Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
U.S.S. Denver (CL-58)
Photographed By James Hulse, April 27, 2022
1. U.S.S. Denver (CL-58) Marker
Inscription.
U.S.S. Denver (CL-58). .
Commissioned 10-15-42 Captains: R.B. Carney R.P. Briscoe, Decommissioned 2-7-47 Captains: A.M. Bledsoe T.F. Darden, . Denver joined Cleveland, Columbia, and Montpelier, 14 February 1943, at Guadalcanal to form Cruiser Division 12 under Admiral A.S. Merrill, called "The Hollywood Squadron". In their first action at Kula Gulf, 5-6 March, two Japanese warships were sunk. Denver was nicknamed "The Dirty D", "Lighthouse Buster" and "Razor" for her impressive shooting and seamanship. 13 October 1943 she was hit by an aerial torpedo which killed twenty of her crew. The angels of Heaven rode her yardarms as she was towed back to safe harbor. God was merciful., She saw action at Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Rota, the Palaus and fired the first shot of the Philippine campaign. At the Philippines she fought Japanese battleships in the Battle of Surigao Strait and was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and Liberation Medal. She survived many kamikaze attacks. She bombarded at Borneo, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Denver was on patrol in the China Sea when the atomic bombs were dropped saving untold thousands of lives, and her flags were run up to "Cease War Operations". She escorted hospital ships into Japanese harbors to oversee evacuation of U.S. Prisoners of War. On 20 September 1945, she weighed anchor and headed home having traveled 150,000 wartime miles. The Denver sank seven Japanese warships, shot down 14 planes and conducted 14 shore bombardments. She earned 11 Battle Stars and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for valor in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay off Bougainville.,
Truly God was with the men of the U.S.S. Denver, This plaque is dedicated to a great ship, the 21 who died aboard her in battle and to each shipmate who sailed her by the USS Denver Association, "Freedom belongs to those willing to die for it, and is kept by those who are willing to pay the price.".
Denver joined Cleveland, Columbia, and Montpelier, 14 February 1943, at Guadalcanal to form Cruiser Division 12 under Admiral A.S. Merrill, called "The Hollywood Squadron". In their first action at Kula Gulf, 5-6 March, two Japanese warships were sunk. Denver was nicknamed "The Dirty D", "Lighthouse Buster" and "Razor" for her impressive shooting and seamanship. 13 October 1943 she was hit by an aerial torpedo which killed twenty of her crew. The angels of Heaven rode her yardarms as she was towed back to safe harbor. God was merciful.
She saw action at Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Rota, the Palaus and fired the first shot of the Philippine campaign. At the Philippines she fought Japanese battleships in the Battle of Surigao Strait and was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and Liberation Medal. She survived many kamikaze attacks. She bombarded at Borneo, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Denver was on patrol in the China Sea when the atomic bombs were dropped saving untold thousands of lives, and her flags were run up to "Cease War Operations". She escorted hospital ships into Japanese harbors to oversee evacuation of U.S. Prisoners of War.
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On 20 September 1945, she weighed anchor and headed home having traveled 150,000 wartime miles. The Denver sank seven Japanese warships, shot down 14 planes and conducted 14 shore bombardments. She earned 11 Battle Stars and was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for valor in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay off Bougainville.
Truly God was with the men of the U.S.S. Denver
This plaque is dedicated to a great ship, the 21 who died aboard her in battle and to each shipmate who sailed her by the USS Denver Association
"Freedom belongs to those willing to die for it, and is kept by those who are willing to pay the price."
Erected by National Museum of the Pacific War.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.
Location. 30° 16.352′ N, 98° 52.026′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. Memorial can be reached from the intersection of East Austin Street and North Washington Street. The marker is located in the central section of the WWII Veterans Memorial Courtyard which is a part of the National Museum of the Pacific War. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 311 East Austin Street, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker
Photographed By James Hulse, April 27, 2022
2. U.S.S. Denver (CL-58) Marker
The marker is the first marker on the left of the large markers.
USS Denver (CL-58) was a Cleveland-class light cruiser. Denver launched on 4 April 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss L. J. Stapleton, daughter of the Mayor of Denver; and commissioned on 15 October 1942, Captain Robert Carney in command. It was the second ship named for the city of Denver, Colorado.
(Submitted on November 28, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Public Domain - US Navy, circa December 1942
3. U.S.S. Denver (CL-58)
The U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Denver (CL-58) underway
Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 255 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 28, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
