USS Vincennes ( CA - 44 ) USS " Vincennes " ( CA - 44 ) was a United States Navy " New Orleans " - class heavy cruiser sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942 . She was the second ship to bear the name . She was laid down on 2 January 1934 at Quincy , Massachusetts , by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company ' s Fore River plant , launched on 21 May 1936 , sponsored by Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell ( daughter of Joseph Kimmell , mayor of Vincennes , Indiana ) , and commissioned on 24 February 1937 , Captain Burton H . Green in command . Inter - war period . The new cruiser departed from Boston on 19 April 1937 for her shakedown cruise which took her to Stockholm , Sweden ; Helsinki , Finland ; Le Havre , France ; and Portsmouth , England . Early in January 1938 , " Vincennes " was assigned to Cruiser Division 7 ( CruDiv 7 ) , Scouting Force , and steamed through the Panama Canal to San Diego , California . In March , the ship participated in Fleet Problem XIX in the Hawaiian area before returning to San Pedro , California for operations off the west coast for the remainder of the year . Following an overhaul at the Mare Island Navy Yard which lasted through April 1939 , the cruiser returned east , transited the Panama Canal on 6 June , in company with , , and and anchored in Hampton Roads on the 13th . For the next two months , she operated out of Norfolk in the vicinity of the Chesapeake lightship and the southern drill grounds . On 1 September 1939 , the day on which Adolf Hitler ' s legions marched into Poland and commenced hostilities in Europe , " Vincennes " lay at anchor off Tompkinsville , New York . She then began conducting Neutrality Patrol s off the east coast , ranging into the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Yucatan , and continued these duties through the spring of 1940 . Late in May , as German troops were smashing Allied defenses in France , " Vincennes " steamed to the Azores and visited Ponta Delgada from 4 – 6 June 1940 before she proceeded on for French Morocco to load a shipment of gold for transport to the United States . While at anchor at Casablanca , the ship received word of Italy ' s declaration of war upon France , the " stab in the back " condemned by President Franklin Roosevelt soon thereafter . " Vincennes " commanding officer — Captain J . R . Beardall ( later to become Naval Aide to the President ) — noted subsequently in his official report of the cruise that " it was apparent that the French bitterly resented this [ the declaration of war ] and despised Italy for her actions . " After departing North Africa n waters on 10 June , the cruiser returned to the United States to offload her precious metallic cargo and return to the drudgery of Neutrality Patrols . Overhauling at Norfolk Navy Yard , Portsmouth , Virginia , into the first week of January 1941 , " Vincennes " departed Hampton Roads on 7 January , in company with , , and , bound for Guantánamo Bay , Cuba . Operating once again in the Caribbean , the heavy cruiser fired battle practice and gunnery exercises in company with " Wichita " through 18 January , when the two cruisers proceeded for Portland Bight , Jamaica . Conducting Neutrality Patrols from this port , " Vincennes " patrolled in company with other ships safeguarding neutral waters and America ' s recently acquired Caribbean bases . " Vincennes " joined other Fleet units for landing exercises at Culebra , Puerto Rico on 4 February 1941 and sent her boats to assist in unloading and troop debarkation drills . She assisted transports and in landing men and material before taking station with Fire Support Group II . The cruiser then fired simulated gunfire support operations with her main and secondary batteries in exercises which foreshadowed her future combat role in the South Pacific . For the remainder of February , the ship continued her landing support operations with Transport Divisions 2 and 7 ( TransDivs 2 and 7 ) , anchoring on occasion at Mayagüez or Guayanilla , Puerto Rico . Conducting operations out of Puerto Rican waters , " Vincennes " called at Pernambuco , Brazil , on 17 March and got underway for Cape Town , South Africa , on the 20th . Arriving to a warm welcome nine days later , the ship took on a large shipment of gold bullion to pay for arms purchased in the United States by the United Kingdom and then headed home on the 30th . " En route " to New York , she conducted exercises . After a brief post - voyage period of repairs , the heavy cruiser sailed for the Virginia Capes , where she rendezvoused with and , proceeded on to Bermuda , and dropped anchor in Grassy Bay on 30 April . She patrolled in the Caribbean and off the Atlantic coast of the United States through June . After continuing her duties with the Neutrality Patrol into the autumn as American naval forces in the North Atlantic found themselves engaged in a " de facto " war with Germany , " Vincennes " undertook another mission to South African waters . She left the east coast late in November with Convoy WS - 12 , American transports carrying British troops . On 7 December 1941 , the cruiser fought its way through heavy seas . Walls of water mercilessly pounded the ships of the convoy , and waves battered " Vincennes " , smashing a motor whaleboat to pieces and ripping a SOC Seagull floatplane from its " moorings " on the storm - lashed well - deck amidships . The plane was battered against the catapult silo s and into the hangar doors before it was swept over the ship ' s side . By that evening , however , the ship learned that she was not only at war with the elements but with Japan as well . Japanese naval air forces had struck Pearl Harbor and plunged the United States into war . World War II . After having safely convoyed her charges to Cape Town , where she arrived on 9 December , " Vincennes " departed South African waters on the 16th , bound , via Trinidad , for Hampton Roads . Following her arrival at Norfolk on 4 January 1942 , she shifted to New York four days later to be outfitted for war . Late in the month , she joined as the carrier conducted her shakedown training off the east coast of the United States . " Vincennes " sailed from New York on 4 March , bound for the Pacific . She transited the Panama Canal on 11 March and , proceeded to San Francisco . Doolittle Raid . The heavy cruiser , now a part of TF 18 , built around " Hornet " , departed San Francisco on 2 April . The carrier bore a strange deck cargo , 16 Army B - 25 Mitchell medium bomber s slated to strike at Japan ' s heart . TF 18 rendezvoused with TF 16 , built around , and with the combined might of the two task forces , struck out westward across the Pacific , headed toward Japanese home waters . On the morning of 18 April , when the American warships were still some from the planned launch point , an unexpected hitch developed . Japanese trawlers sighted and reported the task force . Vice Admiral William Halsey decided to fly off the bombers immediately . Accordingly , all 16 of the heavily loaded Mitchells , laden with bombs and extra fuel , rose from " Hornet " s spray - slicked flight deck and climbed unsteadily into the leaden gray skies . Although the raid inflicted only minimal materiel damage upon the Japanese homeland , it nevertheless packed a powerful morale building " punch " . When queried as to the base from whence the bombers had come , President Roosevelt said " from Shangri - La " . The combined " Enterprise " and " Hornet " task force retired eastward and made Pearl Harbor on 25 April . Departing again five days later , the ships , still screened by " Vincennes " , bent on speed toward the Coral Sea . However , they were too late to take part in the Battle of the Coral Sea . Battle of Midway . " Vincennes " ' task force returned to Pearl Harbor on 26 May but got underway again on the 29th , bound for waters off Midway Island , which , according to American intelligence reports , a Japanese invasion force was approaching . By 4 June , the heavy cruiser had joined TF16 and was steaming north of Midway . After American air attacks had crippled three of the four Japanese carriers the Vincennes , together with the cruiser Pensacola and destroyers Benham and Balch was sent over to TF17 to reinforce the carrier Yorktown after it had suffered damage in a dive bombing attack . At 1640 , a group of Nakajima B5N " Kate " torpedo bomber s from approached from the north . TF 17 ' s radar soon picked them up out , and launched planes to intercept as her screen deployed to bring an optimum concentration of anti - aircraft fire to bear upon the approaching enemy . Three minutes after the first plane was spotted , F4F Wildcat s from the carrier hit a " Kate " . The Japanese torpedo plane spiraled from the sky trailing a long streamer of smoke before crashing into the sea . " Vincennes " opened fire at 1644 with her / 25 cal , 20 mm , and anti - aircraft batteries . Increasing her speed to and slowly turning to starboard , " Vincennes " kept her port guns trained on the enemy . While combing torpedo tracks , " Vincennes " hit a " Kate " and it went into the sea off her port bow . The sharp , bitter action ended as quickly as it had begun . The Japanese had been driven off , but at a high cost for the Americans . " Yorktown " , mortally hit and listing to port , slowed to a halt . " Vincennes " followed " Astoria " around the carrier , screening from further air attacks . However , on 6 June , slipped through a screen of six destroyers and torpedoed " Yorktown " and , sinking the latter . The carrier went down early on the 7th . Returning to Pearl Harbor , " Vincennes " entered the navy yard for repairs and alterations which lasted until early July . She then conducted tactical exercises off the island of Hawaii with other ships of TF 11 before departing Hawaiian waters on 14 July to rendezvous with TFs 16 , 18 , and 62 . Guadalcanal Campaign . Screening for transport squadron " X - ray " , slated to participate in the Guadalcanal landings , " Vincennes " , in company with and " Quincy " , joined TF 62 on 26 July . On the 27th , the cruiser conducted approach exercises for landing practice and simulated bombardment drills off Koro Island in the Fiji group . As flagship for Task Group 62 . 3 ( TG 62 . 3 ) , " Vincennes " remained on station in the covering force in the transport area before undertaking further approach and landing exercise support drills . Following refueling and revictualing , the heavy cruiser formed up with the American armada making its way to the Solomon Islands . " Vincennes " , screening transport division " Yoke " , arrived off Guadalcanal on 7 August . At daybreak , beneath overcast skies , the ship catapulted her scout plane s and then unlimbered her main and secondary batteries to commence shore bombardment . While the thunder of the supporting ships ' gunfire reverberated across the waters , marines disembarked from their landing craft and stormed ashore to meet initially light resistance on the island . Shortly after 1320 , Japanese planes launched a counterstrike . To sunward of the transports , " Vincennes " found herself in a favorable position to combat the attack and tracked the opposing planes , being among the first ships to open fire on the attackers . Forced to jettison their deadly loads prematurely , the Japanese retired without doing any damage , but not before " Vincennes " had bagged two of them . After sunset , " Vincennes " , " Quincy " , and " Astoria " , in company with and , retired to conduct screening patrols . Returning to her covering duties at daylight , " Vincennes " arrived at transport area " X - ray " , off Guadalcanal by daybreak . Two minutes before noon , Japanese bombers , intent on avenging their losses of the day before and disrupting the American landing , swooped down from Rabaul . 27 Mitsubishi G4M " Betty " bombers swept in , in a low - level torpedo attack and ran a gauntlet of gunfire from the transports and their escorting cruisers and destroyers . from the transports , " Vincennes " , as in the previous day ' s action , was again in favorable firing position and opened up with every gun in her battery , from to 20 mm , that could bear on the attackers . During the ensuing melee , the cruiser used her guns effectively , helping to down at least seven " Bettys " which flew at an altitude of only . The shell splashes from the main battery caused Japanese pilots to fly into walls of water or forced them to drastically alter their approaches . " Vincennes " dodged one torpedo which passed beneath her stern and evaded a bomb which fell off her port quarter . " Jarvis " , adjacent to the cruiser , took one torpedo hit which ultimately proved fatal to the ship . Later , during the afternoon hours , aerial reconnaissance reported a Japanese surface force coming down from the base at Rabaul . These flights noted what was thought to be three Japanese cruisers , three destroyers and two gunboats or seaplane tenders steaming south . While " Jarvis " limped away from Lunga Point , " Vincennes " and her sisters " Quincy " and " Astoria " steamed , as the northern escort force , to a position off Savo Island to screen the vulnerable transports which were still unloading off the invasion beaches . Captain Frederick Lois Riefkohl of " Vincennes " assumed that the enemy ships reportedly en route from Rabaul were going to launch and support another air attack early the following morning . He accordingly issued orders to be especially vigilant during the midwatch and fully expected an air attack at daybreak . Loss at the Battle of Savo Island . At about midnight on 8 August , Riefkohl retired to his sea cabin , adjacent to the pilothouse , after having been on the bridge continuously since 0445 that morning . Turning in at 0050 on 9 August , he left his ship in the hands of the executive officer , Commander W . E . A . Mullan . Nearly an hour later , at about 0145 , lookouts spotted flares and star shells to the southward , accompanied by the low rumble of gunfire . The sound of the general quarters alarm soon rang throughout the ship and stirred her to action . " Vincennes " ' lookouts were seeing the elimination of the southern escort group , based around and . Unbeknownst to the men manning the ships to the northward , a powerful enemy force was heading in their direction . Six cruisers and one destroyer under the command of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa had turned north and were steaming directly towards " Vincennes " and her two sisters . The first Japanese cruiser searchlight beams illuminated " Vincennes " s shortly after 0155 , and the American cruiser opened fire with her main battery at the troublesome lights . Within a minute , however , Japanese shells bracketed the ship and " Vincennes " shuddered under the impact of Japanese eight - inch armor - piercing shells . The bridge , carpenter shop , " battle II , " and radio antenna trunks all were hit by the first salvos . Altering course to port , Riefkohl , who had come to the bridge at the alarm , rang down for increased speed . With the ship and internal communications disrupted , it is doubtful that the order was received . Still moving at , the heavy cruiser reeled under the impact of another group of direct hits . Some of the shells in this group set fire to the volatile aircraft in " Vincennes " hangar space , and the resultant flames became uncontrollable . A direct hit knocked the aft antiaircraft director overboard . At 0200 , " Vincennes " heeled to starboard in an attempt to evade enemy gunfire , only to be hit by Japanese torpedoes . One or two " Long Lance " torpedoes ripped into the ship ' s number 4 fireroom and put it out of action . In moments the report came " Both engine rooms are black and dead . " Having lost power and all steering control five minutes later , " Vincennes " was dead in the water within minutes . The glare of burning fires attracted additional incoming shells which quickly put the ship ' s own guns out of action . " Vincennes " shuddered to a halt . Hit at least 85 times by and shells , the ship gradually began to list . At 0210 , the Japanese retired , leaving Savo Island and the burning hulks of three American cruisers in their wakes . As " Vincennes " list increased to port , Riefkohl issued the order to abandon ship at 0230 . Serviceable life jackets and rafts were broken out , and the crew began abandoning ship . At 0240 , the captain went down to the main deck and jumped into the tepid waters of what would come to be known as Ironbottom Sound . 332 crewmen did not survive and are officially recorded as killed in action in the loss of the " Vincennes " . Riefkohl subsequently wrote : " The magnificent " Vincennes " , which we were all so proud of , and which I had the honor to command since 23 April 1941 , rolled over and then sank at about 0250 , 9 August 1942 , about 2½ miles east of Savo Island . . . Solomons Group , in some 500 fathoms [ 910 m ] of water . " Naval Historian Samuel Eliot Morison later wrote that Riefkohl , " who had made about as many mistakes as a commanding officer could make , " was broken in spirit by the loss of his ship .