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109k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) Launching, at the Newport News Shipbuilding
and Dry Dock Company shipyard, Newport News, Virginia, 20 March 1942.
Courtesy of James Russell, 1972.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 75592.
|
Fred Weiss/USNHC |
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237k |
WWII era starboard bow image. It appears to have been censored
as all the Radar antennae are removed. From the collection of Oscar Hale.
|
Gary J. Hale |
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103k |
Early 1943 image. (During Atlantic Service) |
USN |
0406228 |
46k |
Midships looking forward during Inclining while at Newport
News Shipbuilding, 16 January 1943. |
Pieter Bakels |
0406229 |
28k |
Bow looking aft during Inclining while at Newport News Shipbuilding,
16 January 1943. |
Pieter Bakels |
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135k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) Underway in the Hampton Roads area, Virginia,
on 20 February 1943. This image has been retouched by wartime censors
to obscure radar antennas atop the ship's gun directors.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center.
|
Fred Weiss/USNHC |
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130k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) Underway in the Hampton Roads area, Virginia,
on 20 February 1943. Photographed by Naval Air Station, Hampton Roads.
Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute. James C. Fahey Collection.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 90021.
|
Fred Weiss/USNHC |
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65k |
Birmingham at Mare Island in dry dock #2 on 21 Jan
44. She is being repaired dur to bomb and torpedo damage suffered in Empress
Augusta Bay off Bouganville. The ship's gunners shot down the torpedo
plane which torpedoed their ship. (caption updated by Darryl Baker) |
USN |
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246k |
Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Birmingham (CL-62) at
Mare Island on 6 Feb 1944. Birmingham was at the yard from 22 Dec 43
until 15 Feb 44 for battle damage repair.
U.S. Navy Photo #841-44
|
Darryl Baker |
0406230 |
49k |
Plan view midships looking aft at Mare Island on 6 Feb 1944.
Birmingham was at the yard from 22 Dec 43 until 15 Feb 44 for battle damage
repair. |
Pieter Bakels |
0406231 |
48k |
Plan view midships looking forward at Mare Island on 6 Feb
1944. Birmingham was at the yard from 22 Dec 43 until 15 Feb 44 for battle
damage repair. |
Pieter Bakels |
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305k |
Forward plan view of USS Birmingham (CL-62) at Mare Island on
6 Feb 1944. Birmingham was at the yard from 22 Dec 43 until 15 Feb 44
for battle damage repair.
U.S. Navy Photo #844-44
|
Darryl Baker |
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183k |
Broadside view of USS Birmingham (CL-62) off Mare Island on
7 Feb 1944. Birmingham was at the yard from 22 Dec 43 until 15 Feb 44
for battle damage repair.
U.S. Navy Photo #848-44
|
Darryl Baker |
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124k |
Birmingham at sea in dazzle camouflage scheme on
June 11, 1944. She has returned from torpedo damage repair after being
struck on November 4, 1943. |
USN |
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128k |
Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 - USS Birmingham (CL-62)
comes alongside the burning USS
Princeton (CVL-23) to assist with fire fighting, 24 October
1944.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National
Archives # 80-G-281660-2.
|
Scott Dyben/National Archives |
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160k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) Shown here on October 24,
1944 helping fight fires aboard the USS
Princeton (CVL-23). The Princeton exploded violently, shortly
after this photo was taken, sealing her fate and grievously killing and
injuring the Birmingham's topside crew and severely damaging the
cruiser too. |
USN |
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78k |
Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 - Crewmen on USS Birmingham (CL-62)
play fire hoses on the burning USS
Princeton (CVL-23), as their ship comes alongside to assist
in damage control measures, 24 October 1944.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National
Archives # 80-G-270357.
|
Scott Dyben/National Archives |
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173k |
USS
Princeton (CVL-23) alongside USS Birmingham (CL-62) in
the vicinity of the cruiser's 5" gun mount No. 3. This picture was
recorded by the Mare Island Navy Yard (photo # 7309-44) when CL-62 was
repaired there.
|
Darryl Baker |
 |
98k |
View from the foredeck on USS Birmingham (CL-62) as she stood
alongside USS
Princeton (CVL-23) to help fight her fires, during the afternoon
of 24 October. The carrier had been hit by a Japanese air attack while
operating off the Philippines. Note fire hoses on Birmingham's
deck and details of the underside of her Number Two 6"/47 gun turret.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National
Archives #80-G-270453.
|
National Archives |
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164k |
Another view of USS
Princeton (CVL-23) from USS Birmingham (CL-62). This picture was
recorded by the Mare Island Navy Yard (photo # 7308-44) when the light
cruiser was repaired there.
|
Darryl Baker |
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186k |
Damage control party examines Princeton's
shattered hangar, after she was ripped by explosions following a Japanese
bomb hit off the Philippines on 24 October. Note the burned out airplane
inside the carrier's hangar, and the top of her hull blister in the lower
foreground. Photo taken from USS Birmingham (CL-62), which was
alongside to assist with firefighting, and recorded by the Mare Island
Navy Yard (photo # 7307-44) when the light cruiser was repaired there.
|
Darryl Baker |
 |
91k |
Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 1944 - Heavy explosion aft on USS
Princeton (CVL-23), with USS Birmingham (CL-62) alongside,
24 October 1944.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National
Archives #80-G-281663-3.
|
Scott Dyben/USNHC |
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86k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62), at left, and a destroyer pull away from
USS Princeton
(CVL-23) following the big explosion that destroyed the carrier's
stern at about 1523 hrs. on 24 October 1944. This blast killed over
two hundred men aboard Birmingham, which was alongside Princeton
fighting fires. Note the light smoke over Birmingham's midships
and stern areas. Princeton's stern, and a good deal of her after
superstructure, has been blown off.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National
Archives # 80-G-270553.
|
USNHC |
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123k |
Close up of bridge area of the Birmingham showing
damage sustained when the light-carrier USS
Princeton (CVL-23) torpedo magazine exploded after it appeared
her fires were out. |
USN |
 |
123k |
Shown here entering San Francisco's Mare Island Navy Yard
in November, 1944 for repairs and replacement of personnel. She is shown
here battered, burned and war weary from her experience with the USS
Princeton (CVL-23) attempted rescue and fire fighting efforts. |
USN |
 |
94k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California,
following overhaul and repair of combat damage, 21 January 1945.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center #NH 87950.
|
USNHC |
 |
169k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, 22 January
1945, following battle damage repair and overhaul. Photographed from
one of the Navy Yard cranes, this "plan view" of the ship's forward
area shows a number of recent alterations, enclosed in white lines drawn
on the image. Notable features include the forward Mark 37 Gun Director
with antennas for Mark 12 and Mark 22 radars (upper left center); 6"/47,
5"/38, 40mm and 20mm guns; protective canvas covers on 40mm gun barrels;
and a variety of equipment on the ship's command platform. Also note
the portable gangway between the ship and the pier, and very long shadows
cast by people standing on the pier.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center #NH 98122.
|
USNHC |
 |
147k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, 22 January
1945, following battle damage repair and overhaul. Photographed from
a Navy Yard crane, this "plan view" of the ship's midships area shows
a number of recent alterations, enclosed in white lines drawn on the
image. Notable features include Mark 34 Gun Directors with antennas
for Mark 8 radar on top; height-finding radar on the mainmast; antenna
for SK search radar on the foremast; and new electronic antennas on
the after end of the forward smokestack.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center #NH 98123.
|
USNHC |
 |
174k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, 22 January
1945, following battle damage repair and overhaul. Photographed from
a Navy Yard crane, this "plan view" of the ship's midships area shows
a number of recent alterations, enclosed in white lines drawn on the
image. Notable features include the forward smokestack, with a new electronics
platform mounted on it; 40mm quad gun mounts; life rafts; Mark 34 Gun
Director; and a variety of equipment on the ship's forward superstructure
platforms.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center #NH 98124.
|
USNHC |
 |
144k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, 22 January
1945, following battle damage repair and overhaul. Photographed from
a Navy Yard crane, this "plan view" of the ship's after area shows a
number of recent alterations, enclosed in white lines drawn on the image.
Notable features include a Mark 34 Gun Director with antenna for Mark
8 radar; Mark 37 Gun Director with antennas for Mark 12 and Mark 22
radars; the after smokestack with searchlight platforms mounted on it;
and the height-finding radar and other electronic equipment on the mainmast.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical
Center #NH 98125.
|
USNHC |
|
57k |
Port bow view, 1946. |
Richard Leonhardt |
0406227 |
515k |
The USS Birmingham (CL-62) is seen in dry dock #2
at Mare Island on 12 June 1946. She has in dock from 10 June to 16 July
1946. The USS
Gen. C. C. Breckinridge (AP-176) is seen to the left and USS
Rankin (AKA-103) is in dry dock #3 to the right. |
Darryl Baker |
 |
65k |
Starboard bow view possibly at Mare Island just before decommissioning
which would put it in January 1947. |
Bruce Billig |
 |
120k |
USS Birmingham (CL-62) View on the cruiser's forecastle, looking
aft, taken the day she left the San Diego Reserve Fleet facility for
the wrecking yard, circa 9 December 1959. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval
Institute Photo Collection, 1979.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 89291.
|
Fred Weiss/USNHC |
