USS Springfield CL-66

The USS Springfield was a Cleveland-class light cruiser and the third to be named after the city. Construction began on February 13, 1943, and she was launched on March 9, 1944 under the sponsorships of Mrs. Angelina Bertera and Miss Norma McCurley. She was then commissioned on September 9, 1944 under the command of Captain Felix L. Johnson.

History

The Springfield had practice in Chesapeake Bay before heading to the British West Indies, where she arrived in Trinidad on November 21. Her shakedown training was completed a month later, and she returned to Boston for the rest of the year.

The Springfield left Boston on January 10, 1945 for additional exercises, and then returned to Norfolk for most of the month. On January 23, she set out to join Task Group 21.5 on the cruise to Malta. Relieved of duty near Azores, she headed for the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor, arriving there on February 16.

After loading up on supplies, the Springfield headed for the western Pacific, arriving at Eniwetok on March 2 and Ulithi on March 6. She joined the Fast Carrier Task Force, and for the second half of the month, attacked Kyushu, Honshu, Okinawa, and Minami Daito Shima. In April, the task force started preparations for the invasion of Okinawa. She narrowly missed a kamikaze attack on April 17, dodging out of the way.

In May, the Springfield attacked Minami Daito Shima and Okinawa again, as well as Kyushu. In late May, she was sent to Leyte for maintenance, remaining there a month before attacking the Japanese home islands again. In July, she attacked Tokyo, Honshu and Hokkaido, as well as Kobe and Kure later in the month.

As the war ended in mid-August, the Springfield entered Sagami Wan and from there entered Tokyo Bay. She remained in the Far East until early January 1946, making various stops in Japan, China and Korea. On January 9, 1946, she headed back to California. The Springfield operated along the West Coast for another year and half. In late 1948, she headed back to the Far East, where she operated with the 7th Fleet until mid-May.

The Springfield returned to the West Coast on June 1, 1949 and started her inactivation overhaul. She stayed in San Francisco for a decade, and then was towed to Boston. On May 15, 1959, she was converted to a Providence-class guided missile light cruiser and given the designation CLG-7.

The Springfield was then recommissioned on July 2, 1960 and had her acceptance trials along the coast until November. In December, she was sent to the Mediterranean, where she cruised with the 6th Fleet until 1967, the only interruption being an overhaul in the second half of 1963.

The Springfield had a six month overhaul starting in mid-February 1967. In August, she headed to Yorktown, Virginia, and in September, she headed to the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range for gunnery exercises. She then sailed for England and made various ports of call throughout Europe before returning to Norfolk in early November.

Most of the next year was spent in local operations, and in September 1968, the Springfield joined in a NATO exercise in the Arctic Circle. She again stopped in Europe before returning to Norfolk in November. She stayed there until early July 1969, when she went on a restricted availability.

In January 1970, the Springfield rejoined the 2nd Fleet for seven months, and in August, she was sent back to the Mediterranean. She spent the next four years in the area on diplomatic exercises. On September 14, 1973, she returned to Boston, and three days later headed to Norfolk to be inactivated. She was officially decommissioned on May 15, 1974.

Asbestos Risks

The Springfield had a long career as a Navy battleship. But she was not without her risks. One of the biggest risks that she faced was the fact that she was built using asbestos.

Many of the Navy ships built during the World War II era had asbestos insulation. Asbestos was resistant to heat and fire, and therefore would be used throughout the ship, particularly in the engine and boiler rooms. What wasn't commonly known at the time was the fact that the mineral was quite dangerous.

When asbestos is disturbed, tiny particles break away from the source. These particles contaminate the air, and when inhaled, become lodged in the linings of the lungs. Over time, this leads to irritation and could develop into mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Anyone who worked on the Springfield while she was at the shipyard was at risk for exposure. Also at risk was anyone serving aboard the ship. The sailors were not informed of the risk, and therefore, no precautions were taken to prevent exposure.

Since then, many veterans have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. Many of these victims have also decided to file lawsuits against the companies responsible for their exposure. If you served aboard the Springfield and have been diagnosed with an asbestos-related condition, you may also be eligible to file. For more information, please fill out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

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