View source for USS Dayton (CL-105)

{{short description|Light cruiser of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Dayton}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
 | Ship image = [[File:USS Dayton (CL-105) underway at sea, in 1945.jpg|300px|USS Dayton]]
 | Ship caption =USS ''Dayton'' (CL-105), 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
 | Hide header =
 | Ship country =United States
 | Ship flag = {{USN flag|1949}}
 | Ship name = ''Dayton''
 | Ship namesake = City of [[Dayton, Ohio]]
 | Ship ordered =
 | Ship builder=[[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]], [[Camden, New Jersey]]
 | Ship laid down = 8 March 1943
 | Ship launched = 19 March 1944
 | Ship commissioned = 7 January 1945
 | Ship decommissioned = 1 March 1949
 | Ship struck = 1 September 1961
 | Ship fate = Sold for scrap on 6 April 1962
 | Ship notes =
}}
{{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"/47 caliber Mark 16 gun|{{cvt|6|in|0}} Mark 16 guns]]
* 12 × [[5"/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]]
* 10 × [[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 ''Dayton''''' 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}}.

The ship was launched 19 March 1944 by [[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]], [[Camden, New Jersey]], sponsored by Mrs. H.&nbsp;Rueger, and commissioned 7 January 1945, [[Captain (United States O-6)#U.S. Navy|Captain]] Paul William Steinhagen in command.<ref name="DANFS">{{cite web | url=http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/dayton.html| title=Dayton  | publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command | access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> Construction for ''Dayton'' was underwritten in part by the citizens of the City of [[Dayton Ohio]] through the purchase of [[war bonds]].{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}

==Design==
{{main|Cleveland-class cruiser}}

[[File:USS Dayton in Naples Italy.jpg|USS ''Dayton'' in Naples, fall 1947|thumb|left]]

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}}

''Dayton'' 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 ten [[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. ''Dayton''{{'}}s conning tower had 5-inch sides.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=119}}

==Service history==
[[File:USS Dayton Launching.jpg|alt=USS ''Dayton'' launching|thumb|left|''Dayton'' at her launching in March 1944]]

The [[keel]] for ''Dayton'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] at the [[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]], [[Camden, New Jersey]], on 8 March 1943. She was [[ship launching|launched]] on 19 March 1944 and was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] for active service on 7 January 1945 with the [[hull number]] CL-105.{{sfn|Friedman 1980|p=120}} After completing her [[shakedown cruise]], she traveled to the Pacific Ocean, arriving in [[Pearl Harbor]] on 15 May. There, she took part in combat training, before getting underway to join the [[United States Third Fleet|3rd Fleet]] for offensive operations against Japanese forces. She reached [[San Pedro Bay (Philippines)|San Pedro Bay]], [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]], in the Philippines on 16 June.{{sfn|DANFS}} There, she joined [[Task Force 38]], and she was assigned to the subordinate unit Task Group 38.1, along with five [[aircraft carrier]]s, three [[fast battleship]]s, four other cruisers, and several [[destroyer]]s.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=421}}

Two weeks later, on 1 July, the fleet sortied to carry out a series of air strikes on Japanese targets in the [[Japanese archipelago|Home Islands]]. ''Dayton'' formed part of the anti-aircraft screen that protected the aircraft carriers during these operations. The attacks began on 7 July and were carried out intermittently over the following eleven days. During this period, on 18 July, ''Dayton'' was temporarily transferred to Task Group 35.4, along with the cruisers {{USS|Topeka|CL-67|2}}, {{USS|Atlanta|CL-104|2}}, and {{USS|Duluth|CL-87|2}} and eight destroyers. The unit carried out a sweep for Japanese coastal shipping that night, but failed to locate any significant targets.{{sfn|DANFS}}{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=421–422}} ''Dayton'' thereafter returned to TG&nbsp;38.1 and remained with it for the next month during the initial occupation operations. The ships entered [[Sagami Bay]] on 27 August with the rest of TF&nbsp;38 to begin preparations for the formal surrender of Japan, which took place aboard the battleship {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}} on 2 September.{{sfn|Rohwer|pp=428–429}} ''Dayton'' entered [[Tokyo Bay]] on 10 September as part of the occupation force. She remained there through 7 November, apart from a brief voyage to [[Eniwetok]] for periodic maintenance. ''Dayton'' left Japan on 7 November and reached [[San Pedro, California]], twelve days later. The ship received one [[battle star]] during her short wartime career.{{sfn|DANFS}}

On 24 January 1946, ''Dayton'' departed San Pedro for Pearl Harbor, arriving there on the 30th. From there, she got underway bound for Japan, but while still en route on 7 February, she received a change in orders transferring her to the [[U.S. Atlantic Fleet]]. She took part in training exercises held off [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]], Cuba, later that year before sailing for her new home port at [[Norfolk, Virginia]]. The ship embarked on a tour of the [[Mediterranean Sea]] on 3 February 1947. During the cruise, she participated in maneuvers off [[Malta]], visited a series of foreign ports including [[Istanbul]], Turkey, and acted as the [[flagship]] of Commander of Naval Forces, Mediterranean. She arrived back in the United States on 30 November, stopping first at [[Boston]]. She thereafter took part in training operations held off the coast of [[New England]], operating out of [[Newport, Rhode Island]] into 1948. Another voyage to the Mediterranean followed from 9 February to 26 June. ''Dayton'' was then decommissioned on 1 March 1949 at Boston.{{sfn|DANFS}} After more than a decade in the [[reserve fleet]], the ship was stricken from the [[naval register]] on 1 September 1961 and sold to [[ship breaker]]s on 6 April 1962.{{sfn|Bauer & Roberts|p=151}}

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

{{notes}}

===Citations===

{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book
  |last1=Bauer
  |first1=K. Jack
  |last2=Roberts
  |first2=Stephen S.
  |title=Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990, Major Combatants
  |year=1991
  |location=New York
  |publisher=Greenwood Press
  |isbn=978-0-313-26202-9
  |ref={{sfnref|Bauer & Roberts}}
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | title = Dayton (CL-105)
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/dayton.html
  | date= 29 March 2016
  | 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}}
  }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Dayton (CL-105)}}
*{{navsource|04/105/04105|USS Dayton (CL-105}}

{{Cleveland class cruiser}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayton (Cl-105)}}
[[Category:Cleveland-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United States]]