USS Boise (CL-47)
History of the USS Boise Cruiser
The USS Boise (CL-47) was ordered for the U.S. Navy between World War I and World War II. Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Virginia on April 1, 1935. She was launched on December 3, 1936 and commissioned on August 12, 1938 under the command of Captain Benjamin Vaughan McCandish.
In her early career, USS Boise served with Cruiser Division 9 out of San Pedro, operating along the West Coast and in Hawaii. This kept her busy until November 1941, when she escorted a convoy to Manila, arriving there on December 4. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor three days later, the cruiser was off Cebu Island. She joined Task Force 5, but after hitting an uncharted shoal on January 21, 1942, she had to head home to Mare Island Navy Yard in California for repairs.
When her repair work was completed, the USS Boise departed on June 22 to escort a convoy to New Zealand. After a brief return to Pearl Harbor, she raided targets in Japanese waters from July 31 until August 10 as a feint to cover operations at Guadalcanal. Later in August, she performed escort duty for a convoy headed to Fiji and New Hebrides.
From September 14 until September 18, USS Boise covered the reinforcement troop landings at Guadalcanal. She was damaged by gunfire from a Japanese cruiser during the Battle of Cape Esperance, killing 107 crew members, including everyone who had been near three of her turrets. Captain “Mike” Morgan was awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership during this action. The cruiser retired to Philadelphia Naval Yard in Pennsylvania for repairs, where she remained from November 19 until March 20, 1943.
Once the USS Boise was ready to get back in action, she was sent to the Mediterranean instead of the Pacific. The cruiser arrived at Algiers on June 21. Starting July 10, she provided cover and fire support for the invasion of Sicily. She then moved on to assist in the landings at Taranto and Salerno in September before returning to New York in November.
USS Boise sailed back to the Pacific, arriving at Milne Bay on New Year’s Eve. She took part in the Madang-Alexishafen bombardment on January 25-26, 1944. In April, she supported the landings at Humboldt Bay and bombarded the area between Wakde and Sawar. The cruiser then covered the landings from Wakde to Toem, at Biak, at Noemfoor, and at Cape Sansapor. For the entire month of September, she aided in the occupation of Morotai.
In October, the USS Boise supported the invasion of Leyte. On October 25, she fought in the Battle of Surigao Strait. The cruiser then moved on to cover the landings on Mindoro in December, as well as operations from Leyte to Mindoro.
From January 9 until January 13, 1945, USS Boise took part in the landings at Lingayen Gulf; General Douglas MacArthur was onboard during the action. She was a member of the Luzon covering force later that month. In February, she aided in the occupation of Bataan and Corregidor before moving on to cover the landings at Zamboanga in March.
At the end of April, the USS Boise supported the landings at Tarakan. In June, she embarked General Douglas MacArthur for a tour of the Philippines and Borneo. The cruiser then returned home to San Pedro for overhaul. From there, she headed to European ports on Operation Magic Carpet duty, bringing American veterans home from war.
The USS Boise was decommissioned on July 1, 1946. She was sold to the Argentinean Navy on January 11, 1951, where she was commissioned as the ARA Nueve de Julio. The cruiser was decommissioned by Argentina in 1978 and sold for scrap in 1981. The USS Boise earned 11 battle stars 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
