page_title: USS Biloxi
section_title: Preparation for war, September 1943–January 1944
hierarchical_section_title: USS Biloxi / Service history / Preparation for war, September 1943–January 1944
caption_attribution_description: Personnel inspection on the afterdeck of the Cleveland-class light cruiser USS Biloxi (CL-80), during her shakedown period, circa October 1943. Note her aircraft catapults, with Curtiss SO3C-3 Seamew floatplanes on top, and her hangar hatch cover.
context_page_description: USS Biloxi was a United States Navy Cleveland-class light cruiser, the first ship named after the city of Biloxi, Mississippi.
  The ship was laid down on 9 July 1941 at Newport News, Virginia, by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. and launched on 23 February 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Katharine G. Braun, wife of the Mayor of Biloxi. She was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 31 August 1943, with Captain Daniel M. McGurl in command.
context_section_description: The light cruiser fitted out at Norfolk until 17 September when she began shakedown training in Chesapeake Bay. This included aircraft launch and recovery drills, structural test gun firing, day spotting practice and anti-aircraft drills. The crew also conducted an unplanned but successful man overboard drill when S2c Scott was knocked overboard by a training gun mount.
  On 29 September, Biloxi and the destroyer Sproston (DD-577) departed for Trinidad. While en route, one of Biloxi's four Curtiss SO3C Seamew floatplanes crashed during a landing attempt off the port beam. Both the pilot and passenger, Ensign H. Jolly and ACMM J. Phagan, were rescued and the wreck was destroyed by gunfire as a hazard to navigation.
  After arriving at Trinidad on 3 October, Biloxi conducted two weeks of battle drills and other exercises. These included radar calibration tests, night and day battle practice, fueling at sea exercises, and fighter (CAP) director drills. Departing Trinidad on the 18th, the light cruiser entered the Norfolk Navy Yard on 26 October for post-shakedown overhaul. Following these repairs, and a short trip north to Rockland, Maine, for gyro and compass standardization trials, Biloxi sailed south for the Canal Zone on 20 November.
  Passing through the Panama Canal on 24 November, Biloxi arrived in San Francisco on 4 December. There, the crew loaded provisions and, in the words of the war diary, exchanged four SO3C's and spare parts for two Vought OS2U Kingfishers and no spare parts, before getting underway for Hawaii on the 7th. She arrived at Oahu on 11 December and conducted her first fire support exercise at Kahoolawe Island in company with the heavy cruiser Wichita (CA-45) between 15 and 19 December.
  The light cruiser sailed back to San Francisco the next day, arriving on the 24th. After moving to San Pedro for blower repairs, she reported for duty with the Fifth Fleet. On 1 January 1944, Biloxi joined the battleship Maryland (BB-46), the cruisers Louisville (CA-28) and Mobile (CL-63), and two destroyers, for shore bombardment and amphibious landing exercises at San Clemente Island. Return to San Pedro, she refueled and provisioned in preparation for "Operation Flintlock".
caption: Biloxi's stern with SO3Cs, 1943
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