USS Juneau (CL-52) Memorial, Juneau, Alaska, USA
Posted by: 
HANSENNI
N 58° 17.644 W 134° 23.866
8V E 535304 N 6461608
Dedicated to the crew of the USS Juneau (CL-52) of whom all but 10 were killed when the ship was sunk by Japanese torpedoes during the battle of Guadalcanal in November of 1942. Among the crewmen lost were the 5 Sullivan brothers of Waterloo, Iowa.
Waymark Code: WM3X86
Location: Alaska, United States
Date Posted: 05/30/2008
Views: 110
USS Juneau (CL-52) was a United States Navy Atlanta-class light cruiser sunk in the naval battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. USS Juneau was commissioned 14 February 1942, Captain Lyman K. Swenson in command.
On 8 November Juneau departed Nouméa, New Caledonia, as a unit of Task Force 67 under the command of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner to escort reinforcements to Guadalcanal. The force arrived there early morning 12 November, and Juneau took up her station in the protective screen around the transports and cargo vessels. Unloading proceeded unmolested until 14:05 when 30 Japanese planes attacked the alerted United States group. The AA fire was effective, and Juneau alone accounted for six enemy torpedo planes shot down. The few remaining attackers were then attacked by American fighters; only one bomber escaped. Later in the day an American attack group of cruisers and destroyers cleared Guadalcanal on reports that a large enemy surface force was headed for the island. At 0148 on 13 November Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan's relatively small Landing Support Group engaged the enemy. The Japanese force consisted of two battleships, one light cruiser, and nine destroyers.
Due to bad weather and confused communications, the battle occurred in close to pitch darkness and at almost point-blank range as the ships of the two sides intermingled with each other. During the melee, Juneau was struck on the port side by a torpedo causing a severe list, stopping her dead in the water, and necessitating withdrawal. Before noon 13 November, Juneau, along with two other cruisers damaged in the battle — Helena, and San Francisco — left the Guadalcanal area to return to Espiritu Santo for repairs. Juneau was steaming on one screw, keeping station 800 yards on the starboard quarter of the likewise severely damaged San Francisco (CA-38). She was down 12 feet by the bow, but able to maintain 13 knots. A few minutes after 11:00 three torpedoes were launched from the B1 type submarine I-26. Juneau successfully avoided two, but the third struck her at the same point which had been damaged during the surface action. There was a great explosion; Juneau broke in two and disappeared in 20 seconds. Fearing more attacks from the I-26, the Helena and San Francisco continued-on without attempting to rescue survivors. Although the ship went down with heavy loss of life, more than 100 survivors had survived the sinking. They were left to fend on their own in the open ocean for eight days before rescue aircraft belatedly arrived. While awaiting rescue, all but 10 died from the elements and savage shark attacks, including Captain Swenson and the two remaining Sullivan brothers. (The other three died as a direct result of the 2nd torpedo.) (Kurzman, 1994).
Property Permission: Public
Access instructions: 24x7 access. ADA compliant area.
Access times: From: 12:00 AM To: 12:00 AM
Location of waymark:
Franklin Cruise Ship Dock area
Juneau, AK USA
Commemoration: Crew of the USS Juneau
Date of Dedication: Not listed
Website for Waymark: Not listed
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