CA-26 U.S.S. NORTHAMPTON
War Diary and Action Reports November 1942,

Due to the sinking of the Northampton at The Battle of Tassafaronga on 
November 30, 1942, no records of the Battle off Guadalcanal were saved 
or recoded.




Information U.S.S. NORTHAMPTON

Dictionary of Fighting Ships
U.S.S. Northampton CA-26
  Northampton (CL-26) was laid down 12 April 1928 by Bethlehem Steel 
Corp., Quincy, Mass., launched 5 September 1929, sponsored by Mrs. 
Calvin Coolidge; and commissioned 17 May 1930, Captain Walter N. 
Vernou in command.

  Joining the Atlantic Fleet, Northampton made a shakedown cruise to 
the Mediterranean during the summer of 1930, then participated in the 
fleet training schedule which took her to the Caribbean, the Canal 
Zone, and, occasionally, into the Pacific for exercises with other 
cruisers and ships of all types. Redesignated CA-26 in 1931, she 
operated primarily in the Pacific from 1932, home ported at San Pedro, 
and later at Pearl Harbor.

  Northampton was at sea with Admiral William Halsey in Enterprise 
during the Japanese attack 7 December 1941, returning to Pearl Harbor 
the next day. On the 9th the force sortied to search northeast of 
Oahu, then swept south to Johnston Island, then north again to hunt 
the enemy west of Lisianski and Midway. Through January 1942 
Northampton joined in such searches until detached with Salt Lake 
City to bombard Wotje 1 February. The bombardment not only demolished 
buildings and fuel dumps on the island, but also sank two Japanese 
ships. A similar assault was fired against Wake 24 February when 
despite serious enemy counter fire, the guns of Northampton and her 
force started large fires on the island and sank a dredge in the 
lagoon. As Northampton retired from the island, enemy sea-planes, land 
based planes, and patrol craft attacked, but all were destroyed or 
repulsed.

  On 4 March, the force launched aircraft for a strike on Marcus, then 
turned east for Pearl Harbor. Early in April the Enterprise force,
Northampton a member, sortied once again, and joined the Hornet force 
for the "Shangri-La" raid on Tokyo 18 April.  Once again the ships 
replenished at Pearl Harbor, then sailed for the Southwest Pacific, 
arriving just after the Battle of the Coral Sea.  Returning to Pearl 
Harbor, Northampton prepared for the action soon to come at Midway, 
when s he screened Enterprise. On 4 and 5 June the American carriers 
launched their planes to win a great victory, turning the Japanese 
back in the mid-Pacific, and dealing them an irreparable blow by 
sinking or completely disabling their four carriers. Throughout the 
Battle of Midway, Northampton protected her carrier and with her 
returned undamaged to Pearl Harbor 13 June.

  In mid-August, Northampton sailed for the Southwest Pacific to join 
in the Guadalcanal operation. She patrolled southeast of San Cristobal 
where on 15 September her force was attacked by submarines which 
damaged Wasp and North Carolina and struck O'Brien only 800 yards 
off Northampton's port beam. Now sailing with Hornet, Northampton 
screened the carrier during attacks on Bougainville 5 October.

  During the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October, which took 
place without surface contact with the enemy, Northampton went to the 
aid of Hornet, mortally wounded by enemy aircraft, and fired 
antiaircraft cover while attempting to take the stricken giant in tow. 
Obviously doomed, the carrier was later sunk by destroyer torpedo and 
gunfire, and the American force retired to the southwest.

  Northampton next operated with a cruiser-destroyer force to prevent 
the Japanese from reinforcing their troops on Guadalcanal. The Battle 
of Tassafaronga began 40 minutes before midnight, 30 November, when 
three American destroyers made a surprise torpedo attack on the 
Japanese. All American ships then opened fire, which the startled 
enemy did not return for 7 minutes. Then two of the American cruisers 
took torpedo hits within the space of a minute, and 10 minutes later, 
another was hit, all being forced to retire from the action. 
Northampton and Honolulu, with 6 destroyers, continued the fierce 
action, scoring many hits. Close to the end of the engagement, 
Northampton was struck by two torpedoes, which tore a huge hole in her 
port side, ripping away decks and bulkheads. Flaming diesel oil 
sprayed over the ship, she took on water rapidly and began to list. 
Three hours later, as she began to sink stern first, she had to be 
abandoned. So orderly and controlled was the process that loss of life 
was surprisingly light, and the survivors were all picked up within an 
hour by destroyers. While three cruisers had been damaged and 
Northampton lost, the Japanese had been denied a major reinforcement, 
and once again the Navy had given vital support to the marines 
fighting ashore.

Northampton received 6 battle stars for World War II service.

                                    Norhtampton Class
                             Completed - 1939 - 40

                    Norhtampton Class
                    CA-Heavy Cruisers


CA-26 NORTHAMPTON
CA-27 CHESTER
CA-28 LOUISVILLE
CA-29 CHICAGO
CA-30 HOUSTON
CA-31 AUGUSTA


Completed:
    1930-31

Displacement (tons):
    9,050 (stand)
   13,100 (Mean war service)
          (CA 31 14,300)

Length (oa):
    600'

Beam:
    66'

Draft (max):
    22'
    (CA 31 24')

Armament (max auth):
     9 8"/55 
     8 5"/25 DP
     4 40 mm twins 
     5 40 mm quads (4 in CA 31)
    26 20 mm (22 on CA 31)

Propulsion:

    Speed:
       32 knots (max)

    Max. Cruising radius:
       4,800 miles @ 25 knots
      10,200 @ 15 knots

Horsepower:
       107,000 (shaft)

Drive:
       4 screws
       geared turbine
Fuel:
       2,980 tons oil (max)

Aircraft:
       3 SC-1


Remarks:
      The NORTHAMPTON Class introduced the standard main battery 
disposition for all newer American heavy cruiser, fast battleships and 
large cruisers.  Another innovation was the adoption of aircraft 
hangers; in these ships and the PORTLAND Class this structure was 
built around the second stack.  A raised forecastle was reverted to, 
thus overcoming the freeboard defect of the PORTLAND's. As in the case 
of the other earlier heavy cruisers, these vessels were originally 
fitted with 6 21" torpedo tubes in triple deck mounts; prevailing 
tactical doctrine resulted in the removal of this armament in favor of 
additional heavy AA guns.  The forecastle deck of the AUGUSTA is 
carried abaft the forward stack, while in the other two units the 
break in this deck occurs at the after edge of the bridge.

      Wartime alterations have effected the appearance of these 
cruisers: in all units the foremast had been cut down considerably, 
while in the LOUISVILLE and CHESTER the original tripod mainmast has 
been entirely suppressed and replaced by a light tripod built over the 
after stack.  This latter change has resulted in a greater effective 
field of fire for the AA batteries.

      The PORTLAND follows the general design of the NORTHAMPTON Class 
with minor alterations, including 10 ft. additional length and a 
redistribution of weight throughout the ship in favor of improved 
protection.


War losses include:
CA-26 NORTHAMPTON
CA-29 CHICAGO
CA-30 HOUSTON




To learn more about the U.S.S. NORTHAMPTON Please visit these Web-site

Home page of CA-26
Naval History and Heritage Command has information on CA-26
NavSource Online  Has photos of CA-26



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