I recently acquired these photos at an antique store with no ID. Can anyone help?
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Do you know anything about those pictures? Any detail might help.– o0'.Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 16:50
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1Those are Ford Model Ts on the road next to the ship. I'm not sure what year they are, but they don't look like original ones, so you are probably looking at some time from the 20s - 30s I think.– ihtkwotCommented Mar 22, 2014 at 19:43
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2@ihtkwot: That seems spot on; the Omaha class of light cruisers were all commissioned in the early 1920's.– Pieter GeerkensCommented Mar 22, 2014 at 21:17
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In retrospect, the photos are more likely from the stern than the bow (which does not change the ship class, as the gun configuration is still unique to Omaha class). However a high resolution scan of the bow might reveal one or two letters of the name, which probably would identify the boat from the ten vessels of the class built. Also, a high-resolution scan of the bridge trestles might narrow down the harbour for someone with relevant Civil Engineering experience.– Pieter GeerkensCommented Mar 23, 2014 at 13:26
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I'd say we now confirm that this picture is also of an Omaha-class light cruiser: flickr.com/photos/photolibrarian/9951244184/in/…– Pieter GeerkensCommented Mar 23, 2014 at 13:31
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1 Answer
Scanning through samples of the List of US Destroyer Classes and List of US Cruiser Classes for examples of the 2-and-2 funnel arrangement and unusual bow-turret combination reveals the Omaha-class (light) Cruiser as the only US warship class that fits:
Note the matching 2-and-2 funnel arrangement, stacked single-barrelled casemates to port and starboard on the bow, and double-barrelled forward-facing turret. This combination of features is unique to the Omaha class amongst US Destroyer and Cruiser classes, and the gun configuration is repeated at the stern.
Commissioned vessels of the class comprised the following:
- CL-4 USS Omaha Launched 24 Feb 1923
- CL-5 USS Milwaukee Launched 20 Jun 1923
- CL-6 USS Cincinnati Launched 1 Jan 1924
- CL-7 USS Raleigh Launched 6 Feb 1924
- CL-8 USS Detroit Launched 31 Jul 1923
- CL-9 USS Richmond Launched 2 Jul 1923
- CL-10 USS Concord Launched 3 Nov 1923
- CL-11 USS Trenton Launched 19 Apr 1924
- CL-12 USS Marblehead Launched 8 Sep 1924
- CL-13 USS Memphis Launched 4 Feb 1925
Here is another clear picture of the bow of USS Omaha itself in which the similarities can be identified clearly (from Old Ship Galleries):
I have reviewed all pictures in the Old Ship Picture Galleries under the names beginning with Omaha and Detroit, and confirmed that OP's pictures are not in that collection under either of those names. If others might wish to check the remaining vessels in the class - someone might get lucky.
The next step (I believe) is if someone can identify any one of the bridge, water-tower, or hills in the background of this picture to try and identify which port the pictures were taken in. Combining that with the known service records of the vessels in the class should narrow down the candidates to one or two, with possible dates as well.
Update:
I have now checked out both Halifax, NS, and St. John, NB, harbours as well, but neither seems to fit. Halifax harbour seems too large, and the bridge too new (1955, apparently without any antecedent) to fit. St. John seems about the right size, and has a tidal range to match the high dock shown, but it's bridge seems to be too short a span to fit. I easily found photos of both showing a similar range of hills running down to the water, but neither at the correct angle from a pier.
With many thanks to @Comintern, the picture appears to have been taken from the upper deck of the Steel Bridge in Portland Oregon, looking South towards the Burnside Bridge even to the still existing water tower:
Also, from NavSourceOnline CL6 USS Cincinnatti visited Portland OR in the late 1930's.
Courtesy of Comintern's comments below:
I was trying to think of river naval stations that were in hilly areas and thought I'd look around Portland. The only Omaha class cruiser that I can place in Portland is the USS Cincinnati, which was there in mid-August of 1933 based on a postal cover I ran across. Here she is sailing into the city, likely between 1935 and 1938: navsource.org/archives/04/006/0400607.jpg The OP's picture was likely taken in August of 1933, the last time the ship was in theatre based on a postal cover I ran across that placed her in Portland at the time.
Make that August 17th 1935, not 1933. Just found the postal cover again:
answered Mar 22, 2014 at 21:16
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2Here is a 1923 plan for San Diego Naval Base, on which I cannot see any likely possibility for the bridge in the background (which clearly would not pass the funnels or masts of any significant naval vessel, so must be up-stream of the harbour). upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/…NARA-_295436.jpg Commented Mar 22, 2014 at 21:39
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2The bridge looks to me like the Burnside Bridge on the Willamette River in Portland, OR. This picture seems to be taken from a roughly comparable location: flotilla73.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/… Commented Mar 30, 2014 at 1:10
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1I just did. I was trying to think of river naval stations that were in hilly areas and thought I'd look around Portland. The only Omaha class cruiser that I can place in Portland is the USS Cincinnati, which was there in mid-August of 1933 based on a postal cover I ran across. Here she is sailing into the city, likely between 1935 and 1938: navsource.org/archives/04/006/0400607.jpg The OP's picture was likely taken in August of 1933, the last time the ship was in theatre based on a postal cover I ran across that placed her in Portland at the time. Commented Mar 30, 2014 at 2:17
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1Make that August 17th 1935, not 1933. Just found the postal cover again: i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/… Commented Mar 30, 2014 at 2:24
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2That is absolutely Portland taken from the Steel Bridge (west side) looking south down the Willamette River. I live about a mile away. They still dock ships there during Fleet Week.– SchwernCommented Jan 17, 2015 at 23:34
