California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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aboard while four FD instruments were ar- ranged around the superstructure for the five- inchers. In addition, a type SK-2 radar aerial was mounted on the forward pole mast while an SP antenna was attached to the tall main mast. These mechanical eyes of the Calgfor- nia gave her scanning capability to 60,000 yards, precision ranging to 44,000 yards, and the ability to Hshoot at night almost as well as by day. Finally, the prewar catapults on Turret III, or the high catapult and the fantail, which were removed at Pearl Harbor, were replaced by a single catapult on the fantail, serviced by a crane. The Calqfornianreceived four new Vought OS2U Kingfisher observation air- craft, sometimes affectionately known as the ship's Quarter-deck Messerschmidtsf' Re- built, reconditioned, and bearing no resem- blance to her former self, the battleship stood out of the yard at the end of January, 1944. 'GON THE AIR,, FROM THE C UB, WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE USS CALIFORNIA IBB-442: The familiar announcement, 'This is the RBO Network and your station aboard the USS Calafornia CBB-445, which you hear daily over your favorite RBO outlet, has a story behind it. With the arrival of the ship in Philadelphia, the RBO Network will conclude almost two years of continuous operation. It has been a source of pleasure and entertainment for ev- ery man aboard, since the early days of its in- ception in January of 1944. At that time, Chet Smith of the Band, the man behind the voice and the man most re- sponsible for the existence and development of the network, used his own turntable and microphone to broadcast records, a few hours a day, from the Warrant Officers' Mess. Chet has since expanded the service into a full-time radio program. Through the efforts of Chaplain Kenealy, a complete studio was constructed on the sec- ond deck near the library and chaplain's of- fice, a large and varied selection of record- ings were purchased, introduced to the RBO Network. As a result the crew could listen to the popular programs heard regularly over the air back in the United States. Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Jack Benny, the Great Gildersleeve, Edgar Bergen, and Charlie McCarthy have give us all many a laugh, -and at times when a laugh was priceless. All kinds of music, clas- sical, semi-classical, and popularg long-hair, swing, and jazzg military bands, dance bands, and name bands, -all have contributed via the RBO to make life more livable aboard the Prune Barge. Several home-talent programs, originated by members of the crew, have proved to be very successful. One of the most popular is Bob Norman's Ranch Rhythms request pro- gram. Another is Dick Cunningham's Latin American Quarter Hour, in which he broad- cast for a different Cfictitiousj sponsor each week. Mickey Pallamary conducts another program entitled, News of Your Name Bandsf, And there are two request programs daily. Each Saturday night the Prune Barge Hit Parade presents the most popular requests of the previous weekg and the 'fPrune Barge Command Performancen brings back the high- lights of several weeks' programs. During war days, when direct radio news was difficult or impossible to get, a popular program was Fa- ther Kenealy's newscast and commentary each night before taps. The most recent addition to the schedule is the broadcasting of the USS Calzfornia Dance Band Concerts from the quarter-deck. The RBO Bulletin Board, in the starboard mess hall, carries pictures of the stars featured each day on the Armed Forces Radio Service programs. This is handled by Ed Bitting of the band, who also assists Chet in tabulating the requests for records, planning the programs and announcing. Chet Smith's initiative and industry and his contribution to morale were not overlooked by Captain Brewer who, be- fore leaving the ship, wrote a letter of com- mendation Cpublished in the last issue of The Cubj for insertion in Chet's service record. f'There was the night at Espiritu Santo when they were to play for the U.S. Army's 27th Division. The transportation arrived too late, so they played for a nearbyOCB battalion, and the following night, escorted by an apolo- getic 27th Division corporal, they made the camp and entertained eight thousand wildly cheering GIs. No one has kept an account of the total number of soldiers, sailors, and Marines our band has entertained. They have played as many as three engagements in one day, and to groups ranging from a few hundred to six, seven, and eight thousand. And they have played in the desolate places where relaxation was most needed. It was grand work. And, as any man in the band will tell you, it was grander fun. The host outfit would usually provide sandwiches, beer, cokes, of gedunks of some kind after the show. But the greatest thrill was the sheer joy of sharing, with great numbers of swell GI guys, the music and fun of the United States of America which we were lucky to have aboard the USS Calyfornia CBB-445. Below is a partial list of engagements played during the past two years by your Prune Barge Boilermakers: Bremerton: Craven Center Receiving Station Port Orchard Center USO Bremerton USO Seattle USO Tacoma Servicemen's Center Melody Lane Club Long Beach: YMCA San Francisco: Old Saint Mary's USO Oak Street Stage Door Canteen Palace Hotel Dance Pearl Harbor: Navy Yard Workers Recreation Center LST 227 Engebi Island USS Hector USS Jacob Land USS Castor USS McKee USS Harrison Eni wetok: Espiritu Santo: USN Base Hospital tt 3 USN Base Hospital 4? 6 USA Evac. Hospital it 22 USA Evac. Hospital 14 25 Recreation Center CB Theatre CPO Club Main Red Cross Center Aessi Island Theatre Two Bottle Tavern USS Briareus Naval Advanced Base Naval Repair Base United State Army Theatre USA 27th Division AES Radio Station Espiritu: USS Custer USS Sierra USS Hogan Bay USS Salamana Bay USN Base Hospital if 15 USN Main Base USN Seaplane Base CB Number ll CPO Club Manus: Palau: USS Prometheus Ulithi: APA 104 APA 226 Leyte: CPO Club Okinawa: USS Arkansas USS Leon Tsuken Shima Island Wakayama: USS Makin Island Singapore: British General Hospital Padang Field Concert USA Signal HQ Dance Colombo: ComSec Hall Dance. The band looks forward to playing its last out-of-the-United-States engagements in Capetown, South Africa. But O.I. LOld Inde- fatigableb Hartman is slaving away. night and day, preparing new arrangements and new numbers for the last leg of our trip to the United States. Following a series of in and out sea tri- als and exercises off San Pedro and a final Bremerton check of her machinery. the USSCa1ifornia CBB-445 arrived in Hawaii in mid-May, ready to go to war.

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S, QF-Q wish mm' is .'!t fr-fits fix- A 'AM' J M 'rt-. I I Wi -l'Ki.:t-, R 3323 'M' , W writer .ea - if fm' 55. f, . k. 1 r' -. R. .J . N, Mx . f 'tv , ...- .. X. '- ., Q f., Number One. The oil in three center compart- ments would, according to the design, take up much of the shock by its inertia and, by its in- compressibility. cause bulkheads, two, three, and four to help withstand the shock simulta- neously. with bulkhead Number One. Com- partment E was left as a compressible void so that bulkhead Number Five would not share in withstanding the major shock, but serve as a tiooding boundary in case bulkheads two, three, and four were ruptured. The oil in the center compartments, incidentally, was a part of the dreadnought's fuel, but could be replaced by water as it was consumed. Some felt that water would serve even better than oil in the ship's center compart- ments, as it could absorb more of an explosion's terrific heat, thus reducing its in- tensity. At Pearl Harbor, the oil arrangement worked well as the chief salvage officer, Cap- tain Homer N. Wallin, testified: The two tor- pedo hits were the most serious damage sus- tained .... In each case the inboard bulkhead was practically intact .... Caliornia was well designed entirely able to withstand the pun- ishment received on 7 December. Elsewhere, the main battery was also well covered. The face of each 14-inch turret re- ceived 18 inches of steel while the sides and rear had eight inches and the roof five inches. The 411 tons of barbette armor for each 1,127- ton turret was reduced in thickness as it de- scended behind the main belt, running 14 inches on the exposed sides, 16 inches on the tube, and 14 inches on the crown. Protection for the conning tower, from which the ship would be controlled in a surface gunner ac- tion, and the main armament directors, was 16 inches thick, but was much reduced for the high-angle directors. The Calyfornialv main armament, which was her reason for being built, consisted of a dozen separately sleeved 14-inch!50 caliber 81.7-ton guns mounted in superfiring triple tur- rets, two forward and two aft. Each of these rifled guns, some 46 inches in diameter at the breech, had a maximum 30 degree elevation and could fire a 1,500 pound armor-piercing CAPJ shell to the 34,000-35,000 yard range Cap- proximately 19-20 milesj at an average rate of fire of 1.5 per minute! The battleship's secondary armament Cchanged several times before the attack at Pearl Harborj initially comprised fourteen five- inchl51 caliber single-purpose anti-destroyer guns distributed seven to a side. Four were in open top deck mounts, two forward and two aft between the funnels, with ten in second deck casemates. Additionally, four semi-automatic three-inch!50 caliber guns were carried for anti- aircraft protection, as well as a battery of sa- luting cannons, a field piece of amphibious exercises, various machine guns and small arms. In 1922, the two five-inchers located between the funnels were removed and four more three-inch anti-aircraft pieces were added. All of the anti-aircraft guns were re- placed in 1929 to 1930 by eight five-inch!25 caliber guns while in 1936, anti-aircraft pro- tection was augmented by the receipt of addi- tional light machine guns. A pair of submerged 21 -inch torpedo tubes aboard on commission- ing day were found unworkable and were re- moved in 1937. As built, the Calqfornia sported a pair of 140-foot lattice, or cage, masts which sup- ported large fire control, or fighting, tops. With a large diameter at the base providing sup- port, each mast was formed from two inclined sets of steel tubing Cclamped together at inter- sectionsj which made up rigidity-assuring sets of triangles. The enclosed mast tops housed the main and secondary control stations, the latter one level below the former. Comple- menting the main battery rangefinder atop the bridge, one was placed on a mainmast plat- form in 1927 while the secondary directors continued in their platform locations, one on either side of the lower level of the tops. In support of communications gear, each mast also featured large yardarms and hinged top- masts with small yardarms. A platform encir- cling the main mast carried four large search- lights. Range clocks were also carried fore and aft of the lower levels of the tops Cone facing the bow and one the sternj which could be used by admirals with, or independently of, the bear- ing scales painted on the sides of turrets II and III to mass fire Cin poor visibility or smokej for devastating effect. These two masts were the ship's most distinguishing pre-war charac- teristics and as they were also fitted aboard her sister and the Colorados, distinguished them from the rest of the battleship force as mem- bers ofthe Big Five. In 1929 and 1930, an aircraft catapult was fitted on the fantail, serviced by a simple der- rick Clater replaced by a cranej. Another cata- pult was fitted atop turret III to be serviced by the cranes which also handled cargo and the small boatsfbarges stacked amidships. The three aircraft canied would vary in type, but were always stowed atop the catapults. Following the Washington Treaty of 1922, the U.S. Navy, with the limited peacetime fund- ing available, began the reconstruction of its active battleships, the more elderly first. Funds for the modernization of the Calpfornia and Tennessee were authorized in April, 1939, but in view of the situations in Europe and the Far East, it was decided to hold off their rebuild- ing. With minor improvements, the two ships would be held in a state of readiness in case war threatened. When on October 20, 1942, the CalU'or- nia arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington, from Pearl Harbor, she appeared somewhat similar to her pre-De- cember 7th silhouette, even her cage masts and catapults were gone. At Bremerton, the ship would undergo permanent repairs to damages suffered in the Japanese raid and would be completely and thoroughly modernized. So extensive was her outward transformation to be that she would become practically a new ship. Due to higher priorities, however, this rebuilding was often interrupted and finally set back by several months. Steel-helmeted yard workers cut the ship clean of superstructure and secondary guns, stripping her completely down to second deck level. With only the original hull, main bat- tery, and propulsion plant retained, her almost total conversion was begun practically from scratch. As opposed to the riveting employed in her creation, the Calfornia lv new work was all welded, bringing a weight savings which doubled in thickness, her hull received deep eight-foot three-inch bulges on both sides, which gradually tapered toward bow and stem. These blisters formed a kind of second hull, covering the entire side armor from be- low the waterline to the upper deck, providing increased stability and better anti-torpedo pro- tection. Intemal compartmentalization was re- arranged and improvedg new fire mains, 154 miles of new electric cable, a new ventilation system and new fuel lines were added while fuel storage capacity was extended. The hull construction, by the way, widened the dreadnought's beam to 114 feet, a girth which would prevent her from ever passing through the Panama Canal again. The most striking innovation was made in the battleship's superstructure. The heavy armored conning tower, stacks, etc. were all removed. A compact superstructure of stan- dard design was built, able to provide essen- tial ship and gunnery control facilities while offering as little interference as possible in the fields of fire of the ship's now-essential anti- aircraft guns. A low tower foremast supported a main battery director and bridges, boiler up- takes were trunked into a single stack which was faired into the afterside of the foremast, the whole forming a compact block. A low structure was set just abaft the stack in the lo- cation once occupied by the after cage mast to accommodate the after 14-inch director. These changes gave the old lady a look similar to the newer battleships of the South Dakota class. Before Bremerton, Washington, the Cali- fornia wore navy-gray number three paint. In order to disguise her somewhat for Japanese sea and airbome marksmen, she was now given one of the Navy's standard camouflage schemes, or measures, which at range and in various weather and lighting conditions would change her profile. The measure cho- sen for the Calyfornia was No. 32, the me- dium pattern systemf' Under this arrangement, she was painted in dazzle-pattem with pale gray, haze gray, and navy blue applied to hori- zontal surfaces and decks. The ship's identifi- cation numbers were painted on the hull fore and aft, but were purposely made very small. Based on war experience, the Navy in- sisted that the CalU'ornia's secondary and anti- aircraft armament be substantially increased from what it had been previously. Accordingly, the casemated five-inch!51's, and the five-inch! 25's were replaced by sixteen five-inch!38 cali- ber superiiring dual purpose guns in eight twin mounts, four to a side on the f'02 deck. For close-in anti-aircraft defense fourteen qua- druple 40mm Bofors mounts and 52 twenty millimeter Oerlikon machine guns were fitted, including three atop turret Number Three. Gunnery control and radar equipment were modernized andfor initially installed. Two Mark CMKJ 34 main battery directors, with MK Eight fire control radars and assorted gunfire computing equipment, were placed

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USS C.-11.11-'aR,v1A CBB-441 1921-1941 QINCLUDING PEARL H,ARBORl The LSS Califim11'a tBB--1-ll after her conirnissioning at Mare lsland on August 10. 1921 with Captain H.J. Ziegenreier. United States Nay y. in cornmand with her shakedown cruise and official trials successfully completed was their assigned as the flagship ofthe United States Pacific Fleet. From 1922 until 1931 the Ctrlirorrria was the flagship ofthe Battle Fleet ofthe United States Fleet, participating in Joint Arrny-Navy exercises. battle and fleet exer- cises. and tactical exercises. Tlre California Cub, Weekly Newspaper af rlre L'.S.S. Califirrrria, Volume IV Number 7, reported on March 2, 1923, 'fThe Cruise of 1923: These notes are a little cold now but when you send the CUB home as you should do this article will be very interesting to the folks back home. Nine battleships and part of a train left San Pedro the eighth of February and a couple of days later were joined by thirty-seven de- stroyers and seven submarines from Magadalena Bay. Maneuvers were immediately begun. The various units took up their respective po- sitions as though cruising in time of war. ln fact. this is what this cruise is for- training for war. During the morning, battleships separate about ten miles, four in one column and five in the other. and theoretically. pound each other to pieces with fourteen inch shells while the five and three inch guns bend all their efforts on the destroyers. submarines. and train ships. Torpedoes are ruthlessly launched at any ship that comes within range. No more ideal con- ditions for gunnery training can be found than this since these are the exact conditions of a major engagement. By the afternoon the battle- ships are brought together again for maneu- vers. This is when experience in ship control, and tactics and signal is developed. Also, it is a pretty sight to see all the ships swing into position at the same time. Everyone who is not busy below decks seems to be interested in watching the afternoon maneuvers. Not only are the battleships busy at train- ing all day but are also the destroyers, subma- rines, and train ships. Part of the time the de- stroyers and submarines take up positions of protection to the battleships. At other times they must make targets of the battleships and approach unawares and launch phantom tor- pedoes. The train ships have practices of their own in keeping distance and maneuvering to avoid imaginary torpedoes. 'fAt night time the fleet is gathered to- gether in night cruising formation. The entire fleet is darkened and a little later there is search- light drill. At one minute the fleet is in utter darkness not even the lighted end of a ciga- rette can be seen. The next instant a blazing mass of searchlight beams burst into the air- two hundred rays at least. It beats a fourth of July celebration to see all these beams playing about. Few people will ever witness a scene like this. Aerial View of fill' balllzfship USS Cvllllfllflllll. fCi0lll'll'.S'-V ofHurnlrl Bearrl All these maneuvers and drill offer a world ofexperience to the officer and men. Of course, only real training can be accomplished at sea, ln port many conditions have to be as- sumed which make the drill monotonous and mechanical. But now we have opportunity for practical training. The necessity for these long cruises is shown in the number of minor mishaps that, though slight in nature, cause ships to tempo- rarily lose position in formation, which must be exact. ln reviewing these various mishaps it is seen that lack of long cruises and training at sea are the causes of most. A long trip like this from San Pedro to Panama is rare and it is no wonder some were not prepared for the strain of continuous steaming. A man on board the Nicholas was sick with the flue and had a temperature of 104.6 degrees. He was transferred by boat to the Mercy. lsnlt it convenient to have a first class hospital along with us? The dope from the C in C U.S. Fleet is that all ships except the Calyfomia, Camden, and submarines will be assigned outside an- chorage at Panama. HURRAH for the FLAG- SHIP. The C in C U.S. Fleet is Admiral H.P. Jones. The California Cub from which the pre- vious article is quoted was published by the Crew ofthe USS Calijirrnia. In 1923, Captain L.A. Bostwick was commanding. Lieutenant N.C. Gillette served as editor of the Cub. As- sistant Editors included Lt. Qj.g.J Kelley, En- sign Moore. Ensign Ashley, Ensign Jasperson, Ensign Howell, Ensign Leppert with art pro- vided by Y. Murphy. The paper varied in length usually approximately four to eight pages which were eight and one-half by eleven inches in size and printed by the Star dia Herald in Panama. Republic of Panama. lt is certain that these issues were hungrily read far and wide, especially by family members. friends and fi- ancees of crew members eager to learn oftheir loved one's adventures on the high seas aboard the California. All crew were encouraged to participate by submitting ideas and material for publication. Boldly printed on the bottom of the page was: Ifit interests you it will interest the crew drop it in the boxf, Some articles had practical value as this one titled, 'fAmusc-:ments in Panama : 'Drinking booze and kindred vices are not amusements. They are vices. Don't say that there is nothing else to do. Listed below are a few places you can visit that will give you more enjoyment than lapping up poisonous bever- ages at fancy prices. uCaptain Dickes has secured the informa- tion below and has made arrangements so that this trip can be carried out. A vote of thanks for our chaplain. All Hands!!! Hear This!!! 'fThis is additional information for you to tuck away and use as needed. After practically a full days work the information has shaped up in this manner: At present. liberty is not allowed after 1:00 P.1VI. With liberty this late.