USS Amsterdam CL-101

Construction began on the USS Amsterdam on March 3, 1943, and she launched April 25, 1944 under the sponsorship of Mrs. William E. Hasenfuss. Mrs. Hasenfuss was the mother of William E. Hasenfuss, Jr. who was killed during the attacks on Pearl Harbor. The Amsterdam was commissioned on January 8, 1945 under the command of Captain Andrew P. Lawton.

History of the USS Amsterdam CL-101

The USS Amsterdam left Norfolk in February for her shakedown training in the Chesapeake Bay. Later that month, she headed south to Trinidad, where she remained until mid-March. She then entered the Norfolk Navy Yard for availability.

The USS Amsterdam departed April 20 for additional training exercises before heading for the Caribbean. After training exercises, she transited the Panama Canal on May 5, reaching Pearl Harbor 13 days later. In June she set sail for the Philippines, arriving June 21 and joining the 3rd Fleet. From there, she was sent to protect carriers during raids of Japanese airfields.

The USS Amsterdam stayed near Honshu to protect against Japanese aggression, before heading to Tokyo Bay in September. She then returned home to the United States, arriving in Portland, Oregon on October 15. She headed for San Pedro, California at the end of the month, completed a period of upkeep, and then returned to Pearl Harbor to transport personnel and equipment back to the west coast. After arriving in San Francisco in early 1946, the USS Amsterdam's crew prepared for inactivation.

The USS Amsterdam was officially decommissioned on June 30, 1947, but her name was left in the Navy List until January 2, 1971. The following year she was sold to the National Metal and Steel Corporation to be scrapped.

Asbestos Risks

Crew members and those that worked aboard the USS Amsterdam were placed at risk for asbestos exposure. Like other cruisers of her time, asbestos was used as insulation during her construction. Asbestos is resistant to heat and fire, and therefore was used throughout the ship to help eliminate fire risks, particularly in the boiler and engine rooms. As asbestos was used, and through its normal wear and tear, fine particles could be released into the air, causing exposure to anyone that inhaled the fibers.

Besides being exposed to asbestos on the USS Amsterdam herself, anyone that worked on her construction at the Newport News Shipyard would also have been at risk for exposure. The shipyard is found along the Southern coast of Virginia, and has been operating since 1886. It was originally founded to service the ships that transported coal from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Five years later, the company started shipbuilding with the construction of a tugboat and then went on to build U.S. Naval warships.

From there, the shipyard went on to build other naval ships, including dreadnoughts, battleships, destroyers, aircraft carriers, cruisers, and more. Like other shipyards, the Newport News Shipyard used asbestos during its construction of ships, putting numerous workers at risk.

Exposure to asbestos was later linked to diseases such as the cancer mesothelioma, and numerous shipyard workers and Navy veterans have been diagnosed with the disease. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition and served aboard the USS Amsterdam or worked at the Newport News Shipyard, you may wish to receive additional information about asbestos-related diseases, treatment and legal options. Please fill out the form on the top, right of this page to receive a complimentary comprehensive packet.

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