California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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'

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 45 text:

, uv ,, .f .Qgk x XL Q ws X f 4 I , ,W?' 'Aww S H f, ' S ii' ,JW isis, fwhgkn, I , .A ,. 9, ,Z V f f ff Y V L .rx , ,Q It L MZ. ,gn A R X S f l ,S , J, W W Ww USS CALIFORNIA SEA STORIES 2, ,ZX A. V, ff W W 124 ,QW ' 73 W Z , fy ,, Wf ff f ,yf gg , , W ,, . ,f , W Q f , , f yi? ,M , 4 W, ,4 , WW 'M Wm f ' ff ,ww I o f I, . X ,ff , , ,M , ff ,JM , , in , -. ,MQ ffm, ., , 1.1 jmggyz. 51,1 ,Y 4 f' gait: S 'V f 1 lk f ,ff f xx' . Q C' , , , ,Q ,W X f , ,wr Q ' , , ' S ' V, , , 'ff' mp, fA'iQi,g-'www .Aw . 1 f ,wwnf-Indiv f j r f ww' Wi 71 My wfvwvfyxm. f yf VW ,WWW .1 ,', ,Az ,MV -wg , ,,, A X' '65, mu ,A ff 1, , f L, f Q f,,4t64' 1