Ship History
Built at the New York Navy Yard. Launched on 26 August 1937 and commissioned on 15 June 1938. The USS Honolulu received eight battle stars for World War II service.

Prewar Service
After a shakedown cruise to England, the Honolulu engaged in fleet exercises in the Caribbean Sea. She steamed from New York on 24 May 1939 to join the Pacific Fleet, arriving at San Pedro, California on 14 June. For the remainder of the year she engaged in exercises along the West Coast. During the first half of 1940, the Honolulu continued operations out of Long Beach and after an overhaul at the Puget Sound shipyeard, she steamed out on 5 November for duty from Pearl Harbor. She operated there through 1941.

Wartime Service
Moored when Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The Honolulu suffered only minor hull damage from a near miss. Following repairs there, she sailed on 12 January 1942 to escort a convoy to San Francisco, arriving on 21 January 1942. The cruiser continued convoy escort duty to Australia, Samoa, and the United States until late May 1942.

With the Japanese pushing north towards Alaska, the Honolulu departed on 29 May to strengthen US forces in that area. After 2 months of continuous operations out of Kodiak, Alaska, she proceeded to Kiska Island in the Aleutian Islands on 7 August, to begin bombardment of the island. On 21 August, she screened the first American landings in the Aleutians at Adak Island (a jumping-off point for future landings in that island chain). After shipyard work at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the Honolulu departed from San Francisco on 3 November 1943, escorting a convoy to Noumea in the South Pacific. Later that month the Honolulu sailed from Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands to intercept a Japanese Navy convoy attempting to reinforce their positions on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The Battle of Tassafaronga began shortly before midnight on 30 November, continuing through the night.

The Honolulu operated out of Espiritu Santo in early 1943 with Task Force 67 in an attempt to engage the "Tokyo Express". During May, she engaged in bombardments of New Georgia Island in the Solomons.

Battle of Kula Gulf
The Honolulu departed from Espiritu Santo on 28 June for more bombardments in the Solomons. After supporting the landings on New Georgia Island on 4 July, she opened fire on enemy ships in the Battle of Kula Gulf, knocking out one destroyer and assisting in the destruction of others.

Battle of Kolombangara
On July 13, 1943 she participated in the Battle of Kolombangara. Shortly after midnight contact was made with an enemy cruiser-destroyer force in "The Slot." At 01:10, the Honolulu opened fire on a Sendai-class cruiser; after three salvos the target burst into flame and was soon dead in the water. The Honolulu then shifted fire to an enemy destroyer, which was immediately hit and disappeared. At 02:11, a torpedo very near the surface struck the starboard side of the Honolulu, blowing a hole in her hull. The task force then retired to Tulagi for temporary repairs, and then departed for the large naval base at Pearl Harbor. On 16 August, the USS Honolulu arrived at Pearl Harbor for major repairs. She then proceeded to the shipyard at Mare Island, near San Francisco, for more work.

After the additional repairs at Mare Island, the Honolulu departed from San Francisco on 17 November 1943 to continue her role in the struggle against Japan. She arrived at Espiritu Santo on 11 December, and then resumed operations in the Solomons later that month. On 27 December 1943 she engaged in the bombardment of an enemy barge, troop, and supply concentration on Bougainville Island. In the early months of 1944 the cruiser continued bombardments and patrols in the Solomon Islands. She screened the landings on Green Island on 13 February, before retiring from the Solomons to begin preparations for the Saipan and Guam operations in the Marianas Islands.

The USS Honolulu took part in bombardments of the southeastern part of Saipan Island in early June as the Navy and Marines leaped across the Pacific. While bombarding Guam in mid-June, the Honolulu was deployed northwest to intercept the Japanese fleet. She returned to Eniwetok Atoll on 28 June 1944 for replenishments, before providing support for the invasion of Guam. She remained on station for 3 weeks performing great service with her accurate gunfire before returning to Purvis Bay on Florida Island in the Solomons, on 18 August. The Honolulu steamed out on 6 September to provide fire support for the landings in the Palau Islands, such as at Peleliu Island and Anguar, remaining in this area during September unopposed by the Japanese fleet. America now had decisive command of the sea, and therefore nearly full freedom of operations.

The Honolulu departed from the staging area at Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands on 12 October 1944 and steamed towards the Philippines for the invasion of Leyte. She began a bombardment 19 October from Leyte Gulf, and the next day she began screening the landings. At 16:00 hours, on 20 October an enemy torpedo plane was sighted as it aimed its torpedo at the Honolulu. Despite the skillful maneuvering of Captain Thurber, USN, to evade, the torpedo found its mark on her port side.

The Honolulu sailed out the next day, arriving at Manus on October 29 for temporary repairs, and then steamed for Norfolk, Virginia on 19 November, arriving on December 20, 1944 via Pearl Harbor, San Diego, California, and the Panama Canal. The USS Honolulu remained at Norfolk for the duration of the war, undergoing repairs.

Postwar
After a shakedown cruise in October 1945, she steamed to Newport, Rhode Island, for duty as a training ship. The Honolulu arrived at Philadelphia on 8 January 1946 and was decommissioned there on 3 February 1947, and joined the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia. On 17 November 1949 the USS Honolulu was sold for scrapping.