USS Providence (CL-82)
USS Providence (CLG-6) underway in 1970
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Providence |
Namesake | City of Providence, Rhode Island |
Builder | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts |
Laid down | 27 July 1943 |
Launched | 28 December 1944 |
Sponsored by | Mrs. Mary Roberts |
Commissioned | 15 May 1945 |
Decommissioned | 14 June 1949 |
Reclassified |
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Refit | 1957–1959 |
Recommissioned | 17 September 1959 |
Decommissioned | 31 August 1973 |
Stricken | 30 September 1978 |
Identification |
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Fate | Sold for scrapping, 15 July 1980 |
Badge | |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | Cleveland-class Light cruiser |
Displacement |
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Length | |
Beam | 66 ft 4 in (20.22 m) |
Draft |
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Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed | 32.5 kn (37.4 mph; 60.2 km/h) |
Range | 11,000 nmi (20,000 km) @ 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h) |
Complement | 1,255 officers and enlisted |
Armament |
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Armor |
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Aircraft carried | 4 × floatplanes |
Aviation facilities | 2 × stern catapults |
General characteristics (1959 rebuild) | |
Class and type | guided missile cruiser |
Displacement | 15,025 long tons (15,266 t) |
Armament |
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USS Providence (CL-82/CLG-6/CG-6) was a
Construction and commissioning
She was laid down 27 July 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; launched 28 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Mary Roberts; and commissioned 15 May 1945. Departing
Service
1940s
Departing Boston in November 1945, she visited
Departing Newport, R.I., in November, she operated in the Mediterranean from 20 November 1947 to 2 March 1948, visiting
1950s
Reclassified CLG–6 on 23 May 1957, she commenced conversion to
1960s
Following shakedown out of Guantanamo Bay, Providence arrived at her new home port of Long Beach, California, 29 July 1960. After a six-month tour of duty with the 7th Fleet, she returned to Long Beach 31 March 1961. She appeared as the fictional U.S.S Almira in the motion picture "The Honeymoon Machine" (1961) using stock footage taken of her at anchor in harbor. Following exercises off the West Coast, she arrived at Yokosuka, Japan, in May 1962, and relieved
Deployed to WestPac 12 November 1966, she again relieved Oklahoma City (CLG–5) as flagship of the 7th Fleet on 1 December 1966 at Yokosuka, Japan. She contributed to a major bombardment of enemy positions in Vietnam 1 April 1967. She duelled with an enemy shore battery off the DMZ on 25 May. In July she provided gunfire support for amphibious operations. She bombarded enemy storage areas south of Da Nang 10 October.[1]
During 1968, she provided gunfire support off Vietnam during each month except June and December. In February 1968 Providence was involved in the
Providence received her first Navy Unit Commendation for service during the period of 25 November 1966 to 8 November 1968.[citation needed] During 1969 she operated with the 1st Fleet off the West Coast.[1]
1970s
Providence left San Diego to provide naval gunfire support off the coast of Vietnam from April to December 1972. For her service in Vietnam, she received her second Navy Unit Commendation in 1973:
"The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Unit Commendation to USS Providence (CLG-6) for service as set forth in the following citation:
For exceptionally meritorious service from 20 April 1972 to 1 December 1972 while participating in combat operations off the coast of North and South Vietnam. In her primary role of providing naval gunfire support to allied forces in Vietnam, USS Providence inflicted serious losses on the enemy. Her outstanding support of South Vietnamese forces played a significant role in containing the North Vietnamese invasion. During the South Vietnamese counteroffensive, Providence time and again provided the firepower when and where it was needed by the forces ashore. Providence was also called upon on numerous occasions to participate in operations to interdict the flow of supplies in North Vietnam. She accomplished this mission with daring and skill, often coming under intense hostile fire. Providence took part in the first multi-cruiser strike since World War II. This daring and successful raid on military targets in the Haiphong harbor area demonstrated superior teamwork and professionalism by the officers and men of USS Providence. Their sustained superior performance reflected great credit upon themselves, their ship, and the United States Naval Service.
John W. Warner, Secretary of the Navy, 14 May 1973".[citation needed]
Decommissioning
Providence was decommissioned on 31 August 1973. She was stricken on 30 September 1978 and sold to National Steel Corp., Terminal Island, CA Sale # 160018 on 15 July 1980, removed from custody 31 July 1980 and scrapped.[citation needed]
Awards
Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star (two awards) | |
Combat Action Ribbon | |
American Campaign Medal | |
World War II Victory Medal | |
Navy Occupation Medal with "EUROPE" clasp
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National Defense Service Medal | |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star | |
Vietnam Service Medal with 6 campaign stars (one silver and one bronze) | |
Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross with Palm device
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Vietnam Campaign Medal |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Providence IV (CL-82)". Naval History and Heritage Command. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ Sheehy, Edward J. (1992). "The U.S. Navy, the Mediterranean, and the Cold War, 1945-1947". p. 32. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ Toppan, Andrew (24 April 2000). "Cleveland class light cruisers". Hazegray.org. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
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 Providence (CL-82) at NavSource Naval History
- Navy photographs of Providence (CLG-6)
- Oral history transcripts[usurped] from Chief Engineer Willard Searle, aboard the Providence from 1959 to 1961