USS Mobile (CL-63)
History of the USS Mobile Cruiser
The USS Mobile (CL-63) was ordered for the U.S. Navy before the United States entered World War II. Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Virginia on April 14, 1941. She was launched on May 15, 1942 and commissioned on March 24, 1943 under the command of Captain Charles J. Wheeler.
USS Mobile arrived at Pearl Harbor on July 23, 1943. She joined Task Force 15 on August 22 to raid Marcus Island the following week. In mid-September, she screened the carriers for their strikes on Tarawa, and screened them again for the raid on Wake Island in October. The cruiser then moved on to join the Fifth Fleet operations in the Gilbert Islands.
On October 21, the USS Mobile sailed with Task Group 53.3 to cover the landings of reinforcements at Bougainville in November. From there, she got underway with Task Group 53.7 to support the invasion and occupation of Tarawa. Later that month, she also supported the landings at Betio.
At the beginning of December, USS Mobile joined Task Force 50, which would later serve as the core of Task Force 38/58. She supported the air strikes on Kwajalein and Wotje before heading to San Diego, California via Pearl Harbor. From there, she conducted escort duty for Amphibious Forces at the end of the month.
In mid-January 1944, the USS Mobile returned to the Marshall Islands with Task Group 53.5. Along with the rest of Cruiser Division 13, she was detached from the task group on January 29 to bombard Wotje before returning to the task force for the invasion and occupation of Kwajalein. The cruiser provided fire support and screen duties for the carriers at Roi and Namur, then joined Task Force 58 at Majuro.
On February 16, USS Mobile screened the fast carriers for the assault on Truk. Several days later, the task force launched air strikes on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. At Espiritu Santo, Task Group 58.1 was reorganized as Task Group 36.1, and she helped cover the troop landings on Emirau on March 20.
As part of Task Group 58.1, USS Mobile moved on to support the strikes on the Palaus, Yap, and Woleai. In April, she covered the landings at Aitape, Tanah Merah Bay, and bombarded shore targets on Wake Island and Sawar Airfield. At the end of the month, her task force launched air strikes against Truk and bombarded Satawan. After striking at Ponape on May 1, she returned to Majuro for replenishment.
The USS Mobile sortied from Majuro in June, striking at Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, the Volcano Islands, and the Bonins. June 19 brought the Battle of the Philippine Sea, a decisive victory for American forces. From there, she proceeded to Pagan Island to support the air strikes on June 24.
On June 30, USS Mobile got underway from Eniwetok to support air strikes on the Bonins and the Volcano Islands. She then returned to the Marianas for the strikes on Guam and Rota, remaining there until the invasion forces landed on Guam. The cruiser sailed with Task Group 58.1 to hit Yap, Ulithi, and Fais at the end of July. In August, she returned to the Bonins and the Volcano Islands. Her task group struck at Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima, Ani Jima, and Haha Jima on August 4. Along with Cruiser Division 13 and Destroyer Division 46, she was detached to make a sweep of enemy shipping near Chichi Jima, during which time she shared the sinking of a Japanese destroyer and a large cargo ship. After returning to bombard Chichi Jima, she retired to Eniwetok.
With the fast carriers of Task Group 38.3, the USS Mobile spent September supporting operations in the Palaus, Mindanao, the Visayas, Peleliu, Angaur, and the Philippines. In October, she supported the carrier strikes on the Ryukyu Islands before she was detached to go after two enemy ships 30 miles away. When she arrived, one of the ships had been sunk by carrier planes, and she shared the sinking of the other cargo ship with the USS Gatling and USS Cotton before rejoining her task force for the air strikes on Formosa and the Pescadores.
USS Mobile formed a screen around the damaged USS Canberra and USS Houston on October 13, in an attempt to goad the Japanese into attacking. The enemy identified the trap and didn’t take the bait. As the damaged ships were towed for repairs, the cruiser rejoined Task Group 38.3.
After that, the USS Mobile guarded air approaches to Leyte and supported strikes on the Visayas and Luzon. She became involved in the Battle of Cape Engaño on October 25, then helped to hunt down and sink the retreating Japanese carrier Chiyoda and destroyer Hatsuzuki. The cruiser continued supporting the Philippine campaign until December 26, when she got underway for California for a much needed overhaul.
Once her yard work was completed, USS Mobile arrived back at Okinawa on April 3, 1945. As part of Task Force 51, she provided antiaircraft and antisubmarine patrols, fire support duties, and conducted search and destroy missions for Shinyo kamikaze boats. In late May, she headed to Leyte with Task Group 95.7, operating with the Philippine training group until World War II ended.
After the war, the USS Mobile supported occupation forces and helped liberate Allied prisoners of war (POWs) for return to the United States. She then conducted Operation Magic Carpet duty to bring American veterans home from war before she was decommissioned on May 9, 1947, struck from the Naval Vessel Register on March 1, 1959, and sold for scrap on December 16, 1959. The cruiser 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
