USS New Orleans (CA-32)

Largest city of Louisiana, New Orleans was the scene of Andrew Jackson's great victory at the close of the War of 1812, in which small naval forces under Commodore David Patterson played a large role; and of a key naval action in the Civil War, in which Admiral David Farragut opened the southern Mississippi to Union forces.

The second New Orleans (CA-32), formerly CL-32, was laid down 14 March 1931 by New York Navy Yard; launched 12 April 1933; sponsored by Miss Cora S. Jahncke, daughter of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Ernest L. Jahncke; and commissioned 15 February 1934, Captain Allen B. Reed in command.

New Orleans made a shakedown cruise to Northern Europe in May and June 1934, returning to New York 28 June. On 5 July she sailed to rendezvous with Houston, President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarked, for a cruise through the Panama Canal and an exercise with airship Macon and her brood of aircraft off California. The cruise ended at Astoria, Oreg., 2 August, and New Orleans sailed at once for Panama and Cuba. New Orleans exercised off New England into 1935, then visited her namesake city while en route to join Cruiser Division 6 in operations in the eastern Pacific for over a year. She returned to New York from 20 August to 7 December, 1936 and was once more in the Pacific early in 1937. Aside from winter training in the Caribbean early in 1939, she served out of California ports until joining the Hawaiian Detachment 12 October 1939 for exercises, training, and, as war drew close, vigilant patrol.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (New Orleans II (CA-32)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.