USS Bremerton (CA-130)
47°33′47″N 122°37′35″W / 47.5631883°N 122.6265155°W
USS Bremerton off San Francisco, in 1955
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Bremerton |
Namesake | City of Bremerton, Washington |
Builder | New York Shipbuilding Corporation |
Laid down | 1 February 1943 |
Launched | 2 July 1944 |
Commissioned | 29 April 1945 |
Decommissioned | 9 April 1948 |
Recommissioned | 23 November 1951 |
Decommissioned | 29 July 1960 |
Stricken | 1 October 1973 |
Identification |
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Motto | Better Be |
Honours and awards | See Awards |
Fate | Scrapped, October 1973 |
Notes | Bell at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard Museum |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Baltimore-class heavy cruiser |
Displacement | 13,600 tons |
Length | 673 ft 5 in |
Beam | 70 ft 10 in |
Draft | 26 ft 10 in |
Speed | 33 knots |
Complement | 1042 officers and enlisted |
Armament |
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USS Bremerton (CA-130), was a
state.Construction and career
She was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden in New Jersey on 1 February 1943, launched on 2 July 1944 by Miss Elizabeth K. McGowan and commissioned on 29 April 1945, Captain John Boyd Mallard in command.
1940s
Bremerton left Norfolk for her shakedown cruise in the waters off
On 7 November 1945 she sailed to Guantanamo Bay for further training. She then proceeded to
Korean War Service
Bremerton was recommissioned 23 November 1951. After refresher training she joined the 7th Fleet for her first cruise of the Korean War zone. Her guns blasted enemy lines at Wonsan, Kojo, Chongjin, and Changjon Hang, Korea. On 13 September 1952 she was relieved and returned to Long Beach.
Seven months were devoted to overhaul, drills, and gunnery exercises, and then on 5 April 1953 Bremerton again departed Long Beach for a tour with the 7th Fleet. Upon joining TF 77 her guns pounded enemy installations, troops, and railroads in Korea.
Completing this tour in November 1953, Bremerton returned to Long Beach and commenced a shipyard overhaul. With overhaul completed, she conducted extensive training and then departed for another tour of the Western Pacific 14 May 1954. On 4 April 1954 Commander Will P. Starnes assumed duties as Executive Officer and on 17 October 1954 Bremerton returned to Long Beach and was granted a thirty-day rest before continuing drills and gunnery exercises off Southern California coast.
Post Korean War
In January 1955, Bremerton proceeded to Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo, California, for her regular overhaul period. At Mare Island Bremerton underwent a thorough revamping under the Navy's high-geared program of improved habitability and fighting efficiency.
On 12 July 1955 after a rigid training period, Bremerton again sailed for duties in the Far East. On this trip to the Western Pacific, Bremerton served as the flagship for Rear Admiral
On 10 January 1956 while the
On 6 November 1956 Bremerton left her home port of
Decommissioning
Bremerton was scheduled to undergo a major conversion to become one of the planned Albany-class guided missile cruisers, with the ship allocated the new number CG-14. However, the cost of this process, along with the similar conversion of Rochester, was deemed too high, and so was cancelled. Bremerton was decommissioned on 29 July 1960 after serving a total of 11.5 years in commissioned service. She lingered in the mothball fleet but was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1973, along with several of her sister ships. Sold to Zidell Explorations Corp., Portland Oregon on 11 July 1974.
Awards
- American Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Medal
- China Service Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- battle stars
- United Nations Korea Medal
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
- Photo gallery of USS Bremerton at NavSource Naval History