USS Wilkes Barre (CL-103)
History of the USS Wilkes Barre Cruiser
The USS Wilkes Barre (CL-103) was ordered for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in New Jersey on December 14, 1942. She was launched on December 24, 1943 and commissioned on July 1, 1944 under the command of Captain Robert L. Porter, Jr.
USS Wilkes Barre arrived at Pearl Harbor on November 17, 1944. She then headed to Ulithi to join Cruiser Division 17 and sortie with Task Force 38. The cruiser supported the carrier strikes on Formosa, the Ryukyu Islands, and Luzon before moving on to the South China Sea to make a sweep of enemy shipping in Cam Ranh Bay.
In January 1945, the USS Wilkes Barre screened the carriers as they struck at enemy shipping at Takao, Amoy, Swatow, Hainan Island, Indochina, Hong Kong, Formosa, and Okinawa. After putting in at Ulithi for repairs and replenishment, she helped raid Tokyo as a diversion for the invasion of Iwo Jima. The cruiser sailed to strike at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima until she arrived at Iwo Jima on February 21 to begin shore bombardment.
The USS Wilkes Barre returned to raid Tokyo at the end of February, making another stop at Okinawa before putting in at Ulithi until March 15. She then joined Task Group 58.3 to strike at Kyushu. On March 23, she returned to attack Okinawa, helping to rescue two downed aviators the next day.
During the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, USS Wilkes Barre screened the carriers that were making neutralizing raids on Kyushu, Shikoku, Honshu, and Sakishima Gunto. She continued to support the Okinawa campaign into May. The cruiser came to the aid of the carrier USS Bunker Hill when it was struck by kamikazes on May 10, helping fight the fires and evacuate the injured and dying. After transferring the survivors to the USS Bountiful two days later, she resumed her support of the carrier strikes on the Japanese home islands.
From there, the USS Wilkes Barre supported operations on Hokkaido, Honshu, Tokyo, Kure, and Kobe. When World War II ended, she joined the Third Fleet to cover the occupation of Yokosuka Naval Base. The cruiser served as the flagship of Task Unit 35.7.2, the demilitarization group. Occupation duties took her to China before she sailed home to San Pedro, arriving there on January 31, 1946.
After celebrating Navy Day at New Orleans, Louisiana, USS Wilkes Barre conducted refresher training and made a goodwill cruise to England and Norway. She was decommissioned on October 9, 1947, struck from the Naval Vessel Register on January 15, 1971, and sunk as a target off the Florida Keys on May 12, 1972, where she now serves as an artificial reef. The cruiser earned four 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 Wilkes Barre
