Ashtabula (AO 51) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 5 text:

9 SERV NWNDER SEVENTH Fl Y' I 0 - wr 44 no C? I Q 0' gb xl F U62 'Vwy gs? Q . 'L , , 491, vl QV 1, ,W XX 5 My WW QQN . QW W u-IX Ygfs ' Cipro' . BEAD ESS V QMQ5 Q , 'IINBX x 7 'H y I .eyes ! vo ig X X WNW Q5 S I' 0 A f I J xL','f Hp 1,5 Q S x ,f O Sf A f ul on X W wi O 2 Q .2 ' Vila g Q if 123 I if if a if U I ck if 4 Q QA., as -fi. w Q1 - -p Q 2' 'I flcmc 'J 4 3 1 1 A051 7 Xi 1 i

Page 4 text:

Aw- p, gs 4' ,.,- -af , .Lu 4.49 ' '- r V-.rf-V .rw v' 4 fr 24' '-55-1423-'L : '.n'?.41 .A C.,-'r v 5 r fr 0 LA f I K , L W .. ,H vm, , N .WL . R 'Qu J. ' , 'fff-Vue lik? 7- .fp.f7UM, ,glgizj f4,wwff -V , M, V W3 ,' VM, -rl, .uv Mm ,f-'..f' ,W N ,f V' , .z:,,'- ., ., .-.5 + -Hia f 4, , x . EM.-.. , '23 ' ,M .,, 4 yn, . ,N ,vw

Page 6 text:

do xi R L-1 ,IQ Vf Og, uss ASHTABULA LAO-51 'J I t bi t. T V 1. .., ffw C All tgwlttgzwijl :- f 1' M75 .1 ' M Tr. k5j'39l brgj Ztxf-1, .+sf,'QeW':,.i Refueling USS Hanson CDD-832D HE USS ASHTABULA CAO-5U known throughout the fleet as the Flying A was named in honor of the Ashtabula River in Ohio. Built by the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard in Maryland and launched in August of l9-43, the Ashtabula sailed via the Panama Canal to Samoa where she became a service unit of the South Pacific Fleet. The ASHTABULA operated in the vicinity of the Marshall Islands from May until September of T944. On the 22nd of October, she proceeded to Leyte Gulf and com- menced refueling members of the Task Group assembled there. While operating in that area, the ASHTABULA came under air attack and a torpedo hit the number six wing tank and it explodedg there were no fire or personnel casualties. Within an hour, the ship had a thirteen and one-half degree list to port. The following day three more planes flew over the convoy but were driven off by gunfire, One of the planes appeared on the port bow of the ASHTABULA and was shot down before it could turn away, ln April of T945, the ASHTABULA collided with the USS THORNTON QAVD-ill. The THORNTON sighted the task unit and in the confusion of trying to avoid them, she turned directly into the path of the ASHTABULA. The ASHTABULA'S bow struck the THORNTON amidships causing considerable damage. The THORNTON was taken under tow while the ASHTABULA, undamaged, continued servicing the fleet during the remainder of the war.