World War II Database

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ww2dbaseLight cruiser Detroit was launched in 1922, sponsored by daughter of Detroit mayor James J. Couzens. In 1923, she was commissioned to Captain J. Halligan, Jr. After shakedown to the Mediterranean Sea, she joined the United States Navy Scouting Fleet. In Sep and Oct 1924, she was on lifeguard duty for the United States Army's round-the-world flight. Between Oct and 23 Nov, she was the flagship of Light Cruiser Divisions. Between Feb and Jun 1925, she served on the west coast of the United States and in the waters near Hawaii. On 10 Jul, she sailed to Boston, Massachusetts, United States and joined the Scouting Fleet again. Between Jul 1925 and Dec 1926, she was the flagship of Light Cruiser Division 3, and participated in fleet problems along the east coast of the United States and in teh Caribbean Sea. Between Mar and Apr 1927, she patrolled off the coast of Nicaragua to protect American interests during political disturbances in that country. On 16 Jun 1927, she departed from Boston as she became the flagship for US naval forces in Europe, visiting various ports in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East; in this role, she hosted dignitaries such as the King of Norway, King of Denmark, King of Spain, and the President of the Irish Free State and transported the US Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg between Ireland and France. On 12 Sep 1928, she entered the port at Norfolk, Virginia, United States and joined the Scouting Fleet. She was the flagship of Light Cruiser Divisions between 6 Jul 1929 and 29 Sep 1930. On 19 March 1931, she was the flagship of Destroyer Squadrons of the US Navy Battle Force based in San Diego, California, United States; with the exception of a fleet problem in 1934 in the Atlantic Ocean, she remained in the Pacific Ocean for the remainder of the 1930s, serving along the west coast of the US and in Alaskan and Hawaiian waters.

ww2dbaseIn 1941, Detroit's home port was moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On 7 Dec 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, she was moored with light cruiser Raleigh and target ship Utah, which received most of the damage out of the three ships. She was able to get underway and fire her anti-aircraft guns; her captain claimed credit for at least one kill. She patrolled waters near the island of Oahu immediately after the attack, and then sailed with other ships to hunt for the retiring Japanese carrier force, returning to Pearl Harbor on 10 Dec.

ww2dbaseIn 1942, Detroit largely served as an escort for convoys between Hawaii and the west coast of the US. On 3 Mar 1942, at Pearl Harbor, she received from submarine Trout 9 tons of gold and 13 tons of silver belonging to twelve Filipino banks; she delivered the cargo to the US Treasury Department in San Francisco, California. In Sep 1942, she escorted two convoys to Pago Pago, Samoa, rescuing the crew of a downed PBY Catalina aircraft during one passage. On Nov 1942, she became the flagship of Task Group 8.6 in Alaska. On 12 Jan 1943, she covered landings on Amchitka island in the Aleutian Islands. In Apr, she bombarded Holtz Bay and Chicago Harbor at Attu, returning in May to cover the invasion of that island. In Aug, under the command of Captain H. G. Sickel, she bombarded Kiska and covered the landing on that island on 15 Aug. She remained in Alaskan waters until 1944. In Jun 1944, with Task Force 94, she bombarded Japanese facilities in the Kurile Islands. In Jul 1944, she received repairs at Bremerton, Washington, United States. On 9 Aug, she became the flagship of the Southeast Pacific Force and patrolled off of the west coast of South American until the end of that year. On 4 Feb 1945, she arrived at Ulithi in the Caroline Islands and joined the 5th Fleet as the flagship of the replenishment group for the fast carrier task forces, remaining in that role until the end of the war. On 1 Sep, she entered Tokyo Bay, Japan, and was present at the surrender ceremony on the next day. She remained in Japanese waters to support the occupation fleet while made several trips to bring Japanese personnel home from various Pacific islands. She left Japan on 15 Oct with American servicemen as part of Operation Magic Carpet.

ww2dbaseDetroit was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States in 1946. She was sold for scrap on 27 Feb.

Light Cruiser Detroit Interactive Map

Photographs

Detroit Operational Timeline

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