- USS Denver (CL-58)
The second USS "Denver" (CL-58) was launched
4 April 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; sponsored by Miss L. J. Stapleton, daughter of theMayor of Denver ; and commissioned15 October 1942 , Captain R. B. Carney in command."Denver" sailed from
Philadelphia 23 January 1943 , and arrived atEfate ,New Hebrides ,14 February . The new cruiser first saw combat in the bombardment ofVila onKolombangara in theSolomon Islands , on6 March . During this action her force engaged and sank two Japanese destroyers, "Minegumo" and "Murasame", in theBattle of Blackett Strait . Continuing her operations in the Solomons, "Denver" joined the bombardment ofBallale Island on29 June and30 June in conjunction with the invasion landings onNew Georgia , then remained in the area on patrol.On the last day of October 1943 "Denver" sortied from Port Purvis with TF 39 to intercept an enemy force attempting to disrupt the landings at
Cape Torokina , Bougainville. In the resultingbattle of Empress Augusta Bay on the night of1 November –2 November , the American ships sank one enemy light cruiser and a destroyer and damaged two heavy cruisers and two destroyers, while the four other enemy ships broke off the action and retired. During the heavy firing "Denver" was hit by three 8 inch shells which fortunately did not explode. She shared in theNavy Unit Commendation awarded her division for its outstanding performance in this battle."Denver" covered the support landings on Cape Torokina on
10 November and11 November 1943 , and 2 days later during a heavy air attack was hit by an aerial torpedo which knocked out all power and communications and killed 20 of her men. She was towed by "Sioux" to Port Purvis and by "Pawnee" to Espiritu Santo for temporary repairs, then sailed toMare Island for permanent repairs, arriving2 January 1944 ."Denver" returned to the forward area at
Eniwetok , arriving22 June 1944 . Eight days later she put to sea to screen carriers as they launched strikes to neutralize Japanese bases in theBonins andMarianas during the invasion of the Marianas. She bombardedIwo Jima 4 July , and after screening continued air assaults returned to Eniwetok5 August ."Denver" sailed from
Port Purvis 6 September 1944 for the invasion of thePalaus . She bombardedAngaur Island from12 September to18 September , then covered a task unit engaged in minesweepmg, reconnaissance and underwater demolition operations before the landings onUlithi 23 September . She returned to Manus on28 September to prepare for the return to thePhilippines ."Denver" departed
12 October 1944 for the landings on Leyte, bombardingSuluan Island andDulag to open the vast invasion fleet's way intoLeyte Gulf , then sailed on to bombard the southern landing beaches. As the Japanese sent the major portion of their remaining combatant fleet south in a desperate attempt to break up the landings, "Denver's" group took station inSurigao Strait on24 October to prevent the passage of the Japanese Southern Force into Leyte Gulf. Attacks were made by motor torpedo boats and destroyers stationed in advance of the battle line, and battleship "Yamashiro", heavy cruiser "Mogami", and destroyer Shigure were all that remained of the Japanese ships when "Denver" and the others of the battle line opened fire at 03:51. With three other cruisers, she made a material contribution to the cumulative gunfire which sank "Yamashiro". "Mogami" was later sunk by aircraft, and "Shigure" was the sole survivor of the mighty fleet which had sailed forth for this phase of the decisiveBattle for Leyte Gulf . After this action, "Denver" sailed to aid in polishing off enemy cripples, aiding in sinking destroyer "Asagumo" early in the day on25 October .Continuing her service in Leyte Gulf, she fought off numerous attacks; during the one of
28 October a bomb released from one of the planes she shot down exploded nearby causing minor damage and slight flooding. She screened reinforcement landings in November and fought off a suicide attack on27 November , suffering four men wounded from fragments of a bomb which exploded 200 yards off the starboard quarter. She joined the heavy covering group, for theMindoro landings of13 December to16 December , then returned to Manus24 December .Returning to San Pedro Bay
3 January 1945 Denver sortied the next day to cover the landings atLingayen Gulf . She remained in the Philippines to join in the consolidation of those islands. She covered the landings onZambales on29 January and30 January , supported minesweeping near and landings onGrande Island ; provided fire support atNasugbu on31 January ; escorted a replenishment convoy to Mindoro between1 February and7 February ; covered the Army landings aroundMariveles Bay from13 February to16 February , rescuing the survivors of mined "La Vallette"; and supported the operations onPalawan andMindanao Islands from February to May.On
7 June 1945 "Denver" sailed from Subic Bay for the amphibious assaults onBrunei Bay ,Borneo , and later atBalikpapan . She covered the preinvasion work of minesweeping units and underwater demolition teams, and provided fire support for the invading troops until returning to San Pedro Bay, Leyte,4 July for brief overhaul."Denver" got underway for
Okinawa 13 July 1945 to hunt Japanese shipping off theChina coast until7 August . She sailed from Okinawa9 September to cover the evacuation of men of the Allied forces rescued from prison camps in theWakayama area and covered the landing of occupation troops atWakanoura Wan from25 September to20 October , when she sailed for home."Denver" arrived at Norfolk
21 November 1945 and after overhaul, reported to Newport, R.I., in January 1946 for duty training men of the Naval Reserve, and a good-will visit toQuebec ,Canada . In April she arrived atPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard where she was placed out of commission in reserve7 February 1947 . She was sold29 February 1960 .Awards
In addition to the Navy Unit Commendation "Denver" received 11
battle star s forWorld War II service.External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/d3/denver-ii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Denver"]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/04058.htm navsource.org: USS "Denver"]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/denver/ USS "Denver" Deck Log & War Diary, 1942-45]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/denver/logmay43.htm May 1943 Deck Log:] "Havannah Harbor "
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.