraft. TG 58.3 had taken the best the Imperial Air Force had to offer during 11 days of April. The rest of the month was utilized in making additional strikes against Okinawa and conducting gunnery exercises with drones and towed sleeves.
Snooper planes began winging near the group early in the morning on 11 May. After breakfast, the Oakland crew scrambled to General Quarters but an attack failed to materialize at that time. Two kamikazes plummeted into the flight deck of 2000 yd (1,828.8 m) from the cruiser. A trio of life rafts were cut loose from Oakland to aid in the rescue of Bunker Hill survivors sighted ahead.
The task force struck again at airfields on Kyūshū on 13 May. On the 14th, the Japanese reciprocated. Shortly after breakfast, a lone Zero was spotted circling through the clouds and Oaklands guns quickly opened fire, but their quarry just as quickly disappeared from view. Then he came back like a comet. bore the brunt of his crash-dive as he blew up in a blossom of flame on her flight deck.
Shortly, a flock of kamikazes appeared, and within the space of 15 minutes, Oakland took four separate kamikazes under fire. Oaklands claim of two assists was substantiated by the task group commander.
For the duration of May, Oakland remained with the task group off Okinawa. On the 29th she shifted back to TG 38.1 under Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Halsey and made for Leyte Gulf, anchoring in San Pedro Bay
San Pedro Bay (Philippines)
San Pedro Bay is a bay in the Philippines, at the northwest end of Leyte Gulf, about 15 km east-west and 20 km north-south. The bay is bounded on the north and east by Samar and on the east by Leyte Island. It is connected by San Juanico Strait to Carigara Bay of the Samar Sea. The...
on 1 June.
On 10 July, TG 38.1 commenced raids on the Japanese mainland beginning with Honshū and then thundering north to Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. From 17–20 July, Oakland participated in strikes against Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and 24–27 July against Kure
Kure, Hiroshima
is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
and Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
. Tokyo was hit again on the 30th along with Nagoya. On 7 August, the ships turned north to strike the Honshū-Hokkaido area for a second time. 15 August brought the long awaited "cease all offensive operations" order. Oakland then proceeded to her assigned operating area for the occupation of Japan.
Sailing on 30 August to the most important rendezvous of her career, Oakland dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay the next day, outside the breakwater of the Yokosuka Naval Base
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, or Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base, in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet and...
. Berthed several thousand yards away from , Oakland provided a box seat for her sailors to witness the unforgettable conclusion to their war.
Post-war
While Oakland lay at anchor in Tokyo BayTokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
on the night of 27 September, a typhoon swept close to the harbor entrance. A tanker dragged anchor and struck Oaklands bow, causing minor damage.
On 1 October, Oakland sailed for Okinawa to embark homeward bound veterans for a "magic carpet" voyage to San Francisco. Leaving Okinawa on 3 October, she arrived at San Francisco on 20 October. Navy Day (27 October) observances at Oakland, California were highlighted by the presence of Oakland. "Magic carpet" duty in November and December took Oakland back to the Pacific twice, first to Eniwetok and then to Kwajalein. At the year's end, the Navy turned the task of bringing home the veterans solely over to its transportation service, and Oakland was ordered to an inactivation area at Bremerton, Washington
Reprieve came in the form of a change in orders and, instead of inactivation, Oakland was slated to continue as an active postwar fleet unit. A thorough overhaul was afforded her at the Puget Sound Navy Yard to erase the effects of long months of battle.
From July 1946 to January 1947, Oakland operated in and around San Diego as a Fleet Gunnery Training Ship. From 6 January to 8 September, she participated in a Western Pacific training cruise.
On 18 March, Oakland was reclassified CLAA-95. On 1 July 1949, Oakland decommissioned at San Francisco. Struck on 1 March 1959, she was sold to Louis Simons on 1 December for scrapping.
Oaklands mast and nameplate were restored and given to the city of Oakland. In July 2002, they were installed in the Port of Oakland's Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park lies west of downtown Oakland, California mostly on land formerly occupied by the Oakland Naval Supply Depot. The portion adjacent to the Port of Oakland which includes Port View Park was originally part of the Oakland Pier or Mole, the massive western terminus of the...
, on the western waterfront, at the site of the former Fleet and Industrial Supply Center.