USS Marblehead (CL-12)
History of the USS Marblehead Cruiser
The USS Marblehead (CL-12) was ordered for the U.S. Navy after World War I. Her keel was laid down by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1920. She was launched on October 9, 1923 and commissioned on September 8, 1924 under the command of Captain Chauncey Shackford.
During her early career, USS Marblehead visited Australia, Samoa, the Society Islands, and the Galapagos. In 1927, she supported American efforts to ease the political turmoil in Nicaragua. From there, she headed to Pearl Harbor to sail with the USS Richmond and USS Trenton to Shanghai for a show of force during China’s civil war. The cruiser visited several ports in Japan before heading to Nicaragua to prepare for their upcoming elections on her way home to Boston.
Over the years leading up to World War II, the USS Marblehead operated in both the Atlantic Fleet and the Pacific Fleet. She was transferred to the Asiatic Fleet in January 1938 with her homeport in the Philippines.
On November 25, 1941, USS Marblehead departed Manila for routine weekly operations. On December 7 (December 8 in local time), the cruiser received a message stating, “Japan started hostilities; govern yourselves accordingly.” She joined with warships from the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Royal Australian Navy to screen Allied shipping and patrol the waters of the Netherlands East Indies.
After covering the withdrawal of Dutch and American forces off Balikpapan on January 24, 1942, the USS Marblehead sailed to intercept a Japanese convoy at Kendari, though they never made contact. The cruiser then headed to Makassar Strait on February 4. During the Battle of Makassar Strait, she fought off three waves of enemy aircraft attacks before the fourth wave struck her with two direct hits and a near miss. Once her damage was under control, 15 of her crew members were dead and 84 others were injured. She retired to Tjilatjap for repairs, but the work could not be completed there, and she had to proceed to South Africa.
From there, USS Marblehead proceeded to New York for permanent repairs. She departed on October 15, 1942 to rejoin the war effort. The cruiser served with the South Atlantic Force until February 1944. She then protected North Atlantic shipping lanes for the next five months.
USS Marblehead sailed for the Mediterranean, arriving at Palermo on July 29. She took part in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, bombarding enemy shore installations from August 15-17 to cover Allied landing forces. The cruiser withdrew to Corsica on August 18.
Upon her return to the United States, the USS Marblehead conducted a midshipmen cruise. She was decommissioned on November 1, 1945, struck from the Naval Vessel Register on November 28, 1945, and sold for scrap on February 27, 1946.The cruiser earned two 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
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships – USS Marblehead
