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{{Italic title prefixed|3}}
Two ships of the [[United States Navy]] have borne the name <b>USS <i>Salt
Two ships of the [[United States Navy]] have borne the name '''USS ''Salt Lake City''''', in honor of the city in [[Utah]] which has served successively as the capital of the Provisional [[State of Deseret]], the [[Utah Territory]], and the 45th state. See [[Salt Lake City, Utah]].
Lake City</i></b>, in honor of a city in [[Utah]] which has served
successively as the capital of the Provisional State of [[Deseret]], the
Territory of Utah, and the 45th state. See [[Salt Lake City, Utah]].


*The first {{USS|Salt Lake City|CA-25}} was a [[Pensacola-class cruiser|''Pensacola''-class]] treaty cruiser, a [[heavy cruiser]] commissioned in 1929, and saw much action in [[World War II]] before being used in [[atomic bomb]] tests in 1946.
----
*The second {{USS|Salt Lake City|SSN-716}} was a {{sclass|Los Angeles|submarine|0}} [[attack submarine]], decommissioned in November 2006 at [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]].


==See also==
The first <b>USS <i>Salt Lake City</i> (CL/CA-25)</b>, a 9100-ton [[Pensacola class cruiser|<i>Pensacola</i>-class heavy cruiser]] sometimes known as "Swayback Maru," was laid down on [[June 9]], [[1927]], by the American Brown Boveri Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of the [[New York Shipbuilding Company]], at [[Camden, New Jersey]]; launched on [[January 23]], [[1929]], sponsored by Miss Helen Budge; and commissioned on [[December 11]], [[1929]], at the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]], Captain F.L. Oliver in command.
* [[Salt Lake City (disambiguation)]]


{{Ship index}}
<i>Salt Lake City</i> departed Philadelphia on [[January 20]], [[1930]],
for shakedown trials off the [[Maine]] coast. She began her first extended
cruise on [[February 10]]; visited [[Guantanamo Bay, Cuba]]; [[Culebra, Virgin Islands]]; [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[Bahia, Brazil]]; then returned to
Guantanamo Bay where, on [[March 31]], she joined Cruiser Division (CruDiv)
2 of the Scouting Force. With this division, she operated along the
New England coast until [[September 12]], when she was reassigned to CruDiv
5. <i>Salt Lake City</i> then operated in the [[New York]], [[Cape Cod]],
and [[Chesapeake Bay]] areas through [[1931]]. On [[July 1]] of that year,
she was reclassified as a heavy cruiser, CA-25.


Early in [[1932]], <i>Salt Lake City</i>, with
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salt Lake City}}
[[Category:United States Navy ship names]]
[[USS Chicago|<i>Chicago</i> (CA-29)]] and
[[USS Louisville|<i>Louisville</i> (CA-28)]],
steamed to the west coast for fleet maneuvers. They arrived at
[[San Pedro, California]], on [[March 7]]; and, following the scheduled
exercises, were reassigned to the Pacific Fleet. <i>Salt Lake City</i>
visited [[Pearl Harbor]] in January and February [[1933]]; and, in
September, she was attached to CruDiv 4. From October [[1933]] to January
[[1934]], she underwent overhaul at the [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]];
then resumed duty with CruDiv 4. In May, she sailed for [[New York]] to
participate in the Fleet Review and returned to San Pedro on [[December 18]].

Through [[1935]], <i>Salt Lake City</i> ranged the west coast from
[[San Diego]] to [[Seattle]]. In the first months of [[1936]], she
conducted extensive gunnery exercises at [[San Clemente Island]] and then,
on [[April 27]], departed San Pedro to participate in combined
surface-subsurface operations at [[Balboa, Panama Canal Zone]]. <i>Salt
Lake City</i> returned to San Pedro on [[June 15]] and resumed west coast
operations until sailing for [[Hawaii]] on [[April 25]], [[1937]]. She
returned to the west coast on [[May 20]].

Her next extended cruise began on [[January 13]], [[1939]], when she
departed for the [[Caribbean]], via the [[Panama Canal]]. During the next
three months, she visited [[Panama]], [[Colombia]], the [[Virgin Islands]],
[[Trinidad]], [[Cuba]], and [[Haiti]]; returning to San Pedro on [[April 7]].
From [[October 12]] until [[June 25]], [[1940]], she cruised between
[[Pearl Harbor]], [[Wake]], and [[Guam]]; utilizing the services of tender
[[USS Vestal|<i>Vestal</i> (AR-4)]] while at Pearl Harbor. In August
[[1941]], she visited [[Brisbane, Australia]].

On [[December 7]], [[1941]], when the [[United States]] was brought into
[[World War II]] by the Japanese attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], ''Salt Lake City'' was with the [[USS Enterprise|USS ''Enterprise'']] task group,
returning from Wake Island, 200 miles west of Pearl Harbor when they received
word of the attack. The group immediately launched scouting planes in hopes
of catching possible stragglers from the enemy force, but the search proved
fruitless. The ships entered Pearl Harbor toward sundown on the 8th.
After a tedious night refueling, they sortied before dawn to hunt submarines
north of the islands. Submarines were encountered on the 10th and 11th.
The first, [[Japanese submarine I-70|I-70]], was sunk by dive bombers from
''Enterprise''; the second, sighted ahead of the group
on the surface, was engaged with gunfire by ''Salt Lake City'' as the
ships maneuvered to avoid torpedoes. Screening destroyers made numerous
depth charge runs, but no kill was confirmed. Operations against a third
contact brought similar results. The group returned to Pearl Harbor on the
[[December 15]] to refuel.
''Salt Lake City'' operated with Task Force 8 until [[December 23]],
covering Oahu and supporting the task force strike that was planned to
relieve beleaguered [[Wake Island]]. After Wake fell,
''Salt Lake City's'' group
carried out air strikes in the eastern Marshalls at Wotje, Maloelap, and Kwajalein to reduce enemy seaplane bases. While conducting shore bombardment during those strikes, ''Salt Lake City'' came under air attack and assisted in downing two Japanese bombers. In March, she supported air strikes at [[Marcus Island]].

In April, she escorted the [[USS Hornet|''Hornet'' (CV-8)]] and ''Enterprise'' group, TF 16, which launched Lt. Col. [[Doolittle]]'s raids on [[Tokyo]] and other Japanese cities, and returned to Pearl Harbor on [[April 25]]. Orders awaited the ships to sail as soon as possible to join the [[USS Yorktown|''Yorktown'' (CV-5)]] and [[USS Lexington|''Lexington'' (CV-2)]] forces in the [[Coral Sea]]. Although the task force moved fast, they had only reached a point some 450 miles east of [[Tulagi]] by [[May 8]], the day of the [[Battle of the Coral Sea]]. What followed was essentially a retirement, and ''Salt Lake City'' operated as cover with her group; on the 11th off the [[New Hebrides]], and from the 12th to the 16th eastward from [[Efate]] and Santa Cruz. On [[May 16]], she was ordered back to Pearl Harbor and arrived there 10 days later.

The carrier groups began intensive preparations to meet the expected Japanese thrust at [[Midway]]. During the battle, early in June, ''Salt Lake City'' provided rear guard protection for the islands.

From August through October 1942, ''Salt Lake City'' was in the south Pacific to support the campaign to seize and hold
[[Guadalcanal]]. She escorted [[USS Wasp|USS ''Wasp'']] during the
landings of [[August 7]] and [[August 8|8]] and subsequent operations, and
was present when ''Wasp'' was sunk by a Japanese submarine
on [[September 15]]. On [[October 11]] and [[October 12|12]], ''Salt Lake
City'' helped fight the [[Battle of Cape Esperance]], receiving damage
from enemy gunfire.

''Salt Lake City'' protected [[USS Wasp|''Wasp'']] as she shuttled
planes for [[USS Saratoga|''Saratoga'' (CV-3)]] and ''Enterprise'', and provided CAP and scouting patrols during the landings. ''Salt Lake City'' was with ''Wasp'', on [[September 15]], when that carrier was torpedoed by Japanese submarines and sunk. She assisted in rescue operations for survivors, and took on board others who had been picked up by destroyer
[[USS Lardner|''Lardner'' (DD-487)]].

The campaign in the Solomons developed into a grim struggle which climaxed on the night of [[October 11]]th and [[October 12|12th]] in the [[Battle of Cape Esperance]]. Task Force 64 was formed around cruisers ''Salt Lake City'', [[USS Boise (CL-47)|''Boise'' (CL-47)]], [[USS Helena|''Helena'' (CL-50)]], and [[USS San Francisco|''San Francisco'' (CA-38)]] to thwart the "Tokyo Express," a steady flow of Japanese vessels maintaining reinforcement and resupply to Guadalcanal. The force was not considered large enough to get involved with a major Japanese covering force; they were interested primarily in inflicting maximum damage to the transports. They arrived off [[Espiritu Santo]] on [[October 7]] and, for two days, steamed near [[Guadalcanal]] and waited. Land-based search-plane reports came in that an enemy force was steaming down the "slot;" and, that night, the Task Force moved to the vicinity of Savo Island to intercept it.

Search planes were ordered launched from the cruisers, but in the process of launching, ''Salt Lake City's'' plane caught fire as flares ignited in the cockpit. The plane crashed close to the ship and the pilot managed to get free. He later found safety on a nearby island. The brilliant fire was seen in the darkness by the Japanese flag officers, who assumed that it was a signal flare from the landing force which they were sent to protect. The Japanese flagship answered with blinker light, and receiving no reply, continued to signal. The American force formed a battle line at right angles to the Japanese T-formation, and thus were able to enfilade the enemy ships. The American cruisers opened fire and continued scoring hits for a full seven minutes before the confused Japanese realized what was taking place. They had believed that, by error, their own forces were taking them under fire. When the Japanese warships replied, their fire was too little and too late. The action was over in half an hour. One Japanese cruiser sank; another was reduced to rubble; a third was holed twice, and a destroyer sank. One destroyer of the five-ship force escaped damage. ''Salt Lake City'' sustained three major hits during the action. [[USS Boise (CL-47)|''Boise'']] was severely crippled, but managed to rejoin the group under her own power. The destroyer [[USS Duncan|''Duncan'' (DD-485)]] was left gutted off [[Savo]]. The ships formed up and steamed to [[Espiritu Santo]].

<i>Salt Lake City</i> spent the next four months at Pearl Harbor undergoing repairs and replenishing. Late in March 1943, she departed for the
[[Aleutian Islands]] and operated from [[Adak]] to prevent the Japanese from supporting their garrisons on [[Attu]] and [[Kiska]]. Operating in TF 8,
<i>Salt Lake City</i> was accompanied by [[USS Richmond|<i>Richmond</i> (CL-9)]] and four destroyers when they made contact on [[March 26]] with some Japanese transports and supporting vessels. Believing that easy pickings were in store, the American warships formed up and closed range. The Japanese force, however, consisted of two light cruisers and two heavy cruisers screened by four destroyers. Two transports departed the enemy force and headed for safety as the Japanese warships turned to engage. The <i>Salt Lake City</i> group was outgunned and outnumbered, but they pressed on and made a course change in hopes of getting a shot at the transports before the warships could act.

There was also a possibility that the Japanese would split their force and
<i>Salt Lake City</i>, with the old light cruiser [[USS Richmond|<i>Richmond</i>]], could tackle a portion of them on more equal terms. Simultaneously, the opposing cruisers opened fire at a range of nearly ten miles. The ensuing battle was a retiring action on the part of the Americans, for the Japanese foiled their attempt to get the auxiliaries. <i>Salt Lake City</i> received most of the attention of the enemy gunners and soon received two hits, but she returned very accurate fire. Her rudder stops were carried away, and she was limited to 10 degree course changes. Another hit soon flooded forward compartments. Under cover of a thick smoke screen and aggressive torpedo attacks by the destroyers, the United States cruisers were able to make an evasive turn, which for a while allowed the range to open.
<i>Salt Lake City</i> began receiving hits again soon and then her boiler fires died one by one. Salt water had entered the fuel oil feed lines. There was now cause for grave concern; she lay dead in the water, and the Japanese ships were closing fast. Luckily she was hidden in the smoke, and the enemy was not aware of her plight.

The destroyers charged the Japanese cruisers and began to draw the fire away from <i>Salt Lake City</i>. They took extreme punishment before launching a spread of torpedoes. In the meantime, <i>Salt Lake City</i> engineers purged the fuel lines and fired the boilers. With fresh oil supplying the fires she built up steam and gained headway. Suddenly, the Japanese began to withdraw, for they were fast exhausting their ammunition. They never suspected that the Americans were far lower than themselves in both ammunition and fuel.

Despite being outnumbered two to one, the American ships succeeded in their purpose. The Japanese attempt to reinforce their bases in the Aleutians had failed and they turned tail and headed home. <i>Salt Lake City</i> later covered the American occupation of Attu and Kiska which ended the Aleutian Campaign. She departed Adak on [[September 23]] and sailed, via San Francisco, to Pearl Harbor where she arrived on [[October 14]].

The Allied offensive strategy in the Pacific now focused on the Marshall Islands. A two column thrust through Micronesia and the Bismarcks would force the enemy to disperse his forces, deny him the opportunity for a flanking movement, and provide the Allies with the choice of where and when to strike next. To obtain adequate intelligence for planning the Marshalls operation, the Gilberts would have to be secured for use as a staging area and launch point for photographic missions. <i>Salt Lake City</i> was assigned to Task Group 50.3 the Southern Carrier Group for the Gilbert Islands Campaign, Operation "Galvanic."

<i>Salt Lake City</i> conducted rigorous gunnery training until [[November 8]] when she sailed to join carriers [[USS Essex|<i>Essex</i> (CV-9)]], [[USS Bunker Hill|<i>Bunker Hill</i> (CV-17)]], and [[USS Independence|<i>Independence</i> (CVL-22)]] which had carried out preliminary strikes on Wake, as a diversion on [[October 5]]th and [[October 6|6th]], and at [[Rabaul]] on [[November 11]]. <i>Salt Lake City</i> joined on the 13th off Funafuti, Ellice Islands, following the carriers' fueling rendezvous at Espiritu Santo. She then saw action on the 19th as she bombarded Betio at Tarawa, in the Gilberts. That day and the next, she fought off repeated torpedo plane attacks aimed for the flattops. Tarawa was secured by the 28th. This was the first Pacific amphibious operation to be vigorously opposed at the beach, and many lessons were learned here to be applied in the island campaigns to follow.

<i>Salt Lake City</i> was attached to the Neutralization Group, TG 50.15, for the long awaited Marshalls Campaign. Between [[January 29]] and
[[February 17]], [[1944]], she conducted shore bombardment at
[[Wotje]] and [[Taroa]] islands which were bypassed and cut off from support as the major forces concentrated on [[Majuro]], [[Eniwetok]], and [[Kwajalein]].
This leapfrog technique worked well and eliminated the needless casualties that would result in mopping up every Japanese-held island. On [[March 30]] and [[April 1]], <i>Salt Lake City</i> participated in raids on [[Palau]], [[Yap]], [[Ulithi]], and [[Woleai]] in the western [[Caroline Islands]] archipelago. The cruiser anchored at [[Majuro]] on [[April 6]] and remained until [[April 25]] when she sailed, unescorted, for Pearl Harbor.

<i>Salt Lake City</i> arrived at Pearl Harbor on [[April 30]] and sailed the next day for Mare Island. She arrived on [[May 7]] and operated in the San Francisco Bay area until [[July 1]]. She then proceeded to Adak, Alaska arriving on the 8th. In the Aleutians, her operations, including a scheduled bombardment at Paramushiro were curtailed by severe weather, and she returned to Pearl Harbor on [[August 13]].

<i>Salt Lake City</i> sortied with [[USS Pensacola|<i>Pensacola</i> (CA-24)]]
and [[USS Monterey|<i>Monterey</i> (CVL-26)]] on [[August 29]] to attack [[Wake Island]]. They shelled that island on [[September 3]], and then proceeded to Eniwetok to remain until the 24th. The cruisers then moved to Saipan for patrol duty after which, on [[October 6]], they proceeded to Marcus Island to create a diversion in connection with raids on Formosa. They shelled Marcus on [[September 9]] and returned to Saipan.

In October, during the second [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]],
<i>Salt Lake City</i> returned to screen and support duty with the carrier strike groups against Japanese bases and surface craft. Based at Ulithi, she supported the carriers between [[October 15]]th and the [[October 26|26th]]. From [[November 8]], [[1944]], through [[January 25]], [[1945]], she operated with CruDiv 5, TF 54, in bombardment against the [[Volcano Islands]] to neutralize airfields through which the Japanese staged bombing raids on the B-29s based at Saipan. These raids were coordinated with B-24 strikes. In February, she operated in the Gunfire and Covering Force, TF 54, during the final phases of securing [[Iwo Jima]] and the initial operations in the campaign to capture [[Okinawa]].

<i>Salt Lake City</i> provided call-fire at [[Iwo Jima]] until [[March 13]], and then concentrated her activities at [[Okinawa]] until [[May 28]] when she put into Leyte for repairs and upkeep. She returned to [[Okinawa]] to cover minesweeping operations and general patrol in the East China Sea on [[July 6]]. A month later, on [[August 8]], she sailed for the Aleutians via Saipan. While en route to Adak, she received word on [[August 31]] to proceed to northern [[Honshu, Japan]], to cover the occupation of Ominato Naval Base. The long war in the Pacific was now at a close.

Like many warships at the close of the war, <i>Salt Lake City</i> was almost immediately slated for deactivation. She was originally ordered to report to Commander, Third Fleet, upon arrival on the west coast, in October, for deactivation. On [[October 29]], however, she was diverted to "Magic Carpet" duty to return veterans of the Pacific theater to the United States.

On [[November 14]], she was added to the list of warships to be used as
test vessels for "[[Operation Crossroads]]," the Atomic Bomb Experiments
and Evaluation Tests at [[Bikini Atoll]]. She was partially stripped and
her crew reduced prior to sailing to Pearl Harbor in March 1946.

<i>Salt Lake City</i> was used in evaluating the effects on surface vessels during the initial test with an aerial burst on [[July 1]], and during the second test with a subsurface burst on the 25th. Surviving two atomic bomb blasts, she was decommissioned on [[August 29]] and laid up to await ultimate disposal. She was sunk as a target hull on [[May 25]], [[1948]], 130 miles off the coast of southern California and struck from the Navy list on [[June 18]], [[1948]].

<i>Salt Lake City</i> earned eleven battle stars for [[World War II]]
service. She was awarded the [[Navy Unit Commendation]] for her action
during the [[Aleutian Campaign]].
=== General Characteristics ===
* Displacement: 10,826 tons
* Length: 585.5 feet
* Beam: 65.25 feet
* Draft: 17.5 feet
* Speed: 32.7 knots
* Complement: 612 men
* Armament: ten 8-inch guns, four 5-inch guns, two 3-pounders, six 21-inch torpedo tubes
* Aircraft: four

----

The second <b>USS <i>Salt Lake City</i> (SSN-716)</b> is a [[Los Angeles class submarine|<i>Los Angeles</i>-class attack submarine]]. The contract to build her was awarded to [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] [[September 15]], [[1977]], and her keel was laid down [[August 26]], [[1980]]. She was launched [[October 16]], [[1982]], delivered to the Navy [[April 30]], [[1984]], and commissioned [[May 12]], [[1984]].

=== General Characteristics ===

* Length: 362 feet
* Beam: 33 feet
* Draft: 32 feet
* Displacement: 5747 tons light, 6098 tons full, 351 tons dead
* Accommodations: 12 officers, 98 enlisted

Latest revision as of 07:36, 1 November 2024

Two ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Salt Lake City, in honor of the city in Utah which has served successively as the capital of the Provisional State of Deseret, the Utah Territory, and the 45th state. See Salt Lake City, Utah.

See also

[edit]
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