California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 43 text:

.-lwixiii A it S iimixif The 'Prunc Bai'ge.' as she xx as affection- ately knoxxn throughout the lleel because ol her home states first industry, rejoined the frax .ind participated in the capture and occupation ofSaipt1n. ln this action the ship xx as struck by and enemy bomb and one crexvman xvas killed and eight xx ere xxounded. Then folloxx ed action in the Philippines and the historic battle at Surigao Straits, where one entire arm of the Japanese Fleet was an- nihilated by fire from United States ships. The LJSS CT.Illfl7l'lIlt1 tBB--1-ll was officially cred- ited xx ith sinking one Japanese battleship. '1-X less glorious day is written in her log. A .Japanese Kamikaze pilot smashed his plane into the aft control tower and traded his life for the lives of 52 ofthe Prune Bargesl crew and the injury of 153 others. FotfR YEARS LATER Pour years to the day of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. the USS California CBB-445 sailed into Philadelphia Naval Base with her flags flying and her crew of 2,375 home at last. Behind her was the wreckage of one Japanese battleship sent to the bottom, seven Japanese planes shot down and seven islands still reeling from the thunder of her mighty fourteen inch guns which relentlessly and ac- curately hit their targets until a merciful cease- fire was called. Today, the once proud flagship of the Pacific Fleet lies in a Baltimore, Maryland, shipyard. being slowly cut to pieces to feed hungry steel furnaces. Her huge bell was pre- sented to the people ofthe state on Navy Day, 1949 and currently stands in Capitol Park, Sac- ramento. California. The only other memento of the historic battlewagon, her onyx and gold punch bowl service is on display at the California Histori- cal Society, 2090 Jackson Street, San Fran- cisco. California. PA USE B Y CREW HMore than one former crewman will pause today to remember the exploits of the mighty warship and recall the tribute, given to her upon her decommissioning. of 'Ewell done. 'Time passes. but the nation and the United States Navy will not soon forget the USS California lBB-4149's glorious record of service or the tremendous comeback from the bottom of Pearl Harbor to decisive victory at Surigao Straits. To those who walked her decks. munmid her guns. sailed with her into battle and served our Qountry' aboard the USS California CBB- Mi, you deserve the thanks and gratitude ofa nation that is free because ofyour bravery. You share in the legacy ol the great HPrune Barge. 'Vlay she and ber crew be remembered for marry generations 1ti!,fJI'1'lC, PAW! . ' ,xqfl ,fa ,fx ... ..u A ,132 ...-4 .4 S an L it M ,tfzz-d,,.-.-1f1f.2.t.4...- ....-..... . gk M WW.iQg.-Q5..?-. .2JT'.L1'.4.9AU.Ldf f - .. Q.Q.,,iialY- fe' s af. -i vir- n4 'x-w- '1u.nv ww- 'f...wu. WNW ...Numa fM 'f1 'Nw r --,.--.w --.w.-f- ..,,,-L .,,,,,,,.,.-.M ,, -.A-0... mv-w-gpg IN N' A 1' T. mn' at Q44 10 4-r'wu ,,...-nndlwrvf' ,,. ov- ' '4'w. ll 5. RN: WP W 'V l T 7 new vo-nu Hmm nn Count!! may 'lt L H V ixfxrixtivixv at tw' H-...M I swam At :ova H An unusual example of V-inail. lCourresy ofRol9err D. Lairfll USS CALIFORNIA CBB-441 BIBLIOGRAPHY Crossing the Line with the U.S.S. California, 1925. Pearl Harbor Survivors. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. 1992. Smith. Myron J. Golden Stare Barrlewagon U.S.S. California KBB-441. Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. 1983. The Cnh, U.S.S. Calihirnia, 1936. The Grizzly Bear: U.S.S. California. Volume I, Number 1. 1921. The New Grolier Mnlriinea'ia Encyclopedia, Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc., 1993

Page 42 text:

pitchers had their chance. With this went op- tional taps, reveille at seven o'clock and three of the good cook's husky squares a day- what an edge that keen air did put on the appetites! But everything was not play, the camp had to be policed, and every ship's camp leaves its mark of permanent improvement on the site. The USS California QBB-44Ys contribution was the dragging of the beach, the building of a waterfront and pier and the removal of many stumps until finally the USS Caljornia CBB- 44J's camp was conceded to be the best ever. Nor was the United States Navy forgotten there. Admiral Chips,' Kogel in his flagship the Ark,,' an old whaleboat donated by the Navy Yard, regularly held fleet maneuvers of the camp's small boats. The fleetis nightly schedule called for grand maneuvers after sup- per and a sortie of the fleet into Community Beach across the lake for smokes and eats be- ffore returning to the camp fire and a great nightls rest, filled with pleasant dreams. UTHE AIR WARRIORS f'One of the ship's most reliable publicity agents is the Aviation Gang piloted by that prince among thrillers- that dare-devil in his own birthright, Lieutenant Dixie Kiefer. Mur- ders pales to insignificance as producers of spi- nal tingling alongside of those early catapult shots of Lieutenant Barner. Due to the bravery of these men the USS Calyfornia CBB-445 can claim the credit for the world's first night catapult shot. If you've ever driven a car off a cliff at night going fifty miles per hour with no headlights you have and idea of what it is like. f'Furthermore they have found time to in- terest some dozen other Junior Officers enough to cause them to go into Aviation. To say noth- ing of curing Montell of his failure to make after dinner speeches. 'LA year of day and night flying in all weathers speaks well for the future of heavier than air flying on the Battle Fleet flagship. The time is not far distant when we will rely wholly on our aircraft for gunnery spotting at these increased ranges. Proud we are of our Avia- tors. KKMEMORIES OF 1924 f'San Pedro- The mad dash for the P.E. train, steel locker clubs, rented Fords, the mid- night hot dog on the dock, oil tankers, a fish- laden atmosphere, shore boats, blissful home of married sailors. f'Culebra- Buming heat, luscious bananas, soda pop, Flamingo Beach, and cooling surf, golden sunsets and purple seas, swarthy na- tives living in squalid huts with thatched roofs, rain and mud, smokers and ball games, taran- tulas and sea urchins. New York- The American Girl Glori fied, wintry blasts whistling up the North Rive, the Great White Way, the Statue of Liberty, sky- grazing buildings, Czech-Slovak newspapers, the subway mob, nTsay, Kid, gimme da coin, yuh can't ride dis wagon fer nuttenf' palatial hotels, Riverside Drive, painted lips. V A KW' ,yww O ff yyff X After engine rOOm. fCOurreSy OfFrederick KOh!.j f'Seattle- Dress whites, Kelleys, bananas, have graced the decks of the grand old ship- Haig, Y.M.C.A., ceegarets, four dollars silver the USS Calnfornia tBB-449. but two dollars gold, Muchchas de cantinas, Gatun Lake, chattering monkeys, devout wor- shippers at Catholic shrines. San Francisco- The Ferry Building Market Street, the Golden Gate, jitney busses, Coffee Dan's, cable cars, the Orpheum, Golden Gate Park, girls, girls, the Oakland ferry, Ber- keley, prohibition. HLos Angeles- The P.E. station, Solomons, Hollywood, Jack's Baths, The Biltmore, Westlake Park, rustic Fords, lowans, Pershing Square, flaming neckties, real estate agents, auto parking lots, extra girls, you-drive-em cars, city slickers, movies, silk hose, mamas. Bremer'ton- that boiler shop din, navy workmen emphatically throwing down tools when whistle blows, scraping the bottom, hard boiled Marine sentries, the ferry boat to Se- attle, ship's dances at the Elk's Club. f'Camp Kitsap- healthy appetites, long hikes, pitching horse shoes, toasted marshmal- lows, the plunge in the lake, fleet maneuvers at night, the fish that got away. f'Long Beach- roller coasters, hot dogs, dime dances, lady barber shops, the old joke about Iowa, coy bungalows, beautiful streets and Cadillacs, Fords, too. 'fHollywood- Bareheaded sheiks, racy roadsters, brilliant shops, over-advertised town, not so wicked, beauty- real and artificial, girl- ish boys, and boyish girls, types growing beards, Beverly Hills, cosmetics, studios, hum, Pola Negril Real estate kiosks. tea rooms, pros- perity, and hardened eyes. 'fVenice- The woiking girls' Paradise. one-piece bathing suits, bow legs Cracker Jack, chute-the-chutes, laughing galleries, your pic- 9 ture in Tiaiuanaf' necking, fat women splash- ing about, reckless side-walk trains, corduroy pants, tennis visors, more darned fun. Many logs from the years of service and many memories can be reflected by many who CKHISTORIC PR UNE BAROE LA UNCHING FrO1n the Vallejo Tinze-Herald. laliejo. Calyfornia, Sunday, Nmenzber 20. 1960: f'Today marks the Forty First Anniversaaw of the launching of Mare Islands historic battleship the USS Calnfornia CBB--1-ll. ffOnly twenty of the shipyards present employees witnessed the launching and only six were employed when the keel was laid. lt was November 20. 1919. when the then sleek, super warship slid down the ways and suffered a most embarrassing moment when she drifted clear across the channel and stuck in the mud at the foot of Georgia Street. before the ten-odd tugs assigned to catch her. could get lines aboard. LARGEST MI-Btitr The ship. totaling more than 32.000 tons. is the largest of nearly 500 craft which have been built at the l06-year-old shipyard. The USS California LBB--1-U began her career with almost twenty years of peaceful service as flagship for the Pacific Fleet. But. on the fateful morning of December 7. lf?-l l. just as the mists were lifting from the head- lands behind Pearl Harbor. squadrons of .lapa- nese aircraft rained havoc on most of the nation's Pacific Fleet. The might USS Ctzlifiwini tBB--L-li was hit by two torpedoes and one bomb. Heroic measures were taken to keep the ship atloat. but three days later she sank into the mud of Pearl Harbor. She was floated in Nlarch of I0-12 and after emergency repairs, was towed to Bremerton Naval Shipyard where she w as completely modernized. .,.-.. A .1.

Page 44 text:

f i e c 1 I g , Q I i f Z I QV li q 3' 1 , .5 A . I QQ! J-au'