Phoenix (CL 46) hits the water at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation Yards on 13 March 1938.

Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Collection. No. P563003B.

USS Phoenix (CL 46) Photographed while at anchor, 1939. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 68326

Stern view of USS Phoenix (CL 46) in the Panama Canal, circa 1939.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

Pearl Harbor Raid, December 1941 - USS Phoenix (CL 46) steams down the channel off Ford Island's "Battleship Row", past the sunken and burning USS West Virginia (BB 48), at left, and USS Arizona (BB 39), at right, 7 December 1941.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 50766

Australian War Memorial, Photo No.025403

Australian War Memorial, Photo No.025407

USS Phoenix (CL 46) is shown from the port quarter at Philadelphia Navy Yard wearing 32/5D on 30 August 1943. The vertical colors are haze gray (5-H) and navy blue (5-N). Note the 4 Curtiss SOC Seagull floatplanes (wings folded) on the catapults.

NARA photo #BS 54568 from USNDazzle.com, colorized by Yu Chu.

Cape Gloucester Invasion, December 1943 - USS Phoenix (CL 46) firing her 6"/47 guns during the pre-invasion bombardment of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, circa 24-26 December 1943. Photographed from the ship's fantail, looking forward.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-57445.

Port bow view while underway in 1944, location unknown. She is in camouflage pattern measure 32/5D.

Caption updated by Aryeh Wetherhorn.

Admiralties Invasion, 1944 Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid (left center) with General Douglas MacArthur (center) on the flag bridge of USS Phoenix (CL 46) during the pre-invasion bombardment of Los Negros Island, at the east end of Manus Island, 28 February 1944. At right is Colonel Lloyd Labrbas, acting aide to General MacArthur. Note 40mm quad gun mount in the background.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives #SC 188839.

Leyte Operation, October 1944 - The Australian heavy cruisers Shropshire (left) and Australia (right), with a U.S. heavy cruiser, photographed through a ring gun sight on board USS Phoenix (CL 46), off Leyte on 21 October 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-291377.

USS Phoenix (CL 46) (right) screening escort carriers (CVE) off Leyte, 30 October 1944. Photographed from one of the CVEs. Note flight deck barriers rigged in the foreground.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-309448.

USS Phoenix (CL 46) - Crewmen at port side midships 5"/25, 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns strain to identify a plane flying overhead, during the Mindoro invasion, 18 December 1944. This was a time of intense Kamikaze attacks, as the expressions on men's faces indicate. Note whaleboat in the lower left, anti-flash clothing, and floater net enclosed in a bag at right.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-47471.

General Manuel Belgrano, Argentinian namesake of ex-USS Phoenix (CL 46)

Manuel Belgrano (Buenos Aires, June 3, 1770 – Buenos Aires, June 20, 1820) was an intellectual, lawyer, economist, journalist, politician and military man of the United Provinces of the River Plate, currently Argentina. He took part in the war of the Independence and was the creator of the flag of Argentina.

AP wire photo of the commissioning of the USS Phoenix (CL 46) into the Argentine Navy. Photo caption reads:

"(px3) PHILADELPHIA, OCT 17--CRUISER "17 de OCTUBRE" General view of the commissioning ceremony of the Argentine cruiser "17 de Octubre", formerly the U.S. light cruiser Phoenix, (left). Captain Willard J. Suits, USN, is shown in foreground addressingthe guest and crew. On the right is the light cruiser Boise, which is scheduled to be turned over to the Argentine Navy at some future date. (AP WIREPHOTO) (WJA41840SM) 1951"

Robert Hurst