USS Montpelier (CL 57) Launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 12 February 1942. Courtesy of James Russell, 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 75597.

USS Montpelier (CL 57) Photographed circa early December 1942, probably in the vicinity of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98083.

USS Montpelier (CL 57) Photographed by the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, probably in the Delaware River or Delaware Bay on 12 December 1942. Note the seaplane floats on her catapults.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98084.

United States Navy

Starboard side view in late 1942/early 1943. Here she is in camouflage pattern Measure 12 (modified).

Caption corrected by Aryeh Wetherhorn.

USS Montpelier anchored at Espiritu on one of several occasions in the second half of 1943.

Photo by Dayton Brown.

The starboard catapult, which was hit by 2 50-kilogram bombs while off Bougainville on 2 November 1943.

From the collection of crewman John Dietz.

Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill, USN Receives the Navy Cross medal from Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, in ceremonies held on the after deck of USS Montpelier (CL 57), 11 December 1943. Probably taken in Tulagi Harbor, Solomon Islands.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-K-2432.

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 11A

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for light cruisers of the CL 55 (Cleveland) class. Ships known to have worn this scheme included USS Montpelier? (CL 57) and USS? Duluth? (CL 87) . This plan, showing the ship's starboard side, stern, superstructure ends, and exposed decks, is dated 27 January 1944, and was approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo #80-G-105501

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 11A

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for light cruisers of the CL 55 (Cleveland) class. Ships known to have worn this scheme included USS Montpelier? (CL 57) and USS? Duluth? (CL 87) . This plan, showing the ship's port side, is dated 27 January 1944, and was approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo #80-G-105500

USS Montpelier (CL 57) En route from the Marshall Islands to take part in the invasion of Saipan, 11 June 1944. Photographed from USS Gambier Bay (CVE 73) .

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98085.

USS Montpelier (CL 57) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following overhaul, 18 October 1944. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 32, Design 11a.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98086.

USS Montpelier (CL 57) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following overhaul, 18 October 1944. Her camouflage scheme is Measure 32, Design 11a.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98087.

Stern view of USS Montpelier (CL 57) off Mare Island on 18 Oct 44.

U.S. Navy Photo #6278-44

Broadside view of USS Montpelier (CL 57) off Mare Island on 18 Oct 44. She was in overhaul at the shipyard from 22 August to 25 October 1944.

U.S. Navy Photo #6375-44

USS Montpelier (CL 57) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, at the end of an overhaul, 21 October 1944. The ship in the background, with weathered Measure 32, Design 7d camouflage, is USS Indianapolis (CA 35) , which had recently arrived at the Navy Yard for overhaul. Circles mark recent alterations to Montpelier.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center #NH 98088.

Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Montpelier (CL 57) at Mare Island on 21 Oct 44. The sterns of USS Indianapolis (CA 35) and USS Baltimore (CA 68) are seen to the right.

U.S. Navy Photo #6372-44

Plan view midships looking forward while at Mare Island, CA, 21 October 1944.

U.S. Navy photo #6377-44

The charred dent in the bulkhead of mount 54's handling room is from a Kamikaze that was splashed 100 yards from the ship while in Leyte Gulf on 27 November 1944. When the plane hit the water it skipped like a stone and impacted the ship. Fortunately it had no bomb. During this engagement, Montpelier was credited with shooting down 4 planes in 2 minutes.

From the collection of crewman John Dietz.

5" and 6" powder casings litter the decks after a shore bombardment mission on Balikpapan, Boreno, 1 July 1945.

From the collection of crewman John Dietz.