La Motte-Picquet file photo [16215]

La Motte-Picquet

CountryFrance
Ship ClassDuguay-Trouin-class Light Cruiser
BuilderArsenal de Lorient, France
Laid Down17 Jan 1923
Launched21 Mar 1924
Commissioned5 Mar 1927
Sunk12 Jan 1945
Displacement7,249 tons standard; 9,350 tons full
Length595 feet
Beam57 feet
Draft17 feet
MachineryParsons single-reduction geared turbines, eight Guyot boilers, four shafts
Power Output102,000 shaft horsepower
Speed33 knots
Range3,000nm at 15 knots
Crew578
Armament4x2x155mm guns, 4x75mm AA guns, 4x3x550 torpedo tubes
Armor20mm deck, 30mm magazine box, 30mm turrets, 30mm tower
AircraftTwo GL-812 or GL-832 aircraft
Catapult1

Contributor:

ww2dbaseCommissioned into service in early 1927, light cruiser La Motte-Picquet was based at Brest, France until 1933 as the flagship the 3rd Light Division. In 1935, she visited several ports in South American and Africa. In Jan 1936, she was transferred to French Indochina, remaining there through the start of the European War in Sep 1939. During the Franco-Thai War, in Jan 1941, she became the flagship of the recently formed naval squadron Groupe Occasionnel; capitaine de vaisseau RĂ©gis BĂ©renger was her commanding officer at this time. She participated in the Battle of Koh Chang which saw the destruction of a Thai naval squadron. In Sep 1941, she visited Osaka, Japan, receiving maintenance work at the Japanese Navy base. Starting in Oct 1941, one month prior to being completely disarmed, she served as a training ship. She was attacked and sunk in harbor at Saigon, French Indochina by carrier aircraft of Task Force 38 of the United States. Her sunken hull was scrapped after the war.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Oct 2012

Light Cruiser La Motte-Picquet Interactive Map

Photographs

French cruiser La Motte-Picquet, 1929French cruiser La Motte-Picquet (only stern visible), USS Chaumont, and Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni at Shanghai, China, late May or early Jun 1939French cruiser La Motte-Picquet at Shanghai, China, late May or early Jun 1939; note HMS Birmingham ahead of  La Motte-Picquet, USS Chaumont aft of La Motte-PicquetUSS Essex strike photo of the former French cruiser La Motte-Picquet capsized in Saigon Harbor, French Indochina (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam), 12 Jan 1945. The cruiser’s turrets and superstructure were previously removed

La Motte-Picquet Operational Timeline

17 Jan 1923 The keel of light cruiser La Motte-Picquet was laid down by the Arsenal de Lorient in France.
21 Mar 1924 La Motte-Picquet was launched at Lorient, France.
5 Mar 1927 La Motte-Picquet was commissioned into service under the command of capitaine de vaisseau Jean Cras.
12 Jan 1945 La Motte-Picquet was sunk at Saigon, French Indochina by US carrier aircraft of Task Force 38.




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Event(s) Participated:
» Franco-Thai War

Light Cruiser La Motte-Picquet Photo Gallery
French cruiser La Motte-Picquet, 1929
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