ARA General Belgrano (C-6)

The ARA General Belgrano C-4 warship was built as the USS Phoenix (CL-46), the fifth of the Brooklyn-class cruisers, built in the United States and launched in March 1938. She survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and had a valiant career earning nine battle stars in World War II and was decommissioned from the US Navy in 1946. The US Navy sold two of the Brooklyn class cruisers to Argentina, the USS Phoenix CL-46 and her sister ship the USS Boise CL-47 on April 9, 1951 for $ 7.8 million. The Argentine Navy or ARA renamed the Phoenix, the ARA 17 de Octubre (C-4), the Boise was renamed ARA Nueve de Julio (C-5). After the Peron revolution the ARA 17 de Octubre C-4 was again renamed to the ARA General Belgrano (C-4), after the father of the Argentine navy. The Belgrano performed normal sea patrols and training duties in the South Atlantic protecting the home land and the islands that Argentina felt was its territory.

For some time Argentina and the United Kingdom were at odds with each other over the rightful ownership of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. On April 2, 1982 an undeclared Falklands War began with the Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia which British civilians and military forces were taken prisoner. The initial invasion was considered lawful by Argentina as the Islands in dispute were listed in her constitution since 1994 so it was seen as re-occupation of its own territory. The UK saw the landings and taking of prisoners as an invasion of overseas British Sovran territory.

Britain not having a large naval force in the area launched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Argentine Air Force, to retake the islands. The Argentine Naval forces were out gunned numerically and by current technology. The UK had a modern first world navy with nuclear submarines with large numbers of combat troops and a land air base in striking distance. The ARA navy was all WWII era, however her aircraft were comperable to Britain’s and had air-to-air and air-to-ship missiles. The Argentine Army had sufficient numbers but they were not as well trained as the UK Special Forces.

The cruiser Belgrano, though she had been upgraded in some areas, was essentially the same ship as when she was commissioned 1938, capable of speeds up to 32.5 knots (60 km/h). She retained her massive fire power with fifteen MK 16 6 inch 47 cal (152 mm) guns able to fire a 130 lb shell 14.5 miles or 26,100 yds (23,900 m). Eight 5 inch 54 cal (127 mm) AA guns and 40 mm and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. A British Sea Cat missile AA system had been upgraded with 2 missiles in 1967/68, no test firing had been done. For supply and recon work she had 2 Aerospatiale Alouette III French made helicopters on board. Her normal compliment was 1,138 well trained dedicated officers and men.

The General Belgrano left Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego on April 26, 1982, as Task Force 79.3 with a screen consisting of two destroyers, the ARA Piedra Buena (D-29) and the Bouchard (D-26), both were purchased WW II USN ships. The purpose was to counter the British Task Force that was reported heading south to land more troops in the islands. The Argentine military decided to counter this and reinforce the islands with more Argentine troops. As part of these movements, the Belgrano her task force along with the carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was ordered to take positions around the islands.

By April 29, the ships were patrolling the Burdwood Bank, south of the islands. On the 30th, the Belgrano was detected by the British nuclear-powered fleet submarine HMS Conqueror. The submarine shadowed the cruiser over the following days and requested permission to fire. After consultation at the British Cabinet level, the decision was the Belgrano was a threat to British shipping and Conqueror should attack the Belgrano. On May 2, Conqueror closed and fired three conventional Mk 8 mod 4 torpedoes, each with a 800 lb (363 kg) Torpex warhead, two hit the General Belgrano. The first torpedo struck foward trying to blow off the bow of the ship, but the bulkheads held and the forward powder magazine did not detonate.

The second torpedo exploded behind the second smoke stack outside the rear limit of the side armor plating exploding in the after machine room. The explosion blew upward through the mess halls and a crew meeting area killing 275 men and ripped a sixty foot long hole in the main deck. There was no fire, but the ship filled with smoke and the explosion damaged the electrical system, preventing a radio distress call to be sent to the destroyers. The Conqueror retired to a safe position to wait and observe. The ship began to list to port and sink by the head. Twenty minutes after the attack Captain Bonzo of the Belgrano ordered the crew to abandon ship and life rafts were lowered, the sailors helped the wounded into the boats in moderate but increasing seas.

The two escort destroyers were unaware of the sinking due to no distress signal being sent or flares being seen so they continued on their course dropping depth charges. When they realized what happened to the Belgrano, it was dark and the seas swells had increased making rescue of the scattered life rafts almost impossible. It wasn’t till May 5 that all the crew boats were found by Argentine and Chilean ships. In all 770 men were found in the boats with 321 members of the brave crew and two civilians being killed in the attack.

After a land engagement, Argentina surrendered the islands to the UK on June 14, 1982 but show no sign of relinquishing her claim on the islands to this day. In 1994 the Argentine government and Captain Bonzo indicated the sinking of the Belgrano was a legal act under the rules of engagement of the day.

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Last Updated: 4/30/2009