View source for USS Boise (CL-47)

{{Short description|Brooklyn-class light cruiser}}
{{Other ships|USS Boise}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Boise (CL-47) underway 1938.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Boise'' (July 1938)
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1946}}
|Ship name=''Boise''
|Ship namesake=City of [[Boise, Idaho]]
|Ship ordered= 13 February 1929
|Ship awarded=22 August 1934 
|Ship builder=[[Newport News Shipbuilding|Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company]], [[Newport News, Virginia]]
|Ship original cost=$11,650,000 (contract price)
|Ship laid down= 1 April 1935
|Ship launched= 3 December 1936
|Ship sponsor= Miss Salome Clark
|Ship acquired= 
|Ship completed= 
|Ship commissioned= 12 August 1938
|Ship decommissioned= 1 July 1946
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship struck=25 January 1951
|Ship identification=*[[Hull classification symbol#Surface combatant type|Hull symbol]]:CL-47
*[[International Code of Signals|Code letters]]:NAQG
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Alpha}}{{ICS|Quebec}}{{ICS|Golf}}
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honors=[[File:Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg|18px]] [[File:Silver-service-star-3d.png|20px]] 11 × [[Battle star#Navy warships|battle star]]s
|Ship fate=Sold to [[Argentina]], 11 January 1951
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=Argentina
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Argentina|naval}}
|Ship name=''Nueve de Julio '' 
|Ship namesake=[[Argentine Declaration of Independence|Independence of Argentina]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=
|Ship acquired=11 January 1951
|Ship commissioned=11 March 1952
|Ship decommissioned=1979
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship struck=
|Ship identification=Hull symbol:C-5
|Ship fate=*Sold for scrap August 1981
*Scrapped 1983 at Brownsville, Texas
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (as built)<ref name="ships">{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rp-jAAAAMAAJ| title=Ships' Data, U. S. Naval Vessels | publisher=US Naval Department | date=1 July 1935 | access-date=17 October 2015 | pages=24–31}}</ref>
|Ship class= {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|10,000|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (estimated as design)
*{{convert|9,767|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (standard)
*{{convert|12,207|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (max)
|Ship length=*{{convert|600|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|oa]]
*{{convert|608|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} [[Waterline length|lwl]]
|Ship beam={{convert|61|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=*{{convert|19|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}} (mean)
*{{convert|24|ft|m|abbr=on}} (max)
|Ship depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship power=*8 × [[Steam boiler]]s 
*{{convert|100,000|shp|kW|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*4 × [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|geared turbines]]
*4 × [[Propeller|screw]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|32.5|kn|mph km/h|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=868 officers and enlisted
|Ship armament=*15 × [[6"/47 caliber Mark 16 gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}/47]] [[caliber (artillery)|caliber]] Mark 16 guns (5x3)
*8 × [[5"/25 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}/25 caliber]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]] (8×1)
*8 × [[M2 Browning|caliber {{convert|0.50|in|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}]] [[Heavy machine gun|machine guns]]
|Ship armor=*[[Armor belt|Belt]]: {{convert|3+1/4|-|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Barbette]]s: {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{convert|1+1/4|-|6|in|mm|abbr=on}}
*[[Conning tower]]: {{convert|2+1/4|-|5|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|Ship aircraft=4 × [[Curtiss SOC Seagull|SOC Seagull]] [[floatplane]]s
|Ship aircraft facilities=2 × [[stern]] [[Aircraft catapult|catapults]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (1945)<ref name="history">{{cite web | url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_USS_Boise_CL47.html | title=USS Boise (CL-47) | publisher=Historyofwar.org | date=18 May 2015 | access-date=17 October 2015 | author=Rickard, J}}</ref><ref name="haze">{{cite web | url=http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl1.htm | title=US Cruisers List: Light/Heavy/Antiaircraft Cruisers, Part 1 | publisher=Hazegray.org | date=22 January 2000 | access-date=17 October 2015 | archive-date=12 December 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212065057/http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/cruisers/ca-cl1.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Ship armament=*15 × {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}/47 caliber Mark 16 guns (5x3)
*8 × {{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns (8×1)
*4 × quad [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|in|abbr=on}} Bofors]] anti-aircraft guns
*2 × twin {{convert|40|mm|in|abbr=on}} Bofors anti-aircraft guns
*18 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on}} Oerlikon]] anti-aircraft cannons
}}
|}

'''USS ''Boise'' (CL-47)''' was a [[light cruiser]] of the {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser|4}} in the [[United States Navy]]. The cruiser was named for [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]], the capital city of the state of [[Idaho]]. [[Ship commissioning|Commissioned]] in 1938, she saw extensive service during [[World War II]], taking part in fighting in the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Mediterranean]] and [[Pacific War|Pacific]] theaters. Following the war the ship was [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] in 1946 and lay idle until sold to Argentina in 1951. Renamed [[ARA Nueve de Julio (C-5)|ARA ''Nueve de Julio'']], the ship remained in service with the [[Argentinian Navy]] until 1978, after which she was taken to [[Brownsville, Texas]] and [[Ship breaking|scrapped]] in 1983.

==Construction and career==

===Commissioning and Interwar period===

''Boise'' was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 3 December 1936 by [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]], [[Newport News, Virginia]], sponsored by Miss Salome Clark, the daughter of [[Barzilla W. Clark|Governor Clark]] of [[Idaho]]. The ship commissioned on 12 August 1938 with Captain [[Benjamin Vaughan McCandlish]] in command.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web | url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/boise-i.html | title=Boise I (CL-47) | publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command | date=25 June 2015 | access-date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

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.<ref name="DANFS" />

===World War II===
The outbreak of war on 8 December 1941 found ''Boise'' off [[Cebu Island]].{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''Boise''}} On 9 January 1942 Task Force 5 (TF 5) was in northern Australian waters.{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=531}} ''Boise'' with the task force commander, [[William A. Glassford|Rear Admiral Glassford]] aboard, departed [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] that day with {{USS|Marblehead|CL-12|2}} and destroyers {{USS|Barker|DD-213|2}}, {{USS|Parrott|DD-218|2}}, {{USS|Bulmer|DD-222|2}}, {{USS|Stewart|DD-224|2}} and {{USS|Pope|DD-225|2}} escorting the Dutch ship {{MS|Bloemfontein|1934|2}} that was transporting hastily re-stowed supplies, artillery and artillerymen of the Headquarters Battery, 26th Field Artillery Brigade and the 1st Battalion, 131st Field Artillery that had arrived with the [[Pensacola Convoy]] to [[Surabaya]].{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=531}}{{sfn|Leighton|Coakley|1955–68|p=170}}{{sfn|Masterson|1949|p=8}} She rejoined the other elements of TF 5 in the [[East Indies]], but on 21 January 1942 she struck an “uncharted” shoal in [[Sape Strait]] and had to retire to [[Colombo]], [[Ceylon]]; [[Bombay]], India; and [[Mare Island Navy Yard]] for repairs, which in essence saved her from being destroyed with the rest of the Allied ships during the various battles around Java. Her repairs completed, she sailed on 22 June to escort a [[convoy]] to [[Auckland]], New Zealand.<ref name="DANFS" />

''Boise'' returned to [[Pearl Harbor]] and was tasked to conduct a raiding cruise in [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] waters in hopes of creating an impression, including generating radio traffic, of a striking force heading for Japan to draw attention away from preparations for [[Guadalcanal campaign|Guadalcanal]]. ''Boise'' departed Pearl Harbor 27 July and was expected to begin this raid on the Japanese [[sampan]] patrol line guarding approaches to [[Honshu]] about {{convert|750|mi}} east of [[Tokyo]] on 5 August. She completed the raid on 8 August. Two [[seaplane]]s that had to land on the water at sunset were lost, one being found by the Japanese with indications this caused apprehension of a strike force preparing to attack Japan.{{sfn|Nimitz|Steele| 1942 | pp=625, 816, 821–822, 825}}{{sfn| Cressman | 1999 |p=entry for 27 July, Mon.}}

[[File:"Pick Out the Biggest One and Fire" - NARA - 534292.tif|thumb|left|"Pick Out the Biggest One and Fire!" – wartime propaganda poster quoting a command issued by Captain Edward J. "Mike" Moran on USS ''Boise'', during a battle near the Solomons]]

In August, she escorted a convoy to [[Fiji]] and [[New Hebrides]]. From 14 to 18 September, she helped cover the landing of Marine reinforcements on Guadalcanal.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''Boise''}}

On the night of 11–12 October 1942, during the [[Battle of Cape Esperance]], the task force of which ''Boise'' was part encountered a force of Japanese cruisers and destroyers to the west of Guadalcanal. In the engagement ''Boise'' was hit a number of times, twice by fire from a Japanese heavy cruiser from about {{convert|7,500|yards|m}} range. One hit exploded upon impact on her armor causing little damage. The other penetrated under the waterline and exploded in the {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} magazine located between number I and II turrets causing a powder fire and flooding, putting turrets I, II, and III out of action and causing a number of casualties{{sfn|Navy Department, Bureau of Ships 25 January 1943: War Damage Report No. 24}} including 107 killed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/the-first-victory/|title=The First Victory|date=20 January 2019}}</ref>

Under the command of Captain "Mike" Moran, who was later awarded the [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]] for his leadership during the battle,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/pers-us/uspers-m/ej-moran.htm|title = US People--Moran, Edward J., Rear Admiral, USN (Retired)}}</ref> ''Boise'' made her way to [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]], where she underwent repairs from 19 November 1942 to 20 March 1943.{{sfn|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''Boise''}} The gunfire damage was the first case available for complete [[Bureau of Ships]] analysis.{{sfn|Navy Department, Bureau of Ships 25 January 1943: War Damage Report No. 24}} It was discovered that one of the shells was of English manufacture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/04/047/04047.htm|title =USS BOISE (CL 47) |website=NavSource}}</ref>

''Boise'' 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.<ref name="DANFS" />

During January–September 1944, she took part in operations along the northern shore of New Guinea, including:
[[Madang]]-[[Alexishafen]] bombardment (25–26 January);
[[Teluk Yos Sudarso|Humboldt Bay]] landings (22 April);
shelling the [[Wakde Airfield|Wakde]] and [[Battle of Lone Tree Hill|Sawar Airfields]] to neutralize the danger of air attack on newly won Allied positions (29–30 April);
[[Battle of Wakde]]-Toem landings (15–25 May);
[[Battle of Biak]] landings (25 May – 10 June);
[[Battle of Noemfoor]] landings (1–2 July);
[[Battle of Sansapor]] landings (27 July – 31 August);
and the [[Battle of Morotai]] landings (1–30 September).
The cruiser then moved north, as the battle front advanced into the Philippines, taking part in:
[[Battle of Leyte|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 (4–13 January 1945);<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-040/h-040-3.html |title=H-040-3: Lingayen Gulf |website=www.history.navy.mil |access-date=25 April 2021}}</ref>
[[Luzon]] covering force (14–31 January);
[[Bataan]]-[[Corregidor]] occupation (13–17 February);
and [[Zamboanga Peninsula|Zamboanga]] landings (8–12 March).
She then moved to [[Borneo]] for the [[Tarakan Island|Tarakan]] landings (27 April – 3 May).<ref name="DANFS" />

From 3–16 June, she carried General MacArthur on a {{convert|3,500|mi|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.<ref name="DANFS" />

===Argentine Navy===
{{main|ARA Nueve de Julio (C-5)}}{{See also|Bombardment of Mar del Plata}}
''Boise'' was sold to Argentina on 11 January 1951,<ref name="DANFS" /> along with {{USS|Phoenix|CL-46|2}}, where they were commissioned as {{ship|ARA|Nueve de Julio|C-5|2}} ("9 July", Argentina's Independence Day) and {{ship|ARA|Diecisiete de Octubre||2}} (later renamed ''General Belgrano'') respectively.

During her years as an Argentinian warship, she took part of the ''[[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 ''General Belgrano'' on exercises in 1956, which resulted in damage to both cruisers.<ref>[http://www.histarmar.com.ar/Armada%20Argentina/HistoriaCrucerosArgentinos.htm ''Historia de los Cruceros Argentinos''] {{in lang|es}}</ref>

''Nueve de Julio'' remained in service with the Argentine Navy until 1978, when she was decommissioned and towed to [[Brownsville, Texas]].<ref name="haze" />

[[Image:IdahoMilitaryHistoryMuseumUSSBoiseCL-47Exhibit.jpg|thumb|250px|The ship's bell, which was saved whilst she was being scrapped, is on display at the [[Idaho Military History Museum]]]]

==Awards==
''Boise'' received 11 [[battle star]]s for her service in World War II.<ref name="DANFS" />

==References==

===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book |last=Bonner |first=Kermit |title=Final Voyages  |year=1996  |publisher=Turner Publishing Company |isbn=1-56311-289-2 }}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-Chron/index.html |title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II |last=Cressman |first=Robert J. |year=1999 |publisher=Contemporary History Branch, Naval Historical Center (now Naval History & Heritage Command) |access-date=27 May 2013}}
*{{cite book| title=The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, Two-Ocean Fleet Edition |author=Fahey, James C. |author-link=James Charles Fahey |publisher=Ships and Aircraft |year=1941}}
*{{cite book |last=Gill |first=G. Hermon |title=Royal Australian Navy 1939–1942 |series=Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy |volume=1 |year=1957 |publisher=Australian War Memorial |location=Canberra |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67910 |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-date=15 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315003605/http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67910 |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |last1=Leighton |first1=Richard M |last2=Coakley |first2=Robert W |year=1955–68 |title=The War Department — Global Logistics And Strategy 1940–1943 |series=United States Army In World War II |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Center Of Military History, United States Army |lccn=55-60001 }}
*{{cite book |last=Masterson |first=Dr. James R. |title=U. S. Army Transportation In The Southwest Pacific Area 1941-1947  |year=1949 |publisher=Transportation Unit, Historical Division, Special Staff, U. S. Army |location=Washington, D. C. }}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/boise-i.html |title=''Boise I (CL-47)''  |author=Naval History And Heritage Command |work=Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher=Naval History And Heritage Command |access-date=30 May 2023|ref={{harvid|Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: ''Boise''}}}}
*{{cite web |url=http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/WarDamageReports/WarDamageReportCL47/WarDamageReportCL47.html |title=U. S. S. Boise (CL47)—Gunfire Damage—Savo Island 11–12 October, 1942 (War Damage Report No. 24) |author=Navy Department, Bureau of Ships |date=25 January 1943 |work=War Damage Reports |publisher=Navy Department (Digital copy hosted by HyperWar) |access-date=21 September 2013|ref={{harvid|Navy Department, Bureau of Ships 25 January 1943: War Damage Report No. 24}}}}
*{{cite book |last1=Nimitz |first1=Chester W., Admiral (USN) |last2=Steele |first2=James M., Captain (USN) |year=1942 |title='Gray Book' — War Plans and Files of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet; Running Estimate and Summary maintained by Captain James M. Steele, USN, CINCPAC staff at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, covering the period 7 December 1941 – 31 August 1942. |volume =1 of 8 volumes |location=Operational Archives, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. |url =http://www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/D/D7/nimitz_graybook1.pdf }}
*{{cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=Christopher C. |title=Question 7/56: Concerning What Radar Systems Were Installed on U.S. Asiatic Fleet Ships in December 1941 |journal=Warship International |date=September 2019 |volume=LVI |issue=3 |pages=192–198 |issn=0043-0374}}
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/boise-i.html}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book
 | last = Morris
 | first = Frank Daniel
 | year = 1943
 | title = "Pick out the biggest": Mike Moran and the men of the Boise
 | url = https://archive.org/details/pickoutbiggestmi00morr
 | url-access = registration
 | publisher = Houghton Mifflin Co
 }}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|USS Boise (CL-47)|USS Boise (CL-47)}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-b/cl47.htm history.navy.mil: Official Photos of USS ''Boise''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020103061044/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-b/cl47.htm |date=3 January 2002 }}

{{Brooklyn class cruiser}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boise (Cl-47)}}
[[Category:Brooklyn-class cruisers]]
[[Category:1936 ships]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:Naval ships of Operation Husky]]