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USS Dayton (CL-105)
Encyclopedia
USS Dayton (CL-105) was a Cleveland-class
light cruiser
of the United States Navy
. The ship is named after the city of Dayton
, Ohio
.
The ship was launched 19 March 1944 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
, sponsored by Mrs. H. Rueger, and commissioned 7 January 1945, Captain
Paul William Steinhagen in command. Construction for the Dayton was underwritten in part by the citizens of the City of Dayton Ohio through the purchase of war bonds.
15 May for training, and reached San Pedro Bay
, Leyte, 16 June to join the 3rd Fleet. On 1 July, she sortied with the Fleet for the final strikes along the Japanese coast, screening the fast carrier task groups and conducting shore bombardments
. She entered Tokyo Bay
10 September and, except for a brief period of upkeep at Eniwetok, remained on occupation duty until 7 November when she got underway for San Pedro, California, arriving 19 November.
Dayton sailed from San Pedro 24 January 1946 and arrived at Pearl Harbor 6 days later en route to Japan. Her orders were changed and on 7 February she sailed to join the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
, conducting training at Guantanamo Bay
on her way to Norfolk, Virginia
, her assigned home port.
On 3 February 1947, Dayton sailed from Norfolk for a tour in the Mediterranean, exercising off Malta
, and paying calls, including a diplomatic visit to Istanbul
, Turkey
, returning to Boston in June of the same year.
The ship sailed again for the Mediterranean in late July, where she served as the flagship of the Commander of Naval Forces, Mediterranean (COMNAVMED). During this cruise the ship was dispatched to Bari, Italy to load rockets needed by the U.S. and British forces protecting Trieste from insurgents allied with Yugoslavia. This deck cargo was unloaded in Trieste following a high speed run to that city in October 1947. This visit coincided with the announcement by the Western powers that Trieste would be turned over to newly formed Italian government. The citizens of the city chose the opportunity to demonstrate in favor of the decision and the crowd surged onto the pier where the Dayton was tied, causing concern over the security of the ship. The ship then sailed to Venice, tying up at San Marcos square. After a short visit in that city the ship returned to Trieste and shortly after returned to the U.S. on 30 November 1947.
Following local operations from Newport
and another cruise to the Mediterranean between 9 February and 26 June 1948, Dayton was placed out of commission in reserve at Boston 1 March 1949. She was stricken from the Naval Register on 1 September 1961, and sold 6 April 1962, to Boston Metals, Baltimore MD.
Cleveland class cruiser
The United States Navy designed the Cleveland class of light cruisers for World War II with the goal of increased range and AA armament as compared with earlier classes.A total of 52 ships of this class were projected and 3 canceled...
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...
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...
. The ship is named after the city of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, 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...
.
The ship was launched 19 March 1944 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, sponsored by Mrs. H. Rueger, and commissioned 7 January 1945, 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....
Paul William Steinhagen in command. Construction for the Dayton was underwritten in part by the citizens of the City of Dayton Ohio through the purchase of war bonds.
Service history
Dayton arrived 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...
15 May for training, and reached 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...
, Leyte, 16 June to join the 3rd Fleet. On 1 July, she sortied with the Fleet for the final strikes along the Japanese coast, screening the fast carrier task groups and conducting shore bombardments
Allied naval bombardments of Japan during World War II
During the last weeks of World War II, warships of the United States Navy, Britain's Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy bombarded several cities and industrial facilities in Japan. These bombardments caused heavy damage to several of the factories targeted, as well as nearby civilian areas...
. She entered Tokyo Bay
Tokyo 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...
10 September and, except for a brief period of upkeep at Eniwetok, remained on occupation duty until 7 November when she got underway for San Pedro, California, arriving 19 November.
Dayton sailed from San Pedro 24 January 1946 and arrived at Pearl Harbor 6 days later en route to Japan. Her orders were changed and on 7 February she sailed to join the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, conducting training at Guantanamo Bay
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located on of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba which the United States leased for use as a coaling station following the Cuban-American Treaty of 1903. The base is located on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas...
on her way to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, her assigned home port.
On 3 February 1947, Dayton sailed from Norfolk for a tour in the Mediterranean, exercising off Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, and paying calls, including a diplomatic visit to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, returning to Boston in June of the same year.
The ship sailed again for the Mediterranean in late July, where she served as the flagship of the Commander of Naval Forces, Mediterranean (COMNAVMED). During this cruise the ship was dispatched to Bari, Italy to load rockets needed by the U.S. and British forces protecting Trieste from insurgents allied with Yugoslavia. This deck cargo was unloaded in Trieste following a high speed run to that city in October 1947. This visit coincided with the announcement by the Western powers that Trieste would be turned over to newly formed Italian government. The citizens of the city chose the opportunity to demonstrate in favor of the decision and the crowd surged onto the pier where the Dayton was tied, causing concern over the security of the ship. The ship then sailed to Venice, tying up at San Marcos square. After a short visit in that city the ship returned to Trieste and shortly after returned to the U.S. on 30 November 1947.
Following local operations from Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
and another cruise to the Mediterranean between 9 February and 26 June 1948, Dayton was placed out of commission in reserve at Boston 1 March 1949. She was stricken from the Naval Register on 1 September 1961, and sold 6 April 1962, to Boston Metals, Baltimore MD.