View source for USS Juneau (CL-52)

{{Short description|Atlanta-class light cruiser}}
{{Other ships|USS Juneau}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image = [[File:USS Juneau (CL-52) - 19-N-28143.jpg|300px|USS Juneau (CL-52)]]
|Ship caption = USS ''Juneau'' in February&nbsp;1942.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header =
|Ship country = United States
|Ship flag = {{USN flag|1942}}
|Ship name = ''Juneau''
|Ship namesake = City of [[Juneau, Alaska]]
|Ship ordered =
|Ship builder = [[Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company]], [[Kearny, New Jersey]]
|Ship laid down = 27 May 1940
|Ship launched =  25 October 1941
|Ship sponsor = Mrs. Harry I. Lucas
|Ship commissioned = 14 February 1942
|Ship decommissioned =
|Ship in service =
|Ship out of service =
|Ship struck =
|Ship reinstated =
|Ship identification=[[Hull classification symbol#Surface combatant type|Hull symbol]]: CL-52
|Ship honors = [[File:Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg|18px]] 4 × [[Battle star#Navy warships|battle stars]]
|Ship fate =Torpedoed and sunk by [[Japanese submarine I-26|Japanese submarine ''I-26'']] during [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]] on 13 November 1942
Shipwreck found, 17 March 2018
|Ship notes = Approximate location of sinking: {{coord|10|34|S|161|04|E|notes=<ref>{{cite web |first= Gilbert G. |last= Hoover |work= World War II War Diaries, 1941-1945 via fold3.com  |url= http://www.fold3.com/image/1/267864631/ |title= Report of Submarine Torpedo Attack on Task Unit and sinking of USS Juneau |date= 14 November 1942}}{{subscription required}}</ref>|display=inline, title}}
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header =
|Header caption= (as built)<ref name="history">{{cite web | url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_atlanta_class_cruisers.html | title=Atlanta Class Cruisers  | publisher=Historyofwar.org | date=13 January 2015 | access-date=22 November 2015 | author=Rickard, J}}</ref><ref name="haze">{{cite web | url=http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl2.htm | title=US Cruisers List: US Light/Heavy/AntiAircraft Cruisers, Part 2 | publisher=Hazegray.org | date=24 April 2000 | access-date=23 October 2015 | archive-date=16 November 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116051611/http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl2.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Ship class= {{sclass|Atlanta|cruiser|0}} [[cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|6718|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (standard)
*{{convert|8340|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (max)
|Ship length={{convert|541|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|oa]]
|Ship beam={{convert|53|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=*{{convert|20|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} (mean)
*{{convert|26|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} (max)
|Ship power=*4 × [[Steam boiler]]s 
*{{convert|75000|shp|kW|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|geared turbines]]
*2 × [[Propeller|screws]]
|Ship speed={{convert|32.5|kn|mph km/h|abbr=on}}
|Ship range =
|Ship complement = 673 officers and sailors
|Ship sensors =
|Ship EW =
|Ship armament =*16 × [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}/38]] [[caliber (artillery)|caliber]] Mark 12 guns (8×2)
*16 × [[1.1"/75 caliber gun|{{convert|1.1|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}/75]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]] (4×4)
*8 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on}} Oerlikon]] anti-aircraft cannons
*8 × [[Mark 15 torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*6 × [[depth charge]] projectors
*2 × depth charge tracks
|Ship armor=*[[Armor belt|Belt]]: {{convert|1.1|-|3+3/4|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1+1/4|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{convert|1+1/4|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Conning tower|Conning Tower]]: {{convert|2+1/2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|Ship notes =
}}
|}

'''USS ''Juneau'' (CL-52)''' was a [[United States Navy]] {{sclass|Atlanta|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]] [[torpedo]]ed and sunk at the [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]] on 13 November 1942. In total, 687 officers and sailors, including the five [[Sullivan brothers]], were [[killed in action]] as a result of her sinking. Only 10 survivors were rescued after eight days in the water.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.navytimes.com/veterans/2019/11/10/the-deaths-of-these-5-sailors-changed-how-us-manned-military-units/ |title= The deaths of these 5 sailors changed how US manned military units |date= 9 November 2019 |magazine= The Navy Times}}</ref> To honor the five Sullivan brothers and ''Juneau'', the U.S. Navy has since [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] two ships named {{USS|The Sullivans}} and two ships named {{USS|Juneau}}. On 17 March 2018, [[Paul Allen]]'s research crew on board {{RV|Petrel}} located the wreck of ''Juneau'' at a depth of about {{convert|4200|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the [[Solomon Islands]].

==Construction and commissioning==
[[File:Sullivanbrothers.jpg|thumb|left|The Sullivan brothers on board the ''Juneau'' on her commissioning date. From left to right: Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison, and George Sullivan]]

''Juneau'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] by [[Federal Shipbuilding Company]]  at [[Kearny, New Jersey|Kearny]], [[New Jersey]], on 27 May 1940. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 25 October 1941, sponsored by Mrs. Harry I. Lucas, wife of the mayor of the city of [[Juneau, Alaska|Juneau]], [[Alaska]], and commissioned on 14 February 1942, with [[Captain (United States O-6)#U.S. Navy|Captain]] [[Lyman K. Swenson]] in command.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web | url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/j/juneau-i.html | title=Juneau CL-52 | date=24 July 2015 | access-date=21 November 2015 | publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command}}</ref>

==Service history==
[[File:USS Juneau (CL-52) off New York City on 1 June 1942 (19-N-31264).jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|left|USS ''Juneau'' in June 1942]]

After a hurried shakedown cruise along the Atlantic coast in the spring of 1942, ''Juneau'' assumed blockade patrol in early May off the islands of [[Martinique]] and [[Guadeloupe]] to prevent the escape of [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] naval units. She returned to New York to complete alterations and operated in the North Atlantic and Caribbean from 1 June to 12 August on patrol and escort duties. The cruiser departed for the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II|Pacific theater]] on 22 August.<ref name=DANFS />

===Pacific theater===
After stopping briefly at the [[Tonga Islands]] and [[New Caledonia]], she rendezvoused on 10 September with Task Force 18 (TF 18) under the command of Rear Admiral [[Leigh Noyes]], flying his flag on {{USS|Wasp|CV-7|2}}. The following day, [[Task Force 17|TF 17]], which included {{USS|Hornet|CV-8|2}}, combined with Admiral Noyes' unit to form [[Task Force 61|TF 61]], whose mission was to ferry [[fighter aircraft]] to [[Guadalcanal]]. On 15 September, ''Wasp'' took three torpedo hits from the [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese]] [[submarine]] {{Ship|Japanese submarine|I-19||2}}, and, with fires raging out of control, was sunk at 21:00 by {{USS|Lansdowne|DD-486|2}}. ''Juneau'' and screen destroyers rescued 1,910 survivors of ''Wasp'' and returned them to [[Espiritu Santo]], [[New Hebrides]], on 16 September. The next day, the fast cruiser rejoined TF 17. Operating with the ''Hornet'' group, she supported three actions that repelled enemy thrusts at Guadalcanal: the Buin-Faisi-Tonolai Raid; the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands]]; and the [[Naval Battle of Guadalcanal]] (Third Savo).<ref name=DANFS />

===Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands===
[[File:USS Juneau (CL-52) underway during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October 1942 (80-G-304513).jpg|thumb|left|''Juneau'' underway during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942]]

The ship's first major action was the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands]] on 26 October. On 24 October, {{USS|Hornet|CV-8|2}}'s task force had combined with {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}}'s group to reform TF 61 under the command of Rear Admiral [[Thomas C. Kinkaid]]. This force positioned itself north of the [[Santa Cruz Islands]] to intercept enemy units that might attempt to close Guadalcanal. Meanwhile, on Guadalcanal, the Japanese achieved a breakthrough during the [[Battle for Henderson Field]] on the night of 25 October. That success evidently was a signal for Japanese ships to approach the island.<ref name=DANFS />

Early on the morning of 26 October, U.S. carrier planes spotted the Japanese force and immediately attacked it, damaging two carriers (CVL {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Zuihō||2}} and CV {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Shōkaku||2}}), one heavy cruiser (CA {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Chikuma|1938|2}}) and two destroyers, but while American aircraft were locating and engaging the enemy, American ships were also under fire. Shortly after 10:00, some 27 enemy aircraft attacked ''Hornet''. Though ''Juneau'' and other screen ships threw up an effective [[anti-aircraft]] (AA) barrage which shot down about 20 of the attackers, ''Hornet'' was badly damaged and sank the next day. Just before noon, ''Juneau'' left ''Hornet''{{'}}s escort for the beleaguered ''Enterprise'' group several miles away. ''Juneau'' helped repel four Japanese attacks that lost 18 planes.<ref name=DANFS />

That evening, the American forces retired to the southeast. Although the battle had been costly, it had, combined with the Marine victory on Guadalcanal, turned back the attempted Japanese parry in the [[Solomon Islands|Solomons]]. Furthermore, the damaging of two Japanese carriers sharply reduced their air power in the subsequent battle of Guadalcanal.<ref name=DANFS />

===Naval Battle of Guadalcanal===
On 8 November, ''Juneau'' departed [[Nouméa, New Caledonia]], as a unit of [[Task Force 67|TF 67]] under the command of Rear Admiral [[Richmond K. Turner]] to escort reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The force arrived there early morning on 12 November, and ''Juneau'' took up her station in the protective screen around the transports and cargo vessels. Unloading proceeded unmolested until 14:05, when 30 Japanese planes attacked the alerted United States group. The AA fire was effective, and ''Juneau'' alone accounted for six enemy [[torpedo bomber]]s shot down. The few remaining Japanese planes were, in turn, attacked by American fighters; only one [[bomber]] escaped. Later in the day, an American attack group of cruisers and destroyers cleared Guadalcanal on reports that a large enemy surface force was headed for the island. At 01:48 on 13 November, Rear Admiral [[Daniel J. Callaghan]]'s relatively small landing support group engaged the enemy.<ref name=DANFS /> The Japanese force consisted of two battleships, one light cruiser, and nine destroyers.

[[File:USSJuneauMemorial.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The 1987 memorial to USS ''Juneau'', placed along the cruise ship docks in Juneau, Alaska, as seen in 2009<ref name="new-memorial"/>]]
[[File:Memorial to the USS Juneau.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The revised and relocated 2012 memorial on the waterfront in Juneau, as seen in 2017<ref name="new-memorial">{{cite news | url=http://www.ktoo.org/2012/11/14/u-s-s-juneau-memorial-rededicated/ | title=U.S.S. Juneau Memorial rededicated | first=Matt | last=Miller | publisher=KTOO-TV | date=14 November 2012}}</ref>]]

Because of bad weather and confused communications, the battle occurred in near-pitch darkness and at almost point-blank range, as the ships of the two sides became intermingled. During the melee, ''Juneau'' was struck on the port side by a torpedo launched by {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Amatsukaze|1939|6}},<ref>Tameichi Hara, "Japanese Destroyer Captain", Chapter 23</ref> causing a severe list, and necessitating withdrawal. Before noon on 13 November, ''Juneau'', along with two other cruisers damaged in the battle—{{USS|Helena|CL-50|2}} and {{USS|San Francisco|CA-38|2}}—headed toward Espiritu Santo for repairs. ''Juneau'' was steaming on one screw, keeping station 800&nbsp;yd (730&nbsp;m) off the starboard quarter of the likewise severely damaged ''San Francisco''. She was down {{convert|12|ft}} by the bow, but able to maintain 13&nbsp;kn (15&nbsp;mph, 24&nbsp;km/h).

A few minutes after 11:00, two torpedoes were launched from {{Ship|Japanese submarine|I-26||6}}.<ref name=DANFS /> These were intended for ''San Francisco'', but both passed ahead of her. One struck ''Juneau'' in the same place that had been hit during the battle. There was a great explosion; ''Juneau'' broke in two and disappeared in just 20 seconds.<ref name=DANFS /> Fearing more attacks from ''I-26'', and wrongly assuming from the massive explosion that there were no survivors, ''Helena'' and ''San Francisco'' departed without attempting to rescue any survivors. In fact, more than 100 sailors had survived the sinking of ''Juneau''. They were left to fend for themselves in the open ocean for eight days before rescue aircraft belatedly arrived. While awaiting rescue, all but 10 died from the elements and shark attacks. Among those lost were the five [[Sullivan brothers]]. Two of the brothers apparently survived the sinking only to die in the water; two presumably went down with the ship. Some reports indicate the fifth brother also survived the sinking, but disappeared during the first night when he left a raft and got into the water.<ref>Kurzman, 1994</ref> On 20 November 1942, {{USS|Ballard|AVD-10|6}} recovered two of the ten survivors. Five more in a raft were rescued by a [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|PBY Seaplane]] {{convert|5|mi}} away.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fold3.com/image/267847129/ | title=War Diary USS Ballard | work=World War II War Diaries, 1941-1945 via fold3.com | date= 20 November 1942}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.americanheritage.com/content/one-who-survived?page=show | title=One Who Survived | journal=American Heritage | date=June 1956 | volume=7 | issue=4 | last=Heyn | first=Allen | access-date=10 September 2016}}</ref> Three others, including a badly wounded officer, made it to [[Makira|San Cristobal (now Makira) Island]], about {{convert|55|mi}} away from the sinking.<ref>[https://whyy.org/articles/reflections-on-a-philadelphia-lieutenant-and-the-tragedy-of-the-uss-juneau/ Reflections on a Philadelphia war hero and the tragedy of the USS Juneau]</ref> One of the survivors recovered by ''Ballard'' said he had been with one of the Sullivan brothers for several days after the sinking.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fold3.com/image/302016012/ | title=History of USS Ballard AVD-10 1918–1945 | page=14 | work=World War II War Diaries, 1941-1945 via fold3.com | date=29 October 1945}}{{subscription required}}</ref>

==Wreck==
The wreck of ''Juneau'' was located on 17 March 2018 by Paul Allen's research crew on board RV ''Petrel''. The cruiser rests {{convert|4200|m|ft|abbr=on}} below the surface off the Solomon Islands in several large pieces.<ref name="Paul Allen Wreck">{{cite web |url=https://www.paulallen.com/uss-juneau-wreck-located-famous-for-sullivan-brothers/ |title=Sunken USS Juneau Famous for the Sullivan Brothers Discovered on St. Patrick's Day |date=19 March 2018 |work=paulallen.com |publisher=[[Vulcan Inc.]] |access-date=19 March 2018 |archive-date=20 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320230926/https://www.paulallen.com/uss-juneau-wreck-located-famous-for-sullivan-brothers/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="USNI Wreck">{{cite news |url=https://news.usni.org/2018/03/19/paul-allen-finds-sullivan-brothers-cruiser-uss-juneau |title=Paul Allen Finds Sullivan Brothers' Cruiser USS Juneau |last=LaGrone |first=Sam |date=19 March 2018 |work=USNI News |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute|U.S. Naval Institute]] |access-date=19 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/juneau-wreckage-bittersweet-find-for-sullivans-families-photos-videos/article_becdef3e-3c89-5b23-a9d2-e5f023c77705.html|title=Juneau wreckage bittersweet find for Sullivans, families (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)|last=Kinney|first=Pat|work=Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref>

==Awards==
''Juneau'' received four [[battle star]]s for her service in World War II.<ref name=DANFS />

==Legacy==
In November 2013, Building 77 at the former federal shipyard in [[Kearny, New Jersey]] was renamed the USS ''Juneau'' Memorial Center, and now houses [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson County]]'s Office of Emergency Management.<ref>[https://www.themusialgroup.com/uss-juneau-center-memorial-dedication Musial Group Architects]</ref><ref>[https://fusioncreative.com/work/uss-juneau-memorial-center-kearny-nj Fusion Creative Branding]</ref>

==See also==
* [[List by death toll of ships sunk by submarines]]
* [[List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II]], for other Navy ships lost in World War II
* {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35}}, another U.S. Navy cruiser sunk during World War II with substantial loss of life attributed to delayed rescue efforts
* {{USS|The Sullivans|DD-537}}, a U.S. Navy destroyer named in honor of the Sullivan brothers

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/j/juneau-i.html }}
* {{Cite book |last=Holbrook |first=Heber A. |year=1997 |title=The Loss of the USS Juneau (CL-52) and the Relief of Captain Gilbert C. Hoover, Commanding Officer of the USS Helena (CL-50) |series=Callaghan-Scott naval historical monograph) |location=Dixon, CA |publisher=Pacific Ship and Shore-Books |asin=B0006QS91A |oclc=38044645 |quote=This is a reprint from the Pacific Ship and Shore Historical Society newsletter of April, 1996.}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kurzman |first=Dan |year=1994 |title=Left to Die: The Tragedy of the USS ''Juneau'' |url=https://archive.org/details/lefttodietragedy00kurz |url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Pocket Books |isbn=0-671-74874-2 |oclc=32411734}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Juneau (CL-52)}}
* {{navsource|04/052/04052|USS Juneau}}
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/cruisers/cl52.txt hazegray.org: USS ''Juneau''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927060031/http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/cruisers/cl52.txt |date=27 September 2006 }}
* [http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2576.html uboat.net: USS ''Juneau'']
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/cruisers/pages/juneau_cl52/uss_juneau_cl52_roll_of_honor.htm Roll of Honor]

{{Atlanta class cruiser}}
{{November 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Juneau (Cl-52)}}
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:2018 archaeological discoveries]]
[[Category:Atlanta-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in November 1942]]
[[Category:Naval magazine explosions]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by Japanese submarines]]
[[Category:Shipwreck discoveries by Paul Allen]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean]]