USS Boise (CL-47)

USS Boise (CL-47) was a United States Navy Brooklyn-class light cruiser. The cruiser was named for Boise, the capital city of the state of Idaho.

Boise was launched on 3 December 1936 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia, sponsored by Miss Salome Clark, daughter of Governor Clark of Idaho; and commissioned on 12 August 1938, Captain Benjamin Vaughan McCandlish in command. {| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents
[hide] *1 United States Navy
 * 1.1 Inter-war period
 * 1.2 World War II
 * 2 Argentine Navy
 * 3 Awards
 * 4 Notes
 * 5 References
 * 6 Further reading
 * 7 External links
 * }

[edit] Inter-war period
In February 1939, following a shakedown cruise to Monrovia, Liberia and Cape Town, Union of South Africa, Boise joined Cruiser Division 9 (CruDiv 9), Battle Force, at San Pedro, California. Until November 1941, she operated alternately off the west coast and in Hawaiian waters. She then escorted a convoy to Manila, Philippine Islands, arriving on 4 December.

[edit] World War II
The outbreak of war in the Philippines on 8 December 1941 found Boise off Cebu Island. She joined Task Force 5 (TF 5) in the East Indies, but on 21 January 1942 struck an uncharted shoal in Sape Strait and had to retire to Colombo, Ceylon; Bombay, India; and Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs.

Her repairs completed, she sailed on 22 June to escort a convoy to Auckland, New Zealand. She then returned to Pearl Harbor, and during 31 July – 10 August, conducted a raiding cruise in Japanese waters as a feint to draw attention away from Guadalcanal. In August, she escorted a convoy to Fiji and New Hebrides. From 14–18 September, she helped cover the landing of Marine reinforcements on Guadalcanal. During the Battle of Cape Esperance, she was hit by Japanese cruiser fire in her magazine, which killed everyone near her No. 1, 2, and 3 turrets, a total of 107 crew. Under the command of Captain "Mike" Moran, who was later awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership during the battle, Boise made her way to Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she underwent repairs from 19 November 1942 to 20 March 1943. "Pick Out the Biggest One and Fire!" - wartime propaganda poster quoting a command issued by Captain Edward J. "Mike" Moran on the USS Boise, during a battle near the SolomonsBoise departed on 8 June for the Mediterranean, arriving at Algiers, Algeria on 21 June. From 10 July to 18 August, she acted as a cover and fire support ship for the Amphibious Battle of Gela during the Invasion of Sicily. In September, she took part in the Italian mainland landings at Taranto (9–10 September) and Salerno (12–19 September). She returned to New York on 15 November, and once again steamed to the South Pacific, arriving at Milne Bay, New Guinea on 31 December. Boise firing on positions in New GuineaDuring January-September 1944, she took part in operations along the northern shore of New Guinea, including: Madang-Alexishafen bombardment (25–26 January); Humboldt Bay landings (22 April); Wakde-Sawar bombardment (29–30 April); Wakde-Toem landings (15–25 May); Biak landings (25 May – 10 June); Noemfoor landings (1–2 July); Cape Sansapor landings (27 July – 31 August); and the occupation of Morotai (1–30 September). The cruiser then moved north, as the battle front advanced into the Philippines, taking part in: Leyte invasion (20–24 October); Battle of Surigao Strait (25 October); Mindoro landings (12–17 December); Leyte-Mindoro covering action (26–29 December); Lingayen Gulf landings, with General Douglas MacArthur embarked (9–13 January 1945); Luzon covering force (14–31 January); Bataan-Corregidor occupation (13–17 February); and Zamboanga landings (8–12 March). She then moved to Borneo for the Tarakan landings (27 April – 3 May).

From 3–16 June, she carried General MacArthur on a 3,500 mi (5,600 km) tour of the Central and Southern Philippines and Brunei Bay, Borneo, and then returned to San Pedro, California, arriving on 7 July. There she remained, undergoing overhaul and training until October. She sailed on 3 October for the east coast, arriving at New York on 20 October. Boise remained there until decommissioned on 1 July 1946.

[edit] Argentine Navy
Main article: ARA Nueve de JulioBoise was sold to Argentina on 11 January 1951, along with  Phoenix , where they were commissioned as the  Nueve de Julio  ("9 July", Argentina's Independence Day) and  Diecisiete de Octubre  (later renamed General Belgrano ) respectively.

During her years as an Argentinian warship, she took part of the so-called Revolución Libertadora, shelling oil depots and military facilities around the coastal city of Mar del Plata, on 19 September 1955. She was accidentally rammed by ARA General Belgrano on exercises in 1956, which resulted in damage to both cruisers.[2]

Nueve de Julio remained in service with the Argentine Navy until 1978, when she was decommissioned and towed to Japan for scrapping.[3]

[edit] Awards
Boise received 11 battle stars for her service in World War II].

[edit] Notes

 * 1) ^ Fahey 1941 p. 9
 * 2) ^  Historia de los Cruceros Argentinos  (Spanish)
 * 3) ^ Bonner, p.41

[edit] References

 * Fahey, James C. (1941). The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, Two-Ocean Fleet Edition. Ships and Aircraft.
 * Bonner, Kermit (1996). Final Voyages. Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-289-2
 * This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

[edit] Further reading

 * Morris, Frank Daniel (1943). "Pick out the biggest": Mike Moran and the men of the Boise. Houghton Mifflin Co.