USS Portsmouth CL-102

The USS Portsmouth was a Cleveland-class light cruiser and the third to bear the name. Construction began on June 28, 1943 and she was launched on September 20, 1944 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Marian M. Dale and Mrs. Sarah B. Leigh. She was then commissioned on June 25, 1945 under the command of Captain Heber B. Brumbaugh.

History of the USS Portsmouth CL-102

The Portsmouth had her shakedown off of Cuba and afterwards became a part of Operational Development Force, an assignment that lasted until 1946. In May of that year, she went on a goodwill cruise to Africa, making ports of call there before heading to the Mediterranean and home again.

In late November, the Portsmouth was sent back to the Mediterranean, arriving in Naples on December 7. From there, she stayed in the Adriatic until February 1947. She returned to Trieste and from there, she sailed back to the United States. She made a third trip to the Mediterranean in November, which lasted until March 1948 when she returned to Boston for an overhaul.

Once the overhaul was complete, the Portsmouth resumed training exercises off the east coast and in the Caribbean. This lasted through the rest of the year and in March 1949, she was sent to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for an inactivation overhaul. She was decommissioned on June 15, 1949 and placed in Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Two of her engines are still in use today at the MARF facility as a prototype S7G nuclear reactor.

Asbestos Hazards

The Portsmouth had a short career as a light cruiser and the majority of her career was spent in the Mediterranean. However, she was not without her risks. The largest of these was the risk of exposure to asbestos. Like other ships of the time, the Portsmouth was built using asbestos.

The Portsmouth was built at the Newport News Shipyard, which today is one of the largest privately-owned shipyards in the country. The shipyard was founded in 1886 and was originally used to service the ships ferrying coal from the nearby C&O railroad. In 1891, the shipyard made the jump to shipbuilding with the creation of a tugboat. Six short years later, the shipyard built three naval warships.

From there, the shipyard's business took off. In the early 1900s, it was responsible for the building of several dreadnoughts, most of which were still in service at the start of World War II. She built nearly half of the battleships in the Great White Fleet. She then built destroyers, aircraft carriers, cruisers, Liberty Ships and the first nuclear powered submarine.

Like other shipyards of the time, the Newport News Shipyard used asbestos extensively in its shipbuilding. Asbestos was inexpensive, easy to use and resistant to heat and fire, making it seem ideal for use as insulation. It was commonly found in areas where fire was considered a risk such as boiler and engine rooms, but it could also be found throughout the ship around wiring, pipes and acoustical tiling.

When asbestos is used, tiny fragments can break away and become airborne. In these fibers are inhaled, they can become lodged in the linings of the lungs and other major organs. Over time, this can develop into serious diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

The workers that built ships like the Portsmouth and the sailors that lived and worked aboard them were not informed of this risk. Therefore, most did not take any sort of precaution to prevent exposure to the toxic mineral. If you have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related medical condition and served aboard the Portsmouth or worked at the Newport News Shipyard, you may have legal options for compensation. For more information, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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