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USS Santa Fe (CL-60), a Cleveland-class light cruiser, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Back at sea on 30 December 1944, the Essex force struck Formosa and Okinawa on 3–4 January 1945, Luzon on 6–7 January, and Formosa again on 9 January, to neutralize Japanese air fields during landings on Luzon from Lingayen Gulf. The ships then entered the South China Sea, raided shipping along the Indochina coast on 12 January, and along the China coast on 15–16 January. Leaving the South China Sea on 20 January, the carriers struck Formosa on 21 January and Okinawa on 22 January before returning to Ulithi on 26 January.
Santa Fe sailed with Yorktown and other units on 10 February; and, on 16–17 February, her group launched strikes on air fields around Tokyo to destroy aircraft that might interfere with landings on Iwo Jima. Santa Fe was detached from the carriers on 18 February, and bombarded Iwo Jima between 19 and 21 February, silencing Japanese gun batteries on Mount Suribachi and firing illumination missions at night. She rejoined the carriers for another raid on Tokyo on 25 February and then retired to Ulithi on 1 March.
On 14 March, the cruiser joined the Hancock group, which launched strikes on Kyūshū on 18 March and on Japanese fleet units at Kure and Kobe on 19 March. Just as the first strikes were being launched on 19 March, a single Japanese plane dropped two bombs into a cluster of planes on Franklin's deck, setting off immense explosions and fires. Santa Fe maneuvered alongside the carrier, and despite a hail of exploding ammunition, rescued survivors and fought fires. After the cruiser had been alongside for nearly three hours, 833 survivors had been rescued, the major fires were under control, and cruiser Pittsburgh was ready to tow the carrier. Santa Fe escorted the carrier to Ulithi; and, needing repairs herself, left Ulithi on 27 March for a trip back to the United States, escorting Franklin as far as Pearl Harbor. She received a Navy Unit Commendation for her part in the salvage of Franklin, her commander Captain Harold C. Fitz was awarded the Navy Cross and three of her sailors were awarded Silver Stars for risking their own lives to rescue Franklin crewmen from the water.
Overhaul at San Pedro lasted from 10 April to 14 July. The cruiser returned to Pearl Harbor on 1 August and sailed from there on 12 August with carrier Antietam and cruiser Birmingham to attack Wake Island. The raid was canceled when Japan capitulated on 15 August, and the ships were diverted, first to Eniwetok and then to Okinawa, anchoring in Buckner Bay on 26 August, Santa Fe arrived in Sasebo on 20 September and, from 17 October to 10 November, assisted in the occupation of northern Honshū and Hokkaidō. She reported for "Magic Carpet" duty on 10 November and made two trips bringing troops home from Saipan, Guam, and Truk before arriving on 25 January 1946 at Bremerton, Washington.
Santa Fe was decommissioned on 29 October 1946 and attached to the Bremerton Group, US Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 March 1959 and sold on 9 November to Zidell Explorations, Inc., for scrapping.
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