>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1963) Vol. 2, p.247.





DAYTON



CL-105

Displacement:  10,000 t.

Length:  610’1”

Beam:  66’6”

Draft:  20’

Speed:  33 k.

Complement:  992

Armament:  12 6”; 12 5”

Class:  CLEVELAND



	DAYTON (CL-105) was launched 19 March 1944 by New York 

Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. H. 

Rueger, and commissioned 7 January 1945, Captain P. W. 

Steinhagen in command.



	DAYTON arrived at Pearl Harbor 15 May for training, and 

reached San Pedro Bay, Leyte, 16 June to join the 3d Fleet.  

On 1 July, she sortied with the Fleet for the final strikes 

along the Japanese coast, screening the fast carrier task 

groups and conducting shore bombardments.  She entered Tokyo 

Bay 10 September and, except for a brief period of upkeep at 

Eniwetok, remained on occupation duty until 7 November when 

she got underway for San Pedro, Calif., arriving 19 

November.



	DAYTON sailed from San Pedro 24 January 1946 and 

arrived at Pearl Harbor 6 days later en route to Japan.  Her 

orders were changed and on 7 February she sailed to join the 

Atlantic Fleet, conducting training at Guantanamo Bay on her 

way to Norfolk, her assigned home port.



	On 3 February 1947, DAYTON sailed from Norfolk for a 

tour in the Mediterranean, exercising off Malta, and paying 

calls, including a diplomatic visit to Istanbul, Turkey, 

then sailed again to the Mediterranean, acting as flagship 

for Commander, Naval Forces, Mediterranean, for part of this 

deployment from which she returned to Boston 30 November.  

Following local operations from Newport and another cruise 

to the Mediterranean between 9 February and 26 June 1948, 

DAYTON was placed out of commission in reserve at Boston 1 

March 1949.



	DAYTON received one battle star for World War II 

service.



	[Stricken from the Naval Register on 1 September 1961, 

DAYTON was sold 6 April 1962.  

K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 

the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990, Major Combatants;” p.151]





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com