USS Bremerton (CA-130)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career
USS Bremerton fitting out for Korean War service
Ordered:
Laid down:	1 February 1943
Launched:	2 July 1944
Commissioned:	29 April 1945
Decommissioned:	29 July 1960
Fate:	Scrapped in 1974
Struck:	1 October 1973
General Characteristics
Displacement:	13,600 tons
Length:	673 ft 5 in
Beam:	70 ft 10 in
Draft:	26 ft 10 in
Propulsion:
Speed:	33 knots
Range:
Complement:	1042 officers and enlisted
Armament:	9 x 8 in, 12 x 5 in guns
Aircraft:
Motto:

USS Bremerton (CA-130), named for the city of Bremerton in Washington state, was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser 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 J. B. Mallard in command.

Bremerton left Norfolk for her shakedown cruise in the waters off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 29 May 1945. Toward the end of the shakedown period she served as flagship for Admiral Jonas Ingram, Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, during his South American tour of inspection. She returned to the United States and engaged in experimental work at Casco Bay, Maine, from 22 July to 2 October 1945.

On 7 November 1945 she sailed to Guantanamo Bay for further training. She then proceeded to Pearl Harbor en route for duty in the 7th Fleet. Bremerton arrived at Pearl Harbor 15 December 1945 and Inchon, Korea, 4 January 1946. She operated in the Far East until 20 November 1946, when she arrived at San Pedro, Calif. She participated in type training and made one reserve training cruise off the west coast before placed out of commission in reserve at San Francisco 9 April 1948.

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, 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 17 October 1954 Bremerton returned to Long Beach. On 12 July 1955 after a rigid training period, Bremerton again sailed for duties in the Far East.

Bremerton was decommissioned on 29 July 1960 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 October 1973.

Bremerton received two battle stars for service performed during the Korean action.