7038 USS NASHVILLE CL43 1944

The USS Nashville (CL-43) was an American light cruiser, the keel of which was laid in January 1935, was launched in September 1937, and was fully completed in June 1938. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 185.4 m, width 18.8 m, with a standard displacement of about 9,900 tons. The maximum speed was up to 32-33 knots. The armament of the unit at the time of launching mainly consisted of: 15 152 mm guns, 8 127 mm anti-aircraft guns and 8 heavy 12.7 mm machine guns. The ship could also operate with 4 seaplanes. The USS Nashville (CL-43) was the fourth of nine Brooklyn-class cruisers launched for the US Navy between 1935 and 1938. The design of these ships was to some extent based on the design and lessons learned from the operation of New Orleans-class heavy cruisers. At the same time, they were the American response to Japanese Mogami-class ships, also armed with 15 main artillery guns. Moreover, during the design and construction of the Brooklyn-class cruisers, great emphasis was placed on the greatest possible range of navigation, seaworthiness and careful workmanship. Ultimately, units of this type turned out to be highly successful and were successfully used during World War II. The USS Nashville (CL-43) was constructed at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, NJ. In May 1941, the unit covered a convoy headed to Iceland, and later operated in the Caribbean region. At the beginning of 1942, USS Nashville (CL-43) joined the USS Hornet escort, which carried out the so-called Doolitle Rally in Tokyo. From May 1942, he actively participated in activities in the Aleutów and Alaska regions. At the turn of 1942/1943, the cruiser was directed to the South Pacific. In 1943, he took part, inter alia, in the last stage of fighting in the Gudalcanal area and supported operations in the area of the Marcus and Wake islands. In 1944 it was used during great air and sea operations in the Philippines. As a curiosity it can be noted that General Douglas McArthur was on board during his return to the Philippines. At the end of 1944, the cruiser survived the kamikaze attack. After the end of World War II, USS Nashville (CL-43) transported American soldiers from the Far East to the USA as part of Operation Magic Carpet. In 1951, the ship was transferred to the Chilean Navy, where she served until 1982.