Detroit (AOE 4) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 7 text:

1893-1898 1923-1941 The third DETROIT, commissioned in July 1893, had a much longer and more varied career than either of her pre- decessors. After five years of protecting U.S. interests in Japan, Brazil, Korea and the Caribbean, she was assigned to blockade duty off Cuba at the start of the Spanish American War in 1898. While there, she captured the Spanish steamer CATALINA. The fourth DETROIT, commissioned in 1923, was a light cruiser of 7,050 tons that served as the flagship for a number of task forces. She was moored at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked in 1941, but managed to get underway and set up an anti-aircraft fire which ac- counted for several planes. For her WW II service she received a total of six engagement stars.

Page 6 text:

PROUD U.S. NAVY VESSELS NAMED DETROIT Throughout the history of this nation five U.S. Naval vessels have proudly carried the name DETROIT. The newest USS DETROIT plays an important role in fleet operations. The fast combat support ship was launched at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington on 21 June 1969. Fitted with new high-speed transfer equipment, the DETROIT is able to provide our carriers and their screening ships with fuel oil, aircraft fuel, the ordnance, sustaining the flexibility and on-the-line endurance of these versatile attack forces. Her displacement of 52,000 tons exceeds that of most WW II battleships. She was commissioned 28 March 1970 and is manned by 23 officers and 500 enlisted men. The story about to be told in this book is of her third Mediterranean Cruise, where once again DETROIT and her crew proved themselves capable of outstanding performance. 1813-1824 1869 The first DETROIT, a 19 gun brig of 400 tons, was first a British ship built at Maiden, fnow Amhcrstburg) Canada in 1813. She was captured by Commodore Perry ' s forces at the Battle of Lake Erie that September, but was so badly damaged and had to be laid up at Put- in-Bay, Ohio. She remained out of service until sold in 1824 to commercial trading interests. The second DETROIT in the U.S. Navy had a very brief career, beginning on 15 May 1869 with the changing of the name of the USS CANANDAIGUA to DETROIT, and ending when the name was again changed on 10 August 1869, back to the CANANDAIGUA.

Page 8 text:

4 Change of Command 6 August 1974 ugusta Bay, Sicily CATANIA AUGUSTA SIRACUSA r ir £ ■51 V ' 1 promise you loyalty, TAORMINA MT. ETNA