USS Salem (CA-139) facts for kids
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USS Salem at Toulon, 18 June 1951
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Salem |
| Namesake | Salem, Massachusetts |
| Ordered | 14 June 1943 |
| Builder | Bethlehem Steel Co.'s Fore River Shipyard |
| Laid down | 4 July 1945 |
| Launched | 25 March 1947 |
| Commissioned | 14 May 1949 |
| Decommissioned | 30 January 1959 |
| Stricken | 7 December 1991 |
| Identification |
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| Status | Museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts 42°14′39″N 70°58′12″W / 42.24417°N 70.97000°W |
| Badge | _crest_1949.png) |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Des Moines-class heavy cruiser |
| Displacement |
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| Length | |
| Beam | 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m) |
| Draft | 22 ft (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 33 kn (61 km/h) |
| Range |
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| Boats & landing craft carried |
2–4 × lifeboats |
| Complement | 1,799 officers and enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Armament |
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| Armor |
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| Aviation facilities |
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The USS Salem (CA-139) was a powerful heavy cruiser built for the United States Navy. It was finished right after World War II and started service in 1949. The Salem was the second ship of its kind and the very last heavy cruiser in the world to join the navy. It is also the last one still around today. The ship was taken out of service in 1959 after sailing in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Now, you can visit the Salem as a museum ship in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Contents
Building the USS Salem
The Salem began construction on July 4, 1945. It was built by the Bethlehem Steel Co.'s Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. The ship was officially launched on March 25, 1947. Miss Mary G. Coffey was the sponsor for the launch. The Salem was then put into service on May 14, 1949, with Captain John C. Daniel in charge.
Its main guns were special because they were the world's first automatic 8-inch guns. These were also the first 8-inch naval guns to use ammunition that came in a single case, instead of separate parts.
The USS Salem's Adventures at Sea
After visiting Salem, Massachusetts, in July 1949, the Salem went on three months of test trips. These trips happened in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from July to October 1949. After the tests, it had some repairs at the Boston Navy Yard. The ship then made two more trips to Guantanamo in late 1949. In early 1950, it joined in training exercises with the Atlantic Fleet.
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The Salem left the United States East Coast on May 3, 1950. On May 17, it took over from the Newport News as the main ship for the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. This was the first of seven times the Salem served as the fleet's main ship in the Mediterranean. During these trips, the Salem visited many ports. These included places in Malta, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, and Algeria. It also took part in many training exercises. On September 22, the Newport News took its place, and the Salem returned to the United States.
After three weeks in Boston, the Salem joined the Atlantic Fleet for more training. On January 3, 1951, it sailed for six weeks of intense gunnery practice in Guantanamo. It finished its training near Bermuda. On March 20, it sailed back to the Mediterranean to again become the 6th Fleet's main ship. On September 19, the Des Moines took over. The Salem then returned to the United States for four months of major repairs in Boston.
The Salem sailed on February 1, 1952, for more training in Guantanamo. It came back to Boston on March 29 for repairs. On April 19, it left for its third trip to the Mediterranean. It took over from the Newport News in Algiers on April 28. Besides regular port visits and exercises, the Salem joined in "Exercise Beehive II." This exercise included ships from the United States, British, Italian, French, and Greek navies. The Des Moines relieved it again on September 29, and the Salem arrived in Boston on October 9.
After four months of local operations, the Salem sailed to Guantanamo Bay on January 24, 1953, for training. It returned to Boston on February 27. On April 17, it sailed for the Mediterranean and once more became the flagship. Its fourth trip included "Exercise Weldfest." It also helped with emergency relief after the 1953 Ionian earthquake. The Salem was the first American ship to arrive. It gave out supplies and help from August 13 until its own supplies ran low four days later. The Des Moines took over as flagship on October 9. The Salem returned to Boston on October 24 and went into the shipyard for major repairs.
On February 6, 1954, the Salem sailed to Guantanamo Bay again. It returned on April 7 after more training. It left Boston on April 30. When it arrived in the Mediterranean on May 12, it again became the 6th Fleet's main ship. The Des Moines took its place in Lisbon on September 22. The Salem returned to Boston on September 29. In October and November 1954, it took part in war games with the Atlantic Fleet.
Between January 19 and February 22, 1955, the Salem made its yearly training trip to Guantanamo Bay. After a two-week training trip for reserve sailors, the cruiser sailed for the Mediterranean on May 2. It took over from the Newport News on May 19. During this, its sixth trip, it joined a NATO exercise. It also took part in a French-American naval exercise. Under Secretary of the Navy Thomas S. Gates was on board to watch. The Salem left Barcelona on September 23. It returned to Boston on October 2, 1955, for four months of major repairs.
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The cruiser left Boston on February 16, 1956, for training in Guantanamo. This was to get ready for a long 20-month trip as the "permanent" main ship for the Commander, 6th Fleet. Its home port was Villefranche-sur-Mer. It returned to Boston on April 5 and sailed for the Mediterranean on May 1. While it was at sea, the Suez Crisis began. The ship was sent to Rhodes in the Eastern Mediterranean. It joined the fleet on May 14 and started its duties as the main ship. It stayed in the eastern Mediterranean until mid-June. It returned when fighting started again on October 30. In April and August 1957, the 6th Fleet showed United States support for the government of Jordan. This was because Jordan was facing secret attempts to cause trouble. The cruiser left the Mediterranean on June 26, 1958. It arrived at Norfolk on July 4.
The Salem was used to act as the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee in the 1956 movie The Battle of the River Plate. The real German ship had one triple gun turret at the front. The Salem has two triple gun turrets at the front. Its original hull number, 139, can be seen in some shots. The movie's story explains that the German navy often disguised ships like the Admiral Graf Spee as neutral ships. The US was neutral at that time.
In 1958, the cruiser visited Monaco. This was to celebrate the birth of Albert II. He was born to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and Princess Grace Kelly.
The Salem was supposed to be prepared for storage after its return from the Mediterranean. However, Lebanon asked for help on August 15, 1958. They needed aid against an expected takeover. This gave the Salem a short break. The Salem had taken over from Northampton on August 11. It became the main ship for Commander, 2nd Fleet. On September 2, it left Norfolk. It visited Augusta Bay and Barcelona during a ten-day trip in the Mediterranean. It returned to Norfolk on September 30. It went to the Norfolk Navy Yard on October 7 to be prepared for storage. The Commander of the 2nd Fleet left the ship on October 25. The Salem was officially taken out of service on January 30, 1959. It was stored as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. In 1981, the ship was checked to see if it could be used again. This was part of a plan to have a "600-ship navy." The inspection showed it was in great condition. However, money to reactivate the Salem and its sister ship, the Des Moines, was not approved by Congress.
A Museum Ship Today
In October 1994, the Salem returned to Quincy, Massachusetts. It is now a museum ship and part of the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum. The Salem also has the USS Newport News Museum. It also houses The US Navy Cruiser Sailors Association Museum and the US Navy SEALs Exhibit room.
The Salem was closed to visitors in September 2013. This happened because the dock where it was moored became unsafe. The dock's former owner, the MBTA, made them close it. Later, the dock was sold to private owners. The Salem reopened on weekends in May 2015.
It was planned to move the ship to East Boston after the dock closure. However, the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum made a deal with the landowner in February 2016. This deal allowed the Salem to stay at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy until at least 2021. It reopened for visits on weekends starting in April 2016.
In August 2017, the Salem was closed to the public. It was being moved to a different dock in the shipyard. As of August 2019, it was open to the public on weekends.
The Salem in Movies and TV
On the Big Screen
The USS Salem played the role of the German pocket battleship, Admiral Graf Spee, in the 1956 movie The Battle of the River Plate.
The Salem was also featured in the 2016 movie The Finest Hours. This movie was directed by Craig Gillespie. The ship was used as the set for the tanker SS Pendleton. That tanker broke in half off of Cape Cod on February 15, 1952. This event led to one of the most daring United States Coast Guard search and rescue missions. Many of the ship's engine rooms and hallways were used for filming. You can spot them throughout the movie.
On TV Shows
The ship was featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters. In late 2016, the USS Salem worked with Ghost Ship Harbor. They created a haunted attraction on the ship's deck. This event was a fundraiser for the USS Salem. Thousands of people visited the ship during October to see the haunted houses that were built. In 2017, Fodor's called it the scariest haunted house in Massachusetts.
The Salem was also shown as a haunted place on the TV series Most Terrifying Places. This show aired on the Travel Channel in 2019. The show featured tour guides and visitors. They claimed to have seen the ghost of a former sailor. This sailor was badly burned in an explosion on board USS Cleveland. He was brought aboard the Salem when it was docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Salem was used to transport injured men to the medical bay.
Images for kids
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The USS Salem/United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum at its former location in Quincy, Massachusetts.
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A view of the back of the ship.
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The Salem at its new dock.
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A view from the front-left side looking towards the back.
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The ship's official seal.
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See also
In Spanish: USS Salem (CA-139) para niños
