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RESTRICTED   Ship: USS RENO (CL 96) Cause of Damage: Submarine Torpedo Date: 3 November 1944 Place: Off Luzon Class: ATLANTA (CL 51) Standard Displacement: 6000 tons Length Overall: 541' Extreme Beam: 53' Draft Before Damage: 20' 10 1/2" Launched: 23 December, 1942   1.     A submarine torpedo detonated at about frame 92, port, in way of shell strake "C", and caused serious local damage. Shell plating and supporting structure was ruptured between frames 88 and 97, a distance of about 33 feet, and from "B" strake to "F" strake, a distance of about 22 feet. Damage to adjacent plating extended between frames 84 and 103 and from "A" strake to the main deck. The main, 2nd and lst platform decks were destroyed between frames 88 and 97, port. This damage as well as that to the main deck and interior structure is shown on Plate 4 and Photos 2 and 3. Extensive flooding resulted in a condition of negative initial stability, however, damage control measures undertaken by the ship's force and ZUNI (ATF 95) enabled the ship to be towed 700 miles to Ulithi. Despite the marked loss of strength at frame 93, port, no progressive structural failures were noted during this passage in heavy weather. 2.     No drydoaking facilities were available at Ulithi. Temporary repairs were undertaken by VESTAL (AR 4) and RENO with the aim of making the best possible improvement in stability, watertight integrity, and longitudinal, transverse and local strength. Immediately upon arrival and throughout repairs divers were used to determine the extent of damage, both in the vicinity of the explosion and to the rest of the underwater body and appurtenances.      a. Stability During Repairs (Refer to Plate 4).               On arrival, RENO had 1800 tons of flood water and GM had been reduced from 3.5' to 1.4'. B3 had been dewatered, but B4 was completely flooded. Flooding extended aft to bulkhead 110 on the 2nd platform, and frame 103 on the lst platform. C-201L and C-202L were flooded to the waterline. Calculations of the stability condition showed that it would be necessary to remove 200 tons of topside weight before it would be safe to accept the free surface in the after engine room resulting from unwatering flooded spaces aft to bring the     RESTRICTED - 11 -

RESTRICTED            2nd deck above the waterline. Accordingly, about 200 tons of the highest practicable topside weights were removed. A careful record of weight and moment of removed items was made for use in a continuous calculation of stability. Forward tanks A-1W, A-2W, A-4F, A-5F, A-7F, A-8F, A-608F and A-609F were-ballasted solid with oil or water. Then, C-412M and C-415M were unwatered to bring the 2nd deck above the waterline. C-201L and C-202L were dewatered. Later, the ship was listed to starboard to facilitate repairs near the waterline.   b.   Structural Repairs (Plates 5, 6, 7 and 8)            The section modulus of the damaged section was calculated using information obtained from examination of the underwater body by divers. This calculation indicated that it would be possible to restore about 75% of the strength of the intact section. As shown on Plate 6, damaged areas of the main and 2nd decks were replaced and two shell wrapper plates were installed below the port sheer atrake. Additional large longitudinals were installed on the shell and and main and 2nd decks (Photos 4, 5). These girders extended about 30' beyond each end of the damaged area. Their ends were tapered over a length of 8' and anti-tripping brackets were installed in way of each transverse structural member. In order to improve stiffness and transverse strength in way of the damage, a damaged section of bulkhead 96 was replaced and bulkheads 88 and 96 were strengthened by adding vertical bracketed 8" channel sections in way of existing stiffeners. Web frame 92 was replaced and 10" H columns were installed between the deep main and second deck longitudinats at each transverse web frame (Photo 5). 8" I stanchions were installed to replace damaged stanchions supporting turret 4. Holding bulkheads 77 in B-3 and 103 in C-412 and C-311AC were shored.   c.   Watertight Integrity.            In addition to the improvement in watertight integrity resulting from the repairs to decks, shell, and bulkheads, damaged access closures, ventilation ducts, and piping were repaired or blanked.                  - 12 - RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED 3.    After completion of these repairs, RENO was towed to Manus and drydocked in AHSD 2, where temporary repairs to the underwater body were made by WHITNEY (AD4), Navy Repair Unit 3205 and RENO. The care taken to align replacement members with original structure and to achieve continuity in way of all connections is shown in Plates 7, 8 and Photos 6, 7. Stanchions were installed at frames 90, 92 and 94 1/2 to compensate for the bulkhead which was not replaced at frame 90 and to provide additional stiffness (Photo 8).                         RESTRICTED - 13 -

	Photo 2: RENO (CL 96) Damage, frames 86-94. Note intact 3.75" STS plating.
	Photo 3: RENO (CL 96) Looking aft at underwater damage, frames 93-103. Note above water repairs made at Ulithi.
	Photo 4: RENO (CL 96) Looking aft at logitudinal strengthening members on shell and main deck.
	Photo 5: RENO (CL 96) Looking to port and aft showing replacement structure.
	Photo 6: RENO (CL 96) Fairing of longitudinals and transverse frames to undamaged original structure.
	Photo 7: RENO (CL 96) Looking forward from frame 99. Showing method of fitting continuous longitudinals and intercoastal transverse floors outside damaged shell plating.
	Photo 8: RENO (CL 96) Interior repairs. Note deep frames 92 and 94 1/2 at shell; columns fabricated from double 8" x 3" channels supporting 2nd deck, columns supporting armored bhd. 90, and deep longitudinals with bracketed end connections under 2nd deck.
	Photo 9: RENO (CL 96) Looking forward at after end of replacement plating. Note watertight seal on port stern tube.
	Plate 4: Diagram of torpedo damage to hull and structures.
	Plate 5: Frame 93 structure before damage.
	Plate 6: diagram of structural reinforcement and plating in area of damage performed in forward area.
	Plate 7: Repairs to shell plating, frames 80-105
	Plate 8: Shell plating repair performed at Manus.

The Below photos were not included with the original report but are provided for additional reference
	NH 63431: November 5th, 1944; two days after the torpedo hit. Fleet Tug Zuni ATF-95 is alongside to port rendering assistance. Note the fuel oil streaming from the aft end of the ship
	NH98473: Also photographed on November 5th, this photograph visible shows how close to capsizing Reno was
	80-G-287559: Another shot highlighting the fuel oil streaming from the ship. Note also that some work to increase her stability has been done as the starboard side torpedo tubes have been jettisoned.
	80-G-287568: Another photograph showing Zuni alongside

Transcribed by RESEARCHER @ LARGE. Formatting & Comments Copyright R@L.

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