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The third ship to bear the name, ''Phoenix'' was laid down 15 April 1935 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, New Jersey.  She was launched 13 March 1938 and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 3 October 1938, Captain John W. Rankin in command.

The third ship to bear the name, ''Phoenix'' was laid down 15 April 1935 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, New Jersey.  She was launched 13 March 1938 and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 3 October 1938, Captain John W. Rankin in command.

Phoenix departed Brisbane, Australia, for overhaul in the Philadelphia Navy Yard in July 1943 before carrying Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Casablanca. She was then assigned to the 7th Fleet and sailed for the South Pacific.

Phoenix departed Brisbane, Australia, for overhaul in the Philadelphia Navy Yard in July 1943 before carrying Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Casablanca. She was then assigned to the 7th Fleet and sailed for the South Pacific.

On 26 December, in company with the light crusier ''Nashville'' (CL–43), she bombarded the Cape Gloucester area of New Britain smashing shore installations in a four-hour shelling. ''Phoenix'' covered landing forces as they went ashore and furnished support fire against enemy strong points which had not been demolished. On the night of 25–26 January 1944, the ship took part in a night raid on Madang and Alexishafen, New Guinea, shelling shore installations.  ''Phoenix'' then moved to the Admiralty Islands to support the 1st Cavalry Division in a reconnaissance in force on Los Negros Island 29 February. When the troops went ashore after the prelanding bombardment, enemy resistance was so weak that a withdrawal was not necessary and the island was occupied.

On 26 December, in company with the light crusier ''Nashville'' (CL–43), she bombarded the Cape Gloucester area of New Britain smashing shore installations in a four-hour shelling. ''Phoenix'' covered landing forces as they went ashore and furnished support fire against enemy strong points which had not been demolished. On the night of 25–26 January 1944, the ship took part in a night raid on Madang and Alexishafen, New Guinea, shelling shore installations.  ''Phoenix'' then moved to the Admiralty Islands to support the 1st Cavalry Division in a reconnaissance in force on Los Negros Island 29 February. When the troops went ashore after the prelanding bombardment, enemy resistance was so weak that a withdrawal was not necessary and the island was occupied.

''Boise'', ''Nashville'', ''Shropshire'', ''Phoenix'' and heavy cruiser HMAS ''Australia'' joined for the occupation of Morotai, in the Molucca Islands, 15 September 1944. The cruisers shelled nearby Halmahera Island to cover the landing and protected the assault forces as they went ashore against continuing light opposition.

''Boise'', ''Nashville'', ''Shropshire'', ''Phoenix'' and heavy cruiser HMAS ''Australia'' joined for the occupation of Morotai, in the Molucca Islands, 15 September 1944. The cruisers shelled nearby Halmahera Island to cover the landing and protected the assault forces as they went ashore against continuing light opposition.

The long-awaited reconquest of the [[Philippines]] began with the landing on Leyte. ''Phoenix'', attached to the Close Covering Group, heavily bombarded the beaches before the highly successful landing 20 October. Her batteries silenced an enemy strong point holding up the advance of a battalion of the 19th Infantry Regiment and continued to furnish effective callfire.

The long-awaited reconquest of the [[Philippines]] began with the landing on Leyte. ''Phoenix'', attached to the Close Covering Group, heavily bombarded the beaches before the highly successful landing 20 October. Her batteries silenced an enemy strong point holding up the advance of a battalion of the 19th Infantry Regiment and continued to furnish effective callfire.

Next came Bataan and Corregidor, taken 13 to 28 February 1945. ''Phoenix'' covered minesweeping operations at Balikpapan, Borneo, from 29 June until 7 July 1945. Resistance from coastal guns was unusually heavy. Mines and shellfire sank or damaged 11 minesweepers. ''Phoenix'' furnished supporting fire and the assault waves landed.

Next came Bataan and Corregidor, taken 13 to 28 February 1945. ''Phoenix'' covered minesweeping operations at Balikpapan, Borneo, from 29 June until 7 July 1945. Resistance from coastal guns was unusually heavy. Mines and shellfire sank or damaged 11 minesweepers. ''Phoenix'' furnished supporting fire and the assault waves landed.

''Phoenix'' was en route to Pearl Harbor for overhaul when Japan capitulated. She headed home and, upon reaching the Panama Canal 6 September, joined the Atlantic Fleet. Her status was reduced to in commission in reserve at Philadelphia 28 February 1946. She decommissioned there 3 July 1946, and remained at Philadelphia until transferred to Argentina 9 April 1951. ''Phoenix'' earned nine battle stars for World War II service.

''Phoenix'' was en route to Pearl Harbor for overhaul when Japan capitulated. She headed home and, upon reaching the Panama Canal 6 September, joined the Atlantic Fleet. Her status was reduced to in commission in reserve at Philadelphia 28 February 1946. She decommissioned there 3 July 1946, and remained at Philadelphia until transferred to [[Argentina]] on 9 April 1951. ''Phoenix'' earned nine battle stars for World War II service.

She was commissioned in the Argentine Navy as ''17 de Octubre'' (CL–4) on 17 October 1951. Renamed ''General Belgrano'' in 1956, she continues to serve the Argentine Navy into 1970.

She was commissioned in the Argentine Navy as ''17 de Octubre'' (CL–4) on 17 October 1951. Renamed ''General Belgrano'' in 1956 after independence hero General Manuel Belgrano, she served as the flagship of the Argentina navy for many years.  A showpiece much like [[HMS Hood|HMS ''Hood'']] had been to the British a generation before, ''General Belgrano'' represented Argentina as a naval ambassador worldwide, her crew taking pride in presenting the ship in the best possible shape and appearance at all times.

 

For years Argentina had claimed the British-held Falkland Islands as part of its territory, and had continued negotiations for transferring the islands to Argentine control, to no avail.  On April 2, 1982, the military junta who controlled Argentina invaded the islands, effectively taking possession in a matter of days and sparking the undeclared [[Falklands War]].  British prime minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] ordered a 200-mile exclusion zone around the islands, threatening the sinking of any Argentine ship sailing within.  On April 26, ''General Belgrano'' and her escorts were ordered to the area to patrol the sea to the south of the islands; on April 30 they were sighted and tracked by HMS ''Conqueror'', a British nuclear-powered attack submarine.  Although outside the exclusion zone and sailing away, ''Conqueror'' determined ''General Belgrano'' to be a threat and fired three torpedoes; one blew off the bow of the ship, a second hit amidships.  The third torpedo missed.  ''General Belgrano'' sank in less than thirty minutes.  321 crew members and two civilians died, while 770 were rescued during the next two days.

''Text taken in part from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, a work in the public domain.''

''Text taken in part from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, a work in the public domain.''