USS Amsterdam (CL-101)
History of the USS Amsterdam Cruiser
The USS Amsterdam (CL-101) was ordered for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Virginia on March 3, 1943. She was launched on April 25, 1944 and commissioned on January 8, 1945 under the command of Captain Andrew P. Lawton.
During her shakedown training, USS Amsterdam practiced shore bombardment at Culebra in Puerto Rico. She conducted a number of gunnery exercises before and after her arrival at Pearl Harbor on May 18, 1945. On June 9, she sailed for Leyte, arriving at San Pedro Bay 12 days later.
Now in the war zone, the USS Amsterdam joined Task Force 38 on July 1 to cover the air strikes on the Japanese home islands. Nine days later, her task force began raiding Japanese shipping, factories, and airfields, and she helped protect the carriers from enemy attacks. As the task force prepared to launch another attack on August 15, the Japanese surrendered. The cruiser remained in the area, entering Tokyo Bay from September 5 until September 20.
After World War II, USS Amsterdam headed back to the United States, stopping briefly at Okinawa and Pearl Harbor to bring veterans home from the war. She arrived at Portland, Oregon on October 15, remaining there for Navy Day celebrations at the end of the month. The cruiser then proceeded to San Pedro, California.
From there, the USS Amsterdam made a round trip to Pearl Harbor, carrying personnel and equipment back to the mainland with her. She remained in California until she was decommissioned on June 30, 1947. The cruiser was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on January 2, 1971 and sold for scrap on February 11, 1972. She was awarded one battle star for her service in World War II.
The use of asbestos was common in shipbuilding components for much of the 20th Century because of its resistance to heat, fire, water and corrosion. Because of their asbestos exposure onboard ship and in the shipyards, seaman, shipyard workers and longshoreman are at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma.
Sources include:
Asbestos and Ship-Building: Fatal Consequences, by John Hedley-Whyte and Debra R Milamed
