CL-50 Helena
USS Helena, a 10,000-ton Saint Louis class light cruiser built at the New York Navy Yard, was commissioned in September 1939. After serving in the Atlantic in 1939-40, she was transferred to the Pacific, where she spent the rest of a short, eventful career. While tied up alongside 1010 dock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Helena was hit by a single torpedo during the Japanese raid of 7 December 1941, flooding an engine room and boiler room. Repair and modification work at the Pearl Harbor and Mare Island Navy Yards lasted through June 1942.
In the summer of 1942, Helena was sent to the South Pacific, where she participated actively in the Guadalcanal campaign. She rescued survivors of USS Wasp (CV-7) when that carrier was sunk by an enemy submarine on 15 September. Twice, in the 11-12 October Battle of Cape Esperance and the 13 November 1942 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Helena engaged in night surface combat, making important contributions to thwarting Japanese bombardments of vital Henderson Field. In January 1943, late in the Guadalcanal campaign, she twice shelled Japanese bases on New Georgia and Kolombangara islands.
Following a quick overhaul at Sydney, Australia, Helena returned to the combat zone in March 1943. She again bombarded enemy positions before and during the invasion of New Georgia and Rendova. In the early morning of 6 July 1943, Helena was part of a task force that fought Japanese destroyers in the Battle of Kula Gulf. Hit by three torpedoes in that action, the cruiser was broken into three parts and sunk, with the loss of nearly 170 of her crewmen.
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