After a shakedown cruise to England, Honolulu engaged in fleet problems and exercises in the Caribbean Sea. She steamed from New York on 24 May 1939 to join the Pacific Fleet, arriving at San Pedro, California, on 14 June. For the remainder of the year, she engaged in exercises along the West Coast. During the first half of 1940, Honolulu continued operations out of Long Beach, California, and after an overhaul at the Puget Sound shipyard, she steamed out of Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 5 November for duty from Pearl Harbor. She operated there through 1941.
World War II
On 7 December 1941, Honolulu was moored in the Navy Yard when the Imperial Japanese Navyattacked Pearl Harbor. Honolulu went unscathed in the first wave, but in the second wave was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, but suffered only minor hull damage from a near miss from a 500-pound bomb that exploded under the water and caved in a section of Honolulu's hull, one of three cruisers to take any notable damage through the attack. Damage was quickly patched up in just 5 days.[4][5]
Following repairs, she sailed on 12 January 1942 to escort a convoy to San Francisco, California, arriving on 21 January. After arriving at the Mare Island shipyards, Honolulu departed for MelbourneAustralia on the 31st, arriving at her destination on 26 February, where the ship would guard various Australian ports on patrol duties until the 20 March when she departed back to Pearl Harbor, arriving there a week later. On 8 April, she arrived at San Diego, with the task of escorting a convoy alongside several other US cruisers departing from San Diego to bound for Bora Bora in French Polynesia, leaving on the 13th and arriving on the 28th, and after some guard duties departed back to Pearl Harbor on 19 May.[5]
With the Japanese pushing north towards Alaska, Honolulu departed on 29 May to strengthen forces in that area. After two months of continuous operations out of Kodiak, Alaska, she proceeded to Kiska in the Aleutian Islands on 7 August, to begin bombardment of the island. On 21 August, she screened the first American landings in the Aleutians at Adak Island. After shipyard work at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Honolulu departed from San Francisco on 3 November 1942, escorting a convoy to Nouméa in the South Pacific. Later that month, Honolulu sailed from Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands to intercept a Japanese Navy convoy attempting to reinforce their positions on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
Throughout the Guadalcanal campaign, the US suffered major losses in cruisers, with ten cruisers either sunk or taken out of action due to battle damage. Honolulu served in what was essentially the last of America's active cruisers operating in Guadalcanal. Rear Admiral Wright made his flagship the heavy cruiser USS Minneapolis, and alongside Honolulu he commanded the heavy cruisers USS New Orleans, USS Pensacola, and USS Northampton. The force was escorted by six destroyers. The squadron was formed on 24 November.[6]
On the 29th, American code breakers intercepted a message about a Japanese supply run. Admiral Tanaka commanded a total of eight destroyers delivering much needed supplies to Japanese troops on Guadalcanal. With Wright's force having a nearly equal number of destroyers, and the Japanese having no cruisers enroute, Wright saw an easy victory and took his ships to intercept and destroy the enemy ships. However, the Japanese had a trick up their sleeve, the type 93 "long lance" torpedoes, which were larger and more powerful, and most importantly had a longer range than any other widely used torpedo of the war, with a maximum range of 44,200 yards and a designed effective range of 24,000 yards. This was unknown to the allies.[6][7]
Because of this, on the night of 30 November, Honolulu and the other ships intercepted Tanaka's destroyers and opened fire within 12,000 yards, well within the long lance's effective range. Honolulu, along with Minneapolis and New Orleans, engaged the Takanami, and hit her with shells that set her aflame and rendered her a slowly sinking hulk, but not before Takanami fired her torpedoes, and it would be these torpedoes and hit both New Orleans and Minneapolis, crippling both ships and taking them out of action.[5][8]Honolulu continued to charge on, but her crew realized that the remaining destroyers fired another torpedo spread as a long lance fired from the Oyashio hit Pensacola, disabling her engine and three of her four 8-inch (203 mm) gun turrets.[9] Quick thinking by Rear Admiral Tisdale ordered Honolulu to take a hard turn to starboard, barely avoiding a torpedo in the process, allowing Honolulu to avoid any damage whatsoever. Northampton failed to do the same and continued in a straight line, and she paid the price as she was hit by two torpedoes fired from the Kawakaze which caused her to sink over two hours.[10]
Having been the only cruiser of the battle to survive completely undamaged, Honolulu retreated from Guadalcanal, arriving at Espiritu Santo on 2 December, and remained there for the rest of the month.[5] On 2 January 1942, Honolulu joined with several other allied cruisers on patrol duty, and on the 5th the force came under air attacks, where Honolulu was lightly damaged by three bomb near misses. Throughout the rest of January and into February, Honolulu took part in a series of patrol duties, then on 7 March she covered minelayers in the Blackett Strait, before taking part in even more patrol duties. On 11 May, Honolulu departed Espiritu Santa, and on the 13th she bombarded Japanese shore positions in the Kula Gulf.
On 4 July, Honolulu, along with the light cruisers USS Helena and USS Saint Louis and four destroyers, departed the Soloman Islands on patrol duty. On the 5th, a Japanese torpedo hit and sank the destroyer USS Strong. This was believed to be from an enemy submarine, but this torpedo was actually launched from the destroyer Niizuki at a distance of 22,000 yards, one of the longest ranged torpedo hits in history (alongside the heavy cruiser Haguro torpedoing and sinking the destroyer Kortenaer at a similar distance). However, the presence of US ships did force the Japanese destroyer transports carrying 1,300 infantry troops to retreat.[5][11][12]
Later that night, the Niizuki, joined by the destroyers Suzukaze and Tanikaze departed as a protection force for seven other destroyers transporting 2,400 ground troops in a second attempt to run infantry to Kula Gulf. Honolulu and the other American ships prepared to intercept and either destroy or send back this force. By 2:00, Honolulu picked up three Japanese ships on her radar, it was Niizuki,Suzukaze, and Tanikaze closing the range to attack the force with torpedoes. Honolulu, Saint Louis, and Helena all opened fire, all targeting Niizuki. A barrage of 6-inch (152 mm) and 5-inch (127 mm) shell hits quickly reduced Niizuki into a burning hulk and sank her with no survivors. However, Helena quickly expended her smokeless propellants, and the resulting gun flashes caused Suzukaze and Tanikaze to quickly fire their torpedoes and evacuate the area. One of these torpedoes first blew of Helena's bow in a potential magazine explosion. Two minutes later, two more torpedoes destroyed her engines and boilers and broke her keel. Within a few minutes, Helena capsized and sank. [4][5]
Nagatsuki wrecked after gunfire damage from Honolulu
Honolulu continued to fire at the Japanese ships. One of Honolulu's 6-inch (152 mm) shells hit the destroyer Nagatsuki below the waterline, wrecking her engine room and damaging her so badly she was forced to run aground. Nagatsuki was unable to be refloated, and deemed a complete wreck and abandoned. Further shelling by both Honolulu and Saint Louis hit the destroyer Hatsuyuki six times which damaged her steering and killed six men, but all hits were duds as she withdrew from the battle.[4][13] However, the Japanese were still able to land 1,600 ground troops, alongside sinking far more tonnage than they lost. After the battle, Honolulu briefly visited Espiritu Santa, before departing on 10 July for additional patrol duties.[5]
On 12 July, Honolulu was still on patrol duties alongside Saint Louis and was now joined by the New Zealand light cruiser HMZNS Leander, which was sent to replace the sunken Helena, alongside 10 destroyers, when allied coastwatchers alerted the ships of a nearby Japanese force. Four Japanese destroyer transports carrying 1,200 ground troops were enroute to Kolombangara, with a protection of a destroyer line consisting of the Yukikaze, Hamakaze, Kiyonami, and Yūgure. Trailing behind these destroyers was the light cruiser Jintsū, the Japanese flagship, supported by the elderly destroyer Mikazuki. The force rapidly sped to engage the Japanese ships, and at 1:03 in the morning of the 13th had located the force, closing to 10,400 yards (9,500 meters) away. Opening up the battle, Jintsū lit up her searchlights and illuminated the allied ships and opened fire, hitting Leander with a 14 cm (5.5 in) shell. However, in turn the US ships opened fire, and all targeted the Japanese cruiser. Honolulu peppered Jintsū with her main guns, and in turn was not hit once as the American gunfire hit Jintsū again and again.[5][14][15]
By around 1:20, 6-inch (152 mm) gunfire mostly from Honolulu and Saint Louis blasted Jintsū into a floating wreck, setting her on fire and leaving her dead in the water and without a functional gun. American destroyers closed to point blank range to deliver the final blow, and at least one torpedo probably from USS Taylor finished her off. However, simultaneously a type 93 torpedo probably from Yukikaze hit Leander, forcing her to retire from the battle (she was damaged so badly she could not be repaired in time to take further part in WW2, and never served as a New Zealand warship again, making up for Jintsū's loss). For the next half hour, the American warships swept for the Japanese destroyers, and by 1:50 had spotted the destroyer line. Honolulu opened fire, straddling Yukikaze several times, but scoring no hits, and several minutes later the Japanese destroyers fired their torpedoes again. Two of these torpedoes hit Honolulu. One torpedo hit the stern, but did not explode, but the other blew Honolulu's bow clean off. Moments later, a third torpedo badly damaged Saint Louis, twisting her bow to the port side, while a fourth sank the destroyer USS Gwin. [5][14]
Honolulu's collapsed bow, 20 July 1943, after she was torpedoed at the battle of Kolombangara.
Honolulu was forced to sail in reverse to Tulagi harbor, but managed to make it to repairs. She was patched up with a temporary bow, and further sailed to the repair ship USS Vestal, arriving on 16 July. She remained moored to Vestal until 6 August, where after enough repairs were completed, she sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on the 16th where she was drydocked, where repairs lasted until 2 September. Honolulu was taken out of drydock and departed for the Mare Island naval shipyards to be further repaired, arriving four days later.[5]
On 17 November, repairs were finally completed, and Honolulu departed California to continue her role in the struggle against Japan. She arrived at Espiritu Santo on 11 December, and then resumed operations in the Solomons later that month. On 27 December, she engaged in the bombardment of an enemy barge, troop, and supply concentration on Bougainville Island. In the early months of 1944, the cruiser continued bombardments and patrols in the Solomon Islands. She screened the landings on Green Island on 13 February, before retiring from the Solomons to begin preparations for the Saipan and Guam operations in the Mariana Islands.[4]
Honolulu took part in bombardments of the southeastern part of Saipan Island in early June as the Navy and Marines leaped across the Pacific. While bombarding Guam in mid-June, Honolulu was deployed northwest to intercept the Japanese fleet. She returned to Eniwetok Atoll on 28 June for replenishments, before providing support for the invasion of Guam. She remained on station for three weeks, performing great service with her accurate gunfire, before returning to Purvis Bay on Florida Island in the Solomons on 18 August. Honolulu steamed out on 6 September to provide fire support for the landings in the Palau Islands, such as at Peleliu Island and Anguar, remaining in this area during September unopposed by the Japanese fleet. America now had decisive command of the sea, and therefore nearly full freedom of operations.[4]
Battle of Leyte
Honolulu departed from the staging area at Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands on 12 October, and steamed towards the Philippines for the invasion of Leyte. She began a bombardment from Leyte Gulf on 19 October, and the next day she began screening the landings. At 1600, on 20 October an enemy torpedo plane was sighted as it aimed its torpedo at Honolulu. Despite the skillful maneuvering of Captain Thurber to evade, the torpedo found its mark on her port side.[4] 64 men were killed and 35 were injured.[16]
Honolulu sailed out the next day, arriving at Manus on 29 October for temporary repairs, and then steamed for Norfolk, Virginia, on 19 November, arriving on 20 December via Pearl Harbor, San Diego, California, and the Panama Canal. Honolulu remained at Norfolk for the duration of the war, undergoing repairs and alterations which included the installation of four twin 5in/38 gun mounts,[17] and after a shakedown cruise in October 1945, she steamed to Newport, Rhode Island, for duty as a training ship. Honolulu arrived at Philadelphia on 8 January 1946 and was decommissioned there on 3 February 1947, and joined the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia.[4] Stricken on 1 March 1959, Honolulu was sold for scrapping to Bethlehem Steel, Baltimore, Maryland, on 12 October 1959. Honolulu was scrapped at Sparrow Point, Maryland, on 19 August 1960.[18]
Fahey, James C. (1941). The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, Two-Ocean Fleet Edition. Ships and Aircraft.
Friedman, Norman (1980). "United States of America". In Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 86–166. ISBN978-0-87021-913-9.'
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1958). Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, vol. 6 of History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Castle Books. ISBN0-7858-1307-1
Brett L Walker (2024). Yukikaze's War. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-1-108-83729-3
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