World War II Database

Contributor: David Stubblebine

ww2dbaseThe Northampton-class heavy cruisers, with their sleek lines and clipper bows, had an appearance more like racing sloops than armed warships. Lead ship of her class, USS Northampton was laid down 12 Apr 1928 at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. The Northampton-class ships were initially classified as light cruisers because of their light armor, according to the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Northampton was named for the Massachusetts home town of then President Calvin Coolidge and by the time of the ship's launching on 5 Sep 1929, the now former-first lady Grace Coolidge acted as sponsor. Northampton was commissioned 17 May 1930, Captain Walter N. Vernou commanding.

ww2dbaseFor her shakedown cruise, Northampton sailed to the Mediterranean and spent the next ten years participating in fleet exercises in the Caribbean, at the Panama Canal Zone, and in the Pacific. Northampton was redesignated as a heavy cruiser in 1931 based on her 8-inch main guns, according to the terms of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. She operated primarily in the Pacific from 1932, first homeported at San Pedro, California and later at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

ww2dbaseOn 7 Dec 1941, Northampton was at sea as part of the USS Enterprise task group, returning to Pearl Harbor the day after the Japanese attack. When Enterprise sailed two days later in search of the Japanese fleet, Northampton went with her. Northampton's first combat was 1 Feb 1942 when she and Salt Lake City shelled Japanese installations on Wotje in the Marshall Islands. Three weeks later, they made a similar bombardment against Wake Island and then again at Marcus Island.

ww2dbaseEarly in Apr 1942, Northampton sailed again as one of Enterprise's escorts and their group joined up with USS Hornet (Yorktown-class) north of Midway. They all then continued sailing west where Hornet launched the Doolittle Raiders. The ships replenished quickly at Pearl Harbor and then sailed for the Southwest Pacific, arriving just after the Battle of the Coral Sea. Returning to Pearl Harbor, Northampton again sailed with the Enterprise task group as they intercepted the Japanese fleet at Midway. The Battle of Midway was primarily one of naval aviation so Northampton's role, like all the escorting ships, was completely defensive; providing antiaircraft fire to protect the carriers.

ww2dbaseIn mid-Aug 1942, Northampton sailed again for the Southwest Pacific to join in the Guadalcanal operation. When Enterprise was bombed on 24 Aug 1942 and had to withdraw, Northampton shifted to the task group of the recently arrived USS Wasp (Wasp-class). On 15 Sep 1942, the task groups of Hornet and Wasp were operating together southeast of the Solomon Islands escorting a convoy of US Marine reinforcements when the force was attacked by Japanese submarine I-19 commanded by Lieutenant Commander Kinashi Takakazu. I-19 fired a single spread of six torpedoes that hit three different ships. Wasp was mortally wounded by two torpedoes while battleship North Carolina and destroyer O'Brien were also damaged (O'Brien was only 800 yards off Northampton's port beam when that torpedo struck). Fires raged on Wasp fueled by aviation gasoline and could not be controlled. The carrier was later abandoned then scuttled with five torpedoes from the destroyer USS Lansdowne.

ww2dbaseShifting to the USS Hornet task group, Northampton screened the carrier on an attack against Bougainville in the Solomons on 5 Oct 1942. Three weeks later, it was Hornet that was mortally wounded. In the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands, where enemy ships never came within sight of each other, Northampton and other ships provided intense antiaircraft fire to protect Hornet from attacking airplanes, but the carrier was bombed heavily and was badly damaged. Northampton attempted to take Hornet in tow but the ship was obviously doomed. Hornet had to be abandoned and was later sunk by a combination of American efforts to scuttle the ship and, finally, Japanese torpedo fire.

ww2dbaseThen through Nov 1942, Northampton operated to prevent the Japanese from provisioning their troops on Guadalcanal. This meant night patrols in "The Slot." In the dead of night on 30 Nov 1942, Northampton, along with four other cruisers and six destroyers, engaged a Japanese destroyer transport force in the Battle of Tassafaronga north of Guadalcanal (also called the Fourth Battle of Savo). Cruisers Minneapolis and New Orleans took torpedo hits within a minute of each other and then 10 minutes later, Pensacola was hit. All three had to withdraw, taking two destroyers as escorts. Cruisers Northampton and Honolulu, with the four remaining destroyers, continued the fierce action and scored many hits on the Japanese ships. Close to the end of the engagement, Northampton was struck by two torpedoes which tore a huge hole in her port side aft and ripped away decks and bulkheads. Taking on water rapidly, she began to list and settle by the stern but remained afloat. After three hours, however, it was clear Northampton could not be saved and she had to be abandoned. With great discipline and order, Northampton was abandoned with destroyers Drayton and Fletcher taking on 870 of her survivors in less than an hour. Northampton then gently rolled over and sank - becoming the last capital ship to litter the floor of Iron Bottom Sound.

ww2dbaseDespite just under a year of wartime service, Northampton received six World War II Battle Stars.

Heavy Cruiser Northampton (CA-26) Interactive Map

Photographs

Maps

Northampton Operational Timeline