View source for USS Birmingham (CL-62)

{{Short description|Cleveland-class light cruiser}}
{{other ships|USS Birmingham}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= [[File:USS Birmingham (CL-62) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 7 February 1944.jpg|300px]]
|Ship caption= ''Birmingham'' off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 7 February 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country= United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1947}}
|Ship name= ''Birmingham''
|Ship namesake= City of [[Birmingham, Alabama]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder= [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]], [[Newport News, Virginia]]
|Ship laid down= 17 February 1941
|Ship launched= 20 March 1942
|Ship commissioned= 29 January 1943
|Ship decommissioned= 2 January 1947
|Ship struck= 1 March 1959
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap on 12 November 1959 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Ship class={{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=
*[[Standard displacement|Standard]]: {{convert|11744|LT|t|lk=on}}
*[[Full load]]: {{convert|14131|LT|t}}
|Ship length={{convert|610|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|66|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|24|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
*4 × [[Babcock & Wilcox boiler]]s 
*{{cvt|100000|shp|kW|lk=in}}
|Ship propulsion=
*4 × [[steam turbines]]
*4 × [[Propeller|screw propellers]]
|Ship speed={{convert|32.5|kn|lk=in}} 
|Ship range={{cvt|11000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{cvt|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=1,285 officers and enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
* 12 × [[6-inch/47-caliber gun|{{cvt|6|in|0}} Mark 16 guns]]
* 12 × [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in|0}}/38 caliber]] guns
* 28 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{cvt|40|mm}} Bofors]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]]
* 21 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{cvt|20|mm}} Oerlikon]] anti-aircraft guns
|Ship armor=
*[[Armor belt|Belt]]: {{cvt|3.5|-|5|in}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|2|in}}
*[[Barbette]]s: {{cvt|6|in|0}}
*[[Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{cvt|6|in|0}}
*[[Conning tower|Conning Tower]]: {{cvt|5|in|0}}
|Ship aircraft=4 × [[floatplane]]s
|Ship aircraft facilities=2 × [[stern]] [[Aircraft catapult|catapults]] 
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Birmingham'' (CL-62)''' was a {{sclass|Cleveland|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]] of the [[United States Navy]], which were built during [[World War II]]. The [[ship class|class]] was designed as a development of the earlier {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser|1}}s, the size of which had been limited by the [[First London Naval Treaty]]. The start of the war led to the dissolution of the treaty system, but the dramatic need for new vessels precluded a new design, so the ''Cleveland''s used the same [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] as their predecessors but were significantly heavier. The ''Cleveland''s carried a [[main battery]] of twelve [[6"/47 caliber gun|{{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}} guns]] in four three-gun [[gun turret|turrets]], along with a [[secondary armament]] of twelve [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in|0}}]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s. They had a top speed of {{convert|32.5|kn|lk=in}}.

She was laid down at the [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]] of [[Newport News, Virginia]], on 17 February 1941 and [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 20 March 1942 by Mrs. Cooper Green, wife of the [[List of Mayors of Birmingham, Alabama|president of the Birmingham City Commission]]. She was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 29 January 1943, Captain John Wilkes in command. ''Birmingham'' earned eight [[Battle star#Navy warships|battle stars]], receiving heavy damage on at least three occasions.

==Design==
{{main|Cleveland-class cruiser}}
[[File:80-G-165992 Cleveland class camouflage measure 33.jpg|thumb|left|Depiction of the ''Cleveland'' class, showing the plan and profile]]

The ''Cleveland''-class [[light cruiser]]s traced their origin to design work done in the late 1930s; at the time, light cruiser [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] was limited to {{cvt|8000|LT|lk=in}} by the [[Second London Naval Treaty]]. Following the start of [[World War II]] in September 1939, Britain announced it would suspend the treaty for the duration of the conflict, a decision the [[US Navy]] quickly followed. Though still neutral, the United States recognized that war was likely and the urgent need for additional ships ruled out an entirely new design, so the ''Cleveland''s were a close development of the earlier {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser|1}}s, the chief difference being the substitution of a two-gun {{cvt|5|in|0}} [[dual-purpose gun]] mount for one of the [[main battery]] {{cvt|6|in|0}} [[gun turret]]s.{{sfn|Friedman 1984|pp=245–247}}

''Birmingham'' was {{convert|610|ft|1|in|0}} [[length overall|long overall]] and had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|66|ft|4|in|abbr=on}} and a [[draft (nautical)|draft]] of {{convert|24|ft|6|in|abbr=on}}. Her [[standard displacement]] amounted to {{convert|11744|LT|t|abbr=on|0}} and increased to {{convert|14131|LT|t|abbr=on}} at [[Full-load displacement|full load]]. The ship was powered by four General Electric [[steam turbines]], each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four oil-fired [[Babcock & Wilcox boiler]]s. Rated at {{convert|100000|shp|lk=on}}, the turbines were intended to give a top speed of {{convert|32.5|kn|lk=in}}. Her crew numbered 1285&nbsp;officers and enlisted men.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=119}}

The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve [[6"/47 caliber gun|6 in /47-caliber Mark 16 guns]]{{efn|/47 refers to the length of the gun in terms of [[Caliber (artillery)|calibers]]. A /47 gun is 47 times long as it is in bore diameter.}} in four 3-gun turrets on the centerline. Two were placed forward in a [[superfire|superfiring pair]]; the other two turrets were placed aft of the [[superstructure]] in another superfiring pair. The secondary battery consisted of twelve [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{cvt|5|in|0}} /38-caliber]] dual-purpose guns mounted in twin turrets. Two of these were placed on the centerline, one directly behind the forward main turrets and the other just forward of the aft turrets. Two more were placed abreast of the [[conning tower]] and the other pair on either side of the aft superstructure. Anti-aircraft defense consisted of twenty-eight [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors {{cvt|40|mm}} guns]] in four quadruple and six double mounts and twenty-one [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|Oerlikon {{cvt|20|mm}} guns]] in single mounts.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=119}}

The ship's [[belt armor]] ranged in thickness from {{cvt|3.5|to|5|in}}, with the thicker section [[amidships]] where it protected the ammunition magazines and propulsion machinery spaces. Her deck armor was {{cvt|2|in}} thick. The main battery turrets were protected with {{cvt|6.5|in}} faces and {{cvt|3|in}} sides and tops, and they were supported by [[barbette]]s 6&nbsp;inches thick. ''Birmingham''{{'}}s conning tower had 5-inch sides.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=119}}

==Service history==
''Birmingham'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] at the [[Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company]] at [[Newport News, Virginia]] on 17 February 1941. The completed hull was [[ship launching|launched]] on 20 March 1942.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=119}} [[Fitting-out]] work was completed less than a year later, by which time she had been moved to the [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]], and she was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] there on 29 January 1943. Captain [[John E. Wilkes]] served as the ship's first commander. On 20 February, ''Birmingham'' embarked on her [[shakedown cruise]] in the [[Chesapeake Bay]], which also included gunnery tests to confirm the structural integrity of her main battery turrets, practice launching and recovering her seaplanes, and shooting practice for her gun crews. On 19 March, the ship sailed for [[Annapolis, Maryland]], to be inspected, before returning to Norfolk on 3 April for repairs. Another round of initial training followed in the Chesapeake from 23 April, including night firing practice, refueling at sea, and fighter director exercises. In late May, she returned to Norfolk for additional repairs, before departing on 8 June for the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to join forces then engaged in the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Mediterranean Theater]].{{sfn|DANFS}}

===World War II===
[[File:USS Birmingham (CL-62) passing through the Strait of Gibraltar in 1943.jpg|thumb|''Birmingham'' passing through the [[Strait of Gibraltar]]]]
====European Theater====
''Birmingham'' reached [[Mers El Kébir]] in [[French Algeria]] on 22 June, where she made preparations to join the invasion fleet that was to conduct [[Operation Husky]], the invasion of [[Sicily]]. She was assigned to Task Group (TG) 86.1, along with the light cruiser {{USS|Brooklyn|CL-40|2}} and the [[destroyer]]s {{USS|Buck|DD-420|2}} and {{USS|Ludlow|DD-438|2}}, which sortied on 29 June. The ships escorted part of the invasion force, which arrived off the landing beaches on the morning of 9 July. TG&nbsp;86.1 helped guide the landing ships to their designated beaches, after which ''Birmingham'' shifted to shore bombardment to cover their approach. She launched two of her seaplanes to help spot the fall of shot and search for Axis artillery batteries.{{sfn|DANFS}}

During operations off the invasion beaches, ''Birmingham'' was escorted by ''Ludlow'' and the destroyer {{USS|Edison|DD-439|2}}. Poor visibility hampered the cruiser's gunners, and her aircraft were repeatedly engaged by friendly forces that mistook them for hostile planes. At 07:15, one of the aircraft returned to ''Birmingham'', having been badly damaged by friendly ground fire and a German [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]] fighter, and half an hour later, the second seaplane withdrew as well, having nearly been shot down by a pair of British [[Bell P-39 Airacobra]] fighters. At 09:18, ''Birmingham'' checked her fire, as Allied ground forces had achieved their initial objectives by that time. The ship continued to operate off the Sicilian coast for the next nine days, providing fire support to ground forces as they fought their way inland, and protecting [[minesweeper]]s as they cleared Axis mines from the area.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' left the waters off Sicily on 21 July to refuel at [[Bizerte]] in [[French Tunisia]]; she thereafter sailed to [[Algiers]] in French Algeria before moving on to Mers El Kébir. On 27 July, she departed for the United States, arriving in Norfolk on 8 August, where she underwent repairs that lasted for ten days. From there, she sailed to join the forces engaged with Japan in the Pacific Ocean. She passed through the [[Panama Canal]] on 22 August and reached [[Pearl Harbor]] in Hawaii on 5 September.{{sfn|DANFS}}

====Pacific Theater====
After arriving in Pearl Harbor, ''Birmingham'' was assigned to TG&nbsp;15.1 as part of the escort for the [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Lexington|CV-16|2}} and the [[light carrier]]s {{USS|Belleau Wood|CVL-24|2}} and {{USS|Princeton|CVL-23|2}}. The unit sortied on 11 September to launch a raid on Japanese positions at [[Tarawa]] and [[Makin (atoll)|Makin]], returning to Pearl Harbor on 23 September. After refueling and rearming, they sortied again on 29 September to attack [[Wake Island]]. ''Birmingham'' was detached from the carrier group on 5 October to carry out shore bombardments of the island, targeting coastal batteries and storage dumps. Her spotter aircraft came under attack by a [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero]], but the spotter was only hit by two bullets from the Zero before it escaped. TG&nbsp;15.1 left the area on 6 October and arrived back in Pearl Harbor five days later.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====Solomon Islands operations=====
[[File:NH 45699 USS Birmingham, c. Feb. 1943.jpg|thumb|''Birmingham'' early in her career, {{c.}} February 1943]]

''Birmingham'' was reassigned to the [[Solomon Islands campaign]], and she got underway on 21 October to join the naval forces operating there. She reached [[Espiritu Santo]] on 4 November, and the next day joined the escort for a [[convoy]] of six transport ships headed to [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]]; two other light cruisers and four destroyers comprised the rest of the escort group. The group safely arrived in [[Empress Augusta Bay]] on the morning of 8 November and while they were unloading their cargoes, ''Birmingham'' and the other escorts patrolled to the southwest of the bay. Throughout the afternoon and early evening, ''Birmingham'' and her [[sister ship]] {{USS|Mobile|CL-63|2}} detected a total of thirteen Japanese aircraft in the distance, but none of them attacked the Allied flotilla during this period. At around 18:30, a Japanese [[Mitsubishi G4M]] [[medium bomber]] closed with the American ships. At the same time, the air-search radars on the American cruisers picked up a large attack force incoming, at a distance of about {{cvt|25000|yd}}.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' and the other two cruisers opened fire with their main batteries at 19:11, at a range of {{cvt|18000|yd}}, to try to disrupt the incoming aerial attack. As the Japanese aircraft closed in the darkness, the American ships launched [[flare]]s to illuminate the planes. ''Birmingham'' engaged an [[Aichi D3A]] Val that was approaching the ship and inflicted fatal damage with her 20&nbsp;mm and 40&nbsp;mm guns, though not before the Val released its bomb. It skipped on the water and struck ''Birmingham''{{'}}s hull on the starboard quarter; the explosion tore a hole in the hull that was {{cvt|15|ft}} wide and destroyed her aircraft [[hangar]]. Almost immediately after, another aircraft hit ''Birmingham'' with a [[torpedo]] on her port [[Bow (watercraft)|bow]], blowing a {{cvt|30|ft}} hole and causing significant damage to the hull structure. Two of her [[fuel oil]] storage compartments were also flooded. The ship's [[Damage control (maritime)|damage control]] teams quickly moved to contain the flooding and suppress fires from both hits, but a second Val made an attack run at ''Birmingham''. The anti-aircraft gunners destroyed the plane as it dove on ''Birmingham'', but its bomb nevertheless struck turret #4. The mount and all three gun barrels were damaged in the blast. In total, the three attacks killed two men and wounded another thirty-two.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' was still able to steam at {{convert|30|kn}} and maintain her position in the formation. Further Japanese attacks occurred throughout the night, but the ships' 5-inch guns kept the aircraft at bay. At 19:58, ''Birmingham'' shot down a G4M that was dropping flares over the formation, and later that night her 5-inch guns destroyed another G4M at a range of {{cvt|4000|yd}}. ''Birmingham'' withdrew without further damage, and reached the central Solomons by the morning; from there, the ships sailed on to [[Florida Island]] on 10 November. There, the ship received temporary repairs to shore up the damaged [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]]. A vent for the flooded compartments in the bow was also created to reduce pressure on the forward bulkheads, and while steaming back to the United States, it created periodic geysers of water, which earned the ship the nickname "[[Old Faithful]]". ''Birmingham'' left Florida on 16 November for Espiritu Santo, though she stayed there only briefly before continuing on to Hawaii, which she reached on 1 December.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====Repairs and training=====
The ship was [[dry dock]]ed in Pearl Harbor for repairs to her hull, and on 18 December she departed for the [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] in [[San Francisco]], California, arriving there four days later. There, she underwent permanent repairs, including six new 6-inch guns and new [[aircraft catapult]]s. On 7 February 1944, while she was being moved in the harbor, ''Birmingham'' accidentally collided with the merchant vessel {{SS|Manukai||2}}, and had her bow damaged again. Further repairs were necessitated, which lasted about a week. She thereafter conducted a short shakedown cruise before sailing from Mare Island on 18 February to return to Pearl Harbor, arriving there on 23 February. The ship thereafter took part in training exercises off [[Kaho{{okina}}olawe]] in the Hawaiian islands before leaving Hawaii on 5 March. She sailed next to the [[Ellice Islands]], refueling at [[Funafuti]] on 10 March, before continuing on to the Solomons. She arrived in [[Purvis Bay]] there four days later, where she was assigned to Task Group 53.1.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' spent the next two months conducting training exercises in preparation for upcoming [[amphibious invasion]]s planned for the [[Marianas Islands]]. These exercises included shore bombardment practice and coordination practice between shore-based fire control teams and the ship's gunners, along with bombardments of Japanese positions on the [[Shortland Islands]] in company with her sisters {{USS|Cleveland|CL-55|2}} and {{USS|Montpelier|CL-57|2}} and four destroyers. During this action, she engaged in a gunnery duel with shore batteries on the island. On 24 May, she took part in a large-scale simulated amphibious invasion on [[Guadalcanal]], which included live-fire practice in [[Kula Gulf]]. On 3 June, the ship returned to Purvis Bay, by which time some fifty men aboard the vessel were suffering from [[bacillary dysentery]]. As a result, the ship's medical team [[fumigation|fumigated]] the ship to kill disease-carrying insects. The next day, she sortied as part of the escort for a convoy of transports and [[Landing Ship, Tank|Landing Ships, Tank]] bound for the [[Marshall Islands]], which were being used as the staging ground for the upcoming invasion of the Marianas. Dysentary continued to spread among the crew, and by 10 June, a total of 244&nbsp;men had been infected. She nevertheless sailed that day as part of the invasion fleet.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====Mariana and Palau Islands campaign=====
[[File:80-G-184693 USS Birmingham under fire off Saipan.jpg|thumb|''Birmingham'' under fire from Japanese coastal artillery off Saipan]]
{{main|Mariana and Palau Islands campaign}}

''Birmingham'' was transferred to TG&nbsp;52.17, which arrived off [[Saipan]] on 14 June for the imminent [[invasion of Saipan]]; the ship protected minesweepers clearing Japanese mines off the island and covered [[Underwater Demolition Team]]s (UDT) clearing obstacles around the landing beaches. She also fired on Japanese positions in the area. The next day, ''Birmingham'' cruised off [[Garapan]] to cover UDTs on the beach and engaged Japanese coastal artillery and anti-aircraft guns in the area. She then closed to {{cvt|3000|yd}} from shore, and at 08:46, she came under heavy fire from several Japanese guns. The ship received light damage to her upper works, but quickly returned fire, and over the course of the next two hours, silenced most of the guns and destroyed two ammunition dumps being used to supply them. In the course of the action, she had fired 1,345&nbsp;rounds from her main battery and 1,172&nbsp;shells from her secondary guns. Later in the day, she again closed with the beach to draw fire from shore guns, which were then engaged by American carrier planes.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 16 June, ''Birmingham'' returned to the invasion beaches and joined the shore bombardment group that supported the ground forces as they went ashore. ''Birmingham'' shelled Japanese positions near an airfield as [[USMC|marines]] fought to secure it. By 09:00, her crew had begun coordinating with a ground-based fire control team, and the ship spent the rest of the day responding to fire support requests. Later that day, she was assigned to Task Unit&nbsp;52.1.1, which spent the next two days bombarding Japanese positions on Saipan and neighboring [[Tinian]]. By that time, the US had received reports of a large scale Japanese counteroffensive approaching from the Philippines. ''Birmingham'' accordingly withdrew to replenish ammunition and stores from the [[attack cargo ship]] {{USS|Alhena|AKA-9|2}} before rejoining the fleet on 17 June.{{sfn|DANFS}}

[[File:Fighter plane contrails in the sky.jpg|thumb|left|[[Contrail]]s from American and Japanese aircraft during the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], seen from ''Birmingham'']]

The ship joined TG&nbsp;58.3, which was centered on the aircraft carrier {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|2}} and the light carriers ''Princeton'' and {{USS|San Jacinto|CVL-30|2}}. The fleet had positioned itself some {{cvt|150|nmi}} to the west of the Marianas to protect the invasion force. Japanese patrol aircraft located the American fleet on the morning of 19 June and, in the ensuing [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], launched a series of air strikes, but American [[combat air patrol]]s intercepted most of them before they reached the fleet. After shooting down hundreds of Japanese aircraft, the American aircraft launched strikes of their own against the Japanese carriers on 20 June and inflicted further losses on the Japanese fleet, including the sinking of the carrier {{ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Hiyō||2}}. The American aircraft arrived back at their carriers late in the evening and faced difficult night landings; ''Birmingham'' assisted by lighting signal smoke pots, and she also put life rafts to rescue pilots who had to ditch their aircraft at sea. The Americans pursued the retreating Japanese on 21 June, but were unable to catch them and returned to the Marianas.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' next left the fleet on 26 June in company with three destroyers to shell Japanese positions on Tinian, particularly in [[Tinian Town]], the main settlement on the island. They also used [[White phosphorus munitions|white phosphorus]] shells to set fire to [[sugar cane]] fields near the town, and they sank five [[sampan]]s in port. The Americans then withdrew to replenish ammunition before returning to Tinian the next day for further bombardments. Over the course of the day's shelling, the ships destroyed about seventy-five percent of Tinian Town and burned much of the surrounding farmland. ''Birmingham'' moved back to Saipan on 28 June and resumed gunfire support duties off Garapan, which she carried out for the next several days. These operations included destroying three Japanese [[tank]]s on 5 July. The next day, ''Birmingham'' returned to Tinian to resume attacks on that island through the day, before withdrawing later in the evening.{{sfn|DANFS}}

With Saipan under American control, the ship next joined the bombardment group covering the [[invasion of Guam]] on 21 July. She attacked Japanese positions on the island as American troops went ashore but encountered little return fire. On 23 July, she returned to Saipan to begin preparatory bombardments for the [[invasion of Tinian]], which took place two days later. During the preparatory phase, ''Birmingham'' closed with the shore and used her 20&nbsp;mm and 40&nbsp;mm guns to attack Japanese trench lines. On the 25th, one of her spotter aircraft estimated that the ship had killed approximately 250&nbsp;soldiers. She remained off Tinian through 1 August, bombarding Japanese forces as American troops fought to secure the island. In the course of operations during the campaign, ''Birmingham'' fired a total of 7,683&nbsp;rounds from her main guns and 10,875&nbsp;shells from her 5-inch guns. On 7 August, ''Birmingham'' got underway, bound for Eniwetok for maintenance and to replenish ammunition and stores in preparation for the next stage of the campaign.{{sfn|DANFS}}

She then joined TG&nbsp;38.5, which sortied on 3 September to attack the [[Palau Islands]] in the western [[Caroline Islands|Carolines]]. She joined the screen for the carriers {{USS|Essex|CV-9|2}} and ''Lexington'' and the light carrier {{USS|Langley|CVL-27|2}}, which carried out a series of air strikes on [[Anguar]], [[Pelelieu]], and [[Babeldaob]] between 6 and 7 September. These marked the beginning of preparatory attacks leading to the [[invasion of Pelelieu]] the following week. The Fast Carrier Task Force moved on to attack airfields in the southern Philippines, both to draw Japanese attention away from Palau and to neutralize aircraft that might interfere with the invasion. These attacks began on 9 September. During one of these raids, aircraft spotted a Japanese convoy of small coastal vessels off [[Mindanao]]; ''Birmingham'', her sister {{USS|Santa Fe|CL-60|2}}, and the destroyers {{USS|Laws|DD-558|2}}, {{USS|Longshaw|DD-559|2}}, {{USS|Morrison|DD-560|2}}, and {{USS|Pritchett|DD-561|2}} were detached to intercept it. American aircraft helped direct the ships to their target, and in the course of the action, ''Birmingham'' sank three cargo ships, a large sampan, and a small motor boat, and she assisted in the destruction of eight smaller vessels. ''Birmingham'' and the rest of the ships returned to the carriers, which continued to strike targets in the Philippines through 12 September. During this period, ''Birmingham'' used one of her seaplanes to recover a downed pilot from the carrier {{USS|Wasp|CV-18|2}}. The fleet returned to the Carolines for further strikes there, before resuming attacks on the Philippines later in September. On 27 September, the fleet withdrew to the [[Kossol Roads]] to refuel and replenish ammunition.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====Philippines campaign=====
[[File:USS Birmingham comes alongside the burning USS Princeton.jpg|thumb|''Birmingham'' alongside the burning {{USS|Princeton|CVL-23|2}} during the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]] on 24 October 1944]]
{{main|Philippines campaign (1944–1945)}}

The fleet then moved north to its next staging ground at [[Ulithi]], and ''Birmingham'' arrived there on 2 October. There, she was assigned to TG&nbsp;38.3, which sortied the next day to carry out an attack on the [[Ryukyu Islands]]. This raid was intended to reduce Japanese forces in the region that might interfere with the planned [[invasion of Leyte]] in the Philippines. The Fast Carrier Task Force arrived off the Ryukyus on 10 October and inflicted significant damage to Japanese aircraft and installations on the islands. The following day, the carriers turned their attention to the island of [[Luzon]] in the Philippines, striking airfields there and then shifting once again to [[Formosa]] on 12 October. The [[Formosa Air Battle]] continued into the next day, which saw intense Japanese counterattacks that damaged the [[heavy cruiser]] {{USS|Canberra|CA-70|2}}. ''Birmingham'' was among the vessels detached to cover the withdrawal of ''Canberra'', which was towed by the heavy cruiser {{USS|Wichita|CA-45|2}}. The carriers' combat air patrol kept Japanese aircraft at bay, but later that morning, ''Birmingham'' left the ''Canberra'' group to cover the withdrawal of her sister {{USS|Houston|CL-81|2}}, which had also been badly damaged by a Japanese [[torpedo bomber]]. The ships were still retreating on 16 February when they came under attack once again; ''Birmingham'' shot down a [[Nakajima B6N]] torpedo bomber, but it had already hit ''Houston'' with another torpedo. ''Birmingham'' also assisted in the destruction of another B6N that had attempted to attack ''Santa Fe''.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' left the withdrawing formation on 17 October and rejoined TG&nbsp;38.3, where she refueled at sea from the oiler {{USS|Tappahannock|AO-43|2}}. The Fast Carrier Task Force then covered the invasion of Leyte from 19 October, carrying out air strikes on various targets through the Philippines. Japanese air forces launched a series of counterattacks on 24 October, and during one of these, a [[Yokosuka D4Y]] [[dive bomber]] scored a hit on ''Princeton'' that caused serious damage and several large fires; ''Birmingham'' and the three destroyers ''Morrison'', {{USS|Gatling|DD-671||2}} and {{USS|Irwin|DD-794|2}} remained with the stricken carrier after she fell out of formation. The destroyers initially attempted to come alongside and spray the burning carrier to help the ship's crew suppress the fires, but they repeatedly collided with ''Princeton'' in the heavy seas. ''Birmingham'' then came alongside instead, as her larger hull could better absorb collisions. She sent thirty-eight men and fourteen water hoses over to ''Princeton'', and they helped the carrier's crew put out one of the two large fires.{{sfn|DANFS}}

[[File:NH 98121 USS Birmingham after Leyte Gulf.jpg|thumb|''Birmingham'' after arriving at Mare Island, showing damage inflicted by the explosion aboard ''Princeton'']]

Later in the day, ''Birmingham'' received reports of Japanese aircraft approaching, and around the same time, one of the destroyers reported detecting a [[submarine]] just {{cvt|2000|yd}} away. ''Birmingham'' immediately pulled away from ''Princeton'' so she could evade any incoming attacks. Only one Japanese aircraft actually approached the formation, but it did not attack, and the submarine report was determined to have been a false alarm. ''Birmingham'' then returned alongside ''Princeton'' to resume firefighting, but at 15:22, just as she was coming back alongside ''Princeton'', the fires reached the carrier's aft [[magazine (artillery)|magazines]], setting off a catastrophic explosion. The blast destroyed much of the carrier's stern, throwing debris all along ''Birmingham''{{'}}s starboard side and inflicting grave casualties among the cruiser's crew.{{sfn|DANFS}} Out of her crew of nearly 1,300, 241&nbsp;men were killed, 211 were seriously wounded, and 201 received lighter injuries, more than half of the crew.{{sfn|Bernstein}} The surviving crew began fighting several fires aboard ''Birmingham'' and treating the survivors, and then she broke off from the stricken carrier. Efforts continued aboard ''Princeton'', but these ultimately proved futile, and ''Reno'' and ''Irwin'' [[scuttling|scuttled]] her with torpedoes. ''Birmingham'' eventually arrived back at Mare Island in early November for repairs; during this period, she also received modifications to allow her to serve as a [[flagship]]. Her propulsion system was also overhauled, and she received all new 5- and 6-inch gun barrels, along with additional 20- and 40-millimeter gun mounts. Work on the ship was completed on 17 January 1945.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa=====
{{main|Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign}}

After returning to service, ''Birmingham'' briefly cruised off San Francisco to calibrate her equipment, before moving to [[San Diego]] for combat practice on 24 January. Over the next week, her crew took part in anti-aircraft gunnery drills, practicing operating her seaplanes, and other exercises, before departing on 4 February to rejoin the fleet. She stopped briefly in Pearl Harbor on the way, and arrived at Saipan on 25 February to refuel. The following day, she reached the fleet off [[Iwo Jima]], where the [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] was already in full swing. On 1 March, she joined the coastal bombardment force and began engaging Japanese targets on the island. She operated there for the next five days, during which time she destroyed Japanese defensive positions in support of a marine advance on 1 March, supported another offensive on the eastern side of the island on 3 March, and shelled Japanese held caves from a distance of {{cvt|2550|yd}} on 4 March. By that time, the marines had secured the airfield on the southern end of the island.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 5 March, the heavy cruiser {{USS|Salt Lake City|CA-25|2}} replaced ''Birmingham'' in the shore bombardment unit, and the latter vessel departed for Ulithi. After arriving on 8 March, she began to make preparations for the planned attack on [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. She and the rest of the invasion fleet sortied on 21 March for the Ryukyus, arriving off the island four days later. She took part in a preparatory bombardment on the morning of 25 March, she retired to cover minesweepers clearing paths for the invasion craft. The next day, she joined a bombardment group that consisted of the battleships {{USS|Tennessee|BB-43|2}} and {{USS|Nevada|BB-36|2}}, the light cruiser {{USS|St. Louis|CL-49|2}}, and the heavy cruiser ''Wichita'', along with escorting destroyers. The unit was stationed off the western coast of Okinawa to support American ground forces there, which had not yet gone ashore. The American commanders believed that the Japanese units on the island might attempt to board vessels in the invasion fleet, ''Birmingham'' distributed [[M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle]]s to the 20&nbsp;mm and 40&nbsp;mm gun crews to defend against boarders.{{sfn|DANFS}}

[[File:NH 98129(1) USS Birmingham kamikaze damage.jpg|thumb|left|''Birmingham''{{'}}s crew fighting a fire caused by the {{lang|ja|kamikaze}} attack on 4 May]]

On 26 March, numerous Japanese aircraft attacked the invasion fleet, and ''Birmingham''{{'}}s gunners contributed to the fleet's anti-aircraft defense. Later in the day, the bombardment group closed with the beaches to bombard Japanese defenses. ''Birmingham'' repeated these attacks in different sectors on 28 and 29 March, and also covered the operation of UDT units preparing the invasion beaches. The assault began on the morning of 1 April, and at 06:08, ''Birmingham'' opened fire on the target beaches. Shortly thereafter, a D3A bomber closed with the ship, but a 5-inch shell damaged the aircraft as it approached, slowing it so the 20&nbsp;mm and 40&nbsp;mm guns could take it under fire; the bomber exploded in mid-air some {{cvt|50|yd}} from the ship. Following the preparatory bombardment, the amphibious assault vessels began to go ashore, and ''Birmingham'' transferred control of her guns to a fire direction party ashore; she spent the rest of the day responding to requests for fire support as the soldiers and marines fought their way inland.{{sfn|DANFS}}

The ship remained off the island for the next several days, and on 6 April, she helped repel a large-scale aerial attack, during which her gunners shot down a D3A bomber and assisted with the destruction of three D4Y bombers. Planned fire support duty was canceled the following day when the American fleet received reports that the large battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamato||2}} and several other vessels had sortied to attack the invasion fleet. ''Birmingham'' was among the vessels assembled to block the Japanese flotilla should it break through; she and two cruisers and ten destroyers took up a screening position on the right [[Flanking maneuver|flank]] of the Allied fleet. At 19:11, ''Birmingham'' received news that American carrier aircraft had sunk ''Yamato'', two light cruisers, and three destroyers, neutralizing the threat to the invasion beaches. She resumed bombardment duties the next day, remaining on station off the island until 12 April, when she was recalled to help defend the main fleet from a major Japanese air attack. During the action, her gunners claimed one Japanese aircraft.{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' next moved to [[Iejima]] to conduct preparatory bombardments over the following three days before American forces landed on 16 April. The ship then withdrew to [[Kerama Retto]] to replenish ammunition and stores before returning to Okinawa to resume fire support missions there. These operations continued until 22 April, when she withdrew to Kerama Retto to take on more ammunition. She resumed bombarding Japanese positions on the island through the end of the month and into early May. These included attacks on the airfield at [[Naha]] to disrupt Japanese operations there. On 4 May, another major Japanese counterattack appeared, and at around 08:40, a [[Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa]] {{lang|ja|[[kamikaze]]}} made a diving attack on ''Birmingham''; the pilot approached from such a steep angle that only the 20&nbsp;mm guns could elevate high enough to engage the aircraft, and they lacked the power to destroy the plane before it crashed into the ship. The blast destroyed the ship's sick bay, penetrated three deck levels, and tore a hole in the hull below the [[waterline]] on the starboard side. The resulting fires were quickly suppressed and seriously injured men were transferred to the [[hospital ship]] {{USS|Mercy|AH-8|2}}. The {{lang|ja|kamikaze}} killed fifty-two men and wounded another eighty-two. ''Birmingham'' came alongside the salvage ship {{USS|Shackle|ARS-9|2}} for temporary repairs before departing for [[Guam]] on 5 May; she arrived there five days later, where she was dry-docked on 13 May.{{sfn|DANFS}}

=====End of the war and later career=====
[[File:NH 89291 USS Birmingham in 1959.jpg|thumb|View from ''Birmingham''{{'}}s [[forecastle]] in December 1959, shortly after she was taken from the reserve fleet]]

On 21 May, ''Birmingham'' got underway to return to Pearl Harbor, arriving there seven days later. There, she was dry-docked at the [[Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard]] on 7 June for repair work that lasted for six weeks. She emerged from the shipyard on 22 July, after which she took on ammunition, fuel, and stores before embarking on combat training in Hawaiian waters in preparation to resume operations against Japan. She departed Pearl Harbor on 12 August and joined TG&nbsp;12.3, which was steaming to Wake Island, where she was to shell the isolated Japanese garrison there to practice gunnery drills. Three days later, while still en route to Wake, the ships received word that Japan had surrendered, so the attack on the island was called off. Over the course of her wartime career, ''Birmingham'' was awarded eight [[battle star]]s. The ship headed to Eniwetok, which she reached on 19 August. She refueled there and continued on to Okinawa, arriving there on 26 August. She was initially ordered to sail for [[Kyushu]] to take part in the [[occupation of Japan]], and she got underway on 7 September, but while on the way her orders were changed to send her south to the naval forces stationed in Australia and [[New Guinea]].{{sfn|DANFS}}

''Birmingham'' sailed south, passing through Leyte on 14 September to refuel, and continuing on until she reached [[Brisbane, Australia]], on 23 September. There, she became the flagship of [[Rear Admiral]] [[Clifford E. Van Hook]], the commander of US naval forces in Australia. She served in this capacity for the next five months, cruising between [[Sydney]], [[Melbourne]], and Brisbane. The ship eventually returned to San Francisco on 22 March 1946. On 2 April, she was moved to San Diego, where she was assigned to the 19th Fleet, to be prepared for decommissioning. On 16 October, she was assigned to the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego]], and on 2 January 1947, she was formally decommissioned. She remained in the Navy's inventory for the next decade, ultimately being stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 1 March 1959. ''Birmingham'' was then sold to the National Metals and Steel Corp. on 13 October to be [[ship breaking|broken up]] for [[scrap]].{{sfn|DANFS}}

==Footnotes==
===Notes===

{{notes}}

===Citations===

{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite magazine
  |last=Bernstein
  |first=Mark D.
  |title='Hell Broke Loose' at Leyte Gulf
  |date=October 2009
  |magazine=Naval History Magazine
  |volume=XXIII
  |number=5
  |url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2009/october/hell-broke-loose-leyte-gulf
  |access-date=12 March 2024
  |ref={{sfnref|Bernstein}}
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | title = Birmingham II (CL-62)
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/birmingham-ii.html
  | date= 25 June 2015
  | access-date = 30 January 2022
  | ref={{sfnref|DANFS}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last=Friedman
  | first=Norman
  | chapter=United States of America
  | pages=86–166
  | editor1-last = Gardiner
  | editor1-first = Robert
  | editor2-last = Chesneau
  | editor2-first = Roger
  | year = 1980
  | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946
  | location = Annapolis
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-913-9
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 1980}}
  |name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last=Friedman
  | first=Norman
  | year=1984
  | title=U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History
  | location=Annapolis
  | publisher=Naval Institute Press
  | isbn=978-0-87021-739-5
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 1984}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Rohwer
  | first = Jürgen
  | author-link = Jürgen Rohwer
  | year = 2005
  | title = Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-1-59114-119-8
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Rohwer}}
  }}

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book|url=https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1163&context=ww_reg_his|title=The Saga of the U.S.S. Birmingham: A Compilation of Her Officers & Men|publisher=Newsfoto Publishing Company|year=1946|location=San Angelo, Texas|oclc=31159156}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Birmingham (CL-62)}}

*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/062/04062.htm navsource.org: USS ''Birmingham'']
*[http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/CL62/MightyB.html The Mighty "B" – Captain Thomas B. Inglis]
*[http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/CL62/BuShipsDamageReport82/ Solomons Islands Damage Report, 8 November 1943]
 
{{Cleveland class cruiser}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birmingham (CL-62)}}
[[Category:Cleveland-class cruisers]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United States]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]