Allied Warships

USS Brooklyn (CL 40)

Light cruiser of the Brooklyn class


USS Brooklyn in 1942.

NavyThe US Navy
TypeLight cruiser
ClassBrooklyn 
PennantCL 40 
Built byNew York Navy Yard (New York, New York, U.S.A.) 
Ordered 
Laid down12 Mar 1935 
Launched30 Nov 1936 
Commissioned30 Sep 1937 
End service3 Jan 1947 
History

Decomissioned 3 January 1947. Transferred to Chile on 9 January 1951 being renamed O'Higgins.
O'Higgins was decomissioned early in the 1990's and she foundered on the way to the ship breakers.

 

Commands listed for USS Brooklyn (CL 40)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Capt. William Ward Smith, USN18 May 19395 Feb 1941
2Capt. Ellis Spencer Stone, USN5 Feb 194112 Jun 1942
3T/Capt. Francis Compton Denebrink, USN12 Jun 194214 Feb 1943 (1)
4Capt. Humbert William Ziroli, USN14 Feb 194311 Oct 1943 (1)
5Capt. Robert Webster Cary, Jr., USN11 Oct 194316 Feb 1944
6T/Capt. Frank Chester Layne, USN16 Feb 194412 Apr 1944
7Capt. Frank Riley Dodge, USN12 Apr 194414 Jan 1945 (1)
8T/Cdr. Herbert Frederick Eckberg, USN14 Jan 194512 Apr 1945
9T/Capt. William Francis Fitzgerald, Jr,, USN12 Apr 194526 Sep 1945
10T/Cdr. Edson Hill Whitehurst, USN26 Sep 194530 Oct 1945
11Frank Anthony Zimanski, USN30 Oct 19455 Jan 1946
12Harold Chase Lank, USN5 Jan 194630 Jan 1946

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Notable events involving Brooklyn include:


6 Aug 1942

Convoy AT 18.

This convoy departed New York on 6 August 1942.

It was made up of the following troop transports; Andes (British, 25689 GRT, built 1939), Argentina (American, 20614 GRT, built 1929), Batory (Polish, 14287 GRT, built 1936), Brazil (American, 20614 GRT, built 1929), Monterey (American, 148017 GRT, built 1932), Orcades (British, 23456 GRT, built 1937), Thomas H. Barry (American, 11250 GRT, built 1930), Uruguay (American, 20183 GRT, built 1928), Wakefield (American, 24289 GRT, built 1931) and West Point (American, 26454 GRT, built 1940).

The armed merchant cruiser HMS Queen of Bermuda (A/Capt.(Retd.) A.D. Cochrane, RN) was also part of the convoy.

The convoy was escorted by Task Force 38, which was made up of the battleship 5922 Arkansas (Capt. C.F. Bryant, USN, which was also COMTASKFOR 38), light cruiser USS Brooklyn (T/Capt. F.C. Denebrink, USN) and the with destroyers USS Livermore (T/Cdr. V. Huber, USN, with COMDESDIV 21, T/Capt. T.L. Madeira, USN, on board), USS Kearny (T/Cdr. A.H. Oswald, USN), USS Plunkett (T/Cdr. W.H. Standley, Jr., USN, with COMDESRON 7, Cdr. S.R. Clark, USN, on board), USS Niblack (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Dyer, USN, with COMDESDIV 13, T/Capt. P.R. Heineman, USN, on board), USS Benson (T/Cdr. C.A. Fines, USN), USS Gleaves (T/Cdr. C.L. Winecoff, USN), USS Mayo (T/Cdr. I.T. Duke, USN), USS Charles F. Hughes (Lt.Cdr. B.S. Copping, USN) and USS Hilary P. Jones (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Ellis, USN) as inner screen for the convoy. An outer screen was formed of the destroyers USS Madison (Cdr. W.B. Ammon, USN, with COMDESDIV 14, ???, on board), USS Nicholson (Cdr. J.S. Keating, USN), USS Eberle (Lt.Cdr. K.F. Poehlmann, USN), USS Ericsson (T/Cdr. C.M. Jensen, USN) and USS Roe (T/Cdr. J.N. Opie, 3rd, USN).

Around 2300Q/7, Eberle, Ericsson and Roe were detached to proceed to Boston. USS Hilary P. Jones then joined the outer screen.

The convoy arrived at Halifax on 8 August 1942.

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The convoy departed Halifax on 9 August 1942.

Two troop transports joined the convoy leaving Halifax, these were the; Cameronia (British, 16297 GRT, built 1920) and Capetown Castle (British, 27002 GRT, built 1938).

The convoy was now escorted by USS Arkansas, USS Brooklyn, USS Plunkett, USS Niblack, USS Gleaves, USS Mayo, USS Madison, USS Lansdale (T/Cdr. D.C. Varian, USN), USS Hilary P. Jones, USS Charles F. Hughes. The above destroyers served as inner screen. Also an out screen made up of the destroyers USS Mayrant (T/Capt. C.C. Hartman, USN, which was also COMDESDIV 16), USS Rhind (T/Cdr. H.T. Read, USN) and USS Nicholson was present.

Late on the 9th, the Cameronia straggled from the convoy. USS Hilary P. Jones was ordered to escort her. They rejoined on the 10th but the Cameronia had difficulty in keeping up with the convoy and was smoking badly.

On the 10th, USS Nicholson was detached to Casco Bay. Also on this day, USS Benson departed Halifax to overtake and join the convoy. She had been unable to depart with the convoy on the 9th due to the fact that she was in dock for repairs to her sonar installation.

On the 11th USS Benson joined from Halifax. USS Mayrant and USS Rhind were detached later on the 11th. They were to proceed to Argentia.

Around 1015Z/16, HMS Queen of Bermuda and the Batory were detached from the convoy and joined convoy DS 31 proceeding from the Clyde to Iceland. One of the escorts of convoy DS 31 then joined convoy AT 18, this was the AA cruiser HMS Curacoa (Capt. J.W. Boutwood, RN).

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 17 August 1942. (2)

19 Nov 1943
Around 1100 hours, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and her escort; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) joined USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and her escort; USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN). In the afternoon USS Ellson, USS Rodman and USS Emmons were detached.

20 Nov 1943
The battleship USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Mers El Kebir where her 'passengers' left the ship.

She departed Mers El Kebir later the same day to proceed to Bahia, Brazil.

At sea she (re-)joined the light cruiser USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and the destroyers USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN). The light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.T. Addis, RN) had also departed Mers-el-Kebir and joined them.

21 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) passed Gibaltar Straits westbound into the Atlantic.

Around 0540 hours, HMS Sheffield, departed the formation.

Around 0820 hours, USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) arrived to take over the escort of USS Iowa and USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and her escort; USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN) departed the formation and set course for Gibraltar.

15 Jan 1944
The light cruisers HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN), HMS Dido (Capt. J. Terry, RN), HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN), USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and the destroyers HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN), USS Niblack (T/Cdr. R.R. Conner, USN) and USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN) all conducted exercises off Malta. (3)

18 Jan 1944
Around 1545/18, The light cruisers HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN), USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and the destroyers HMS Loyal (Lt.Cdr. H.E.F. Tweedie, DSC, RN), USS Niblack (T/Cdr. R.R. Conner, USN) and USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN) departed Malta for Naples. They arrived at Naples around 1015/19. (4)

21 Jan 1944
Around 1220/21, the Task Group 82.8, part of 'X-ray Force', made up of the light cruisers USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN), HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN) and the destroyers USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Mayo (T/Cdr. F.S. Habecker, USN), USS Woolsey (T/Cdr. H.R. Wier, USN), USS Ludlow (T/Cdr. L.W. Creighton, USN) and USS Edison (T/Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN) departed Naples in support of Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio. En-route to the landing area they escorted a convoy (NAF 1).

They entered the 'fire support area' around 0130/22.

22 Jan 1944
Task Group 82.8, part of 'X-ray Force', made up of the light cruisers USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN), HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN) and the destroyers USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Mayo (T/Cdr. F.S. Habecker, USN), USS Woolsey (T/Cdr. H.R. Wier, USN), USS Ludlow (T/Cdr. L.W. Creighton, USN) and USS Edison (T/Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN) is still operating in their part of the landing area.

Several air attacks were carried out in the area by the Germans during the day.

At 1440 hours, HMS Penelope commenced a bombardment. [No further details available.]

Around 1730 hours, USS Brooklyn, HMS Penelope, USS Trippe and USS Edison proceeded to seaward.

At 2026 hours, they were informed that two enemy destroyers might attack during the night. These ships had been reported in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea and USS Brooklyn, HMS Penelope, USS Trippe and USS Edison proceeded northwards to intercept.

23 Jan 1944
Task Group 82.8, part of 'X-ray Force', made up of the light cruisers USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN), HMS Penelope (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN) and the destroyers USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Mayo (T/Cdr. F.S. Habecker, USN), USS Woolsey (T/Cdr. H.R. Wier, USN), USS Ludlow (T/Cdr. L.W. Creighton, USN) and USS Edison (T/Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN) is still operating in the Anzio landings area.

USS Brooklyn, HMS Penelope, HMS Trippe and HMS Edison were outside the landing zone to try to intercept two German destroyers. At 0600 hours, the hunt for these destroyers was abandoned and they returned to the landing zone for fire support duties.

At 0858 hours, USS Brooklyn opened fire on a shore target having been requisted to do so. Fire was ceased at 0904 hours. A total of 27 rounds had been fired.

At 1743 hours, USS Brooklyn, HMS Penelope, HMS Trippe and HMS Edison again departed the landing zone to proceed to seawards.

30 Jan 1944
Around 0200A/30, HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN) departed Naples for the operations area of Anzio where she arrived around 0930A/30.

Around 1240A/30, she joined USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN).

Around 1600A/30, the cruisers retired from the coast to proceeded to seaward for the night. USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN) had now joined for A/S protection. (5)

31 Jan 1944
In the morning, around 0845A/31, HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN) parted company with USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN).

HMS Phoebe then proceeded to ' Area P ' near Anzio for fire support duty. She was joined by HMS Laforey (Capt. H.T. Armstrong, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Loyal (Lt.Cdr. H.E.F. Tweedie, DSC, RN). Fire support was given to the army in the afternoon.

again retired from the inshore area for the night to return the following morning. (5)

8 Feb 1944
Around 1130A/8, HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN) departed Naples for the operations area off Anzio where she arrived around 1415A/8 and then joined HMS Orion (Capt. J.P. Gornall, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J.M. Mansfield, DSC, RN).

Bombardments to give fire support for the army were carried out in the second half of the afternoon.

Around 1700A/8, HMS Orion and HMS Phoebe left the area. They then joined USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN) and all four set course to the Gulf of Pozzuoli where they arrived around 2100A/8 and anchored for the night. (6)

9 Feb 1944
Around 0520A/8, the light cruisers HMS Orion (Capt. J.P. Gornall, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J.M. Mansfield, DSC, RN), HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN) and USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) departed the Gulf of Pozzuoli to return to the Anzio area for bombardment duties.

During these bombardments they were escorted by the destroyers HMS Loyal (Lt.Cdr. H.E.F. Tweedie, DSC, RN), USS Trippe (T/Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Charles F. Hughes (T/Lt.Cdr. J.C.G. Wilson, USN) and USS Edison (T/Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN, with COMTASKFOR 65, T/Capt. V. Huber, USN on board).

Around 1100A/9, HMS Loyal was hit by enemy gunfire sustaining some minor damage.

All ships returned to Naples in the evening except for USS Brooklyn and USS Trippe which set course for Palermo. (7)

Sources

  1. http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/040/04040.htm
  2. ADM 53/116482
  3. Logbook USS Brooklyn
  4. ADM 199/1430 + Logbook USS Brooklyn
  5. ADM 53/120233 + War diary of USS Brooklyn for January 1944 + War diary of USS Trippe for January 1944
  6. ADM 53/120195 + ADM 53/120234 + War diary of USS Brooklyn for January 1944 + War diary of USS Trippe for January 1944
  7. ADM 53/120195 + ADM 53/120234 + ADM 199/1430

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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