USS
New Orleans (CA-32) was laid down March 14 1931 by the New York
Navy Yard; and commissioned February 15, 1934. In 1935 she joined Cruiser
Division 6 in operations in the eastern Pacific for over a year. She served out
of
California
ports until joining the Hawaiian Detachment, October 12, 1939 for exercises,
training, and as war drew close, vigilant patrol. Present at
Pearl Harbor
during the attack December 7, 1941. With power lines from the docks cut, she
operated her 5' 25 AA guns manually. A number of her crew were injured when a
fragmentation bomb exploded close aboard, It was here when her chaplain spoke
the famous words, "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"
The
New Orleans
later participated in The Battle of Coral Sea, The Battle of Midway, the
invasion of The Solomon Islands, The Battle of the Eastern Solomons, The Battle
of Tassafaronga in which her bow was severed between the #1 and #2 turrets by a
Japanese torpedo. The bow swung around and punching several holes in the length
of the hull and damaging a propeller before sinking. Now slowed to 2 knots , and
blazing forward, the ship fought for survival, missing a quarter of her length.
Individual acts of heroism and self-sacrifice along with skillful seamanship
kept her afloat. The crew later reinforced the bulkheads with cocoa logs before
heading to
Australia
for temporary repairs then back home where she'd be under repair for the next 9
months. After a new bow was fitted and all battle damage repaired she made bombardments
on Wake, The Gilberts, The Marshalls, Raids on Truk and Carolines, supported
landings on New Guinea, raids on Satawan, bombardments on Siapan, bombardments
on Tinian, Bonins, Iwo Jima, Palaus, Okinawa, Formosa and the Northern Luzon.
She was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She earned 17 Battle Stars for her efforts
in WWII, however is usually only given credit for 16.
This
is my build of the Waveline 1:700 scale model of this great cruiser.
David Hlusak
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