California (CGN 36) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Ihird ship to hear the ndinc CALI- rORniA was a l79foot yacht. The craft. SP-249, was commissioned in 1917. Designed for a speed of 12 knots. SP-249 was armed with two six- potindcrs ami two Colt machine guns. In 1918. the ship s name was changed to its original name: tIAUOLI. Thcship was used for local patrols out of San nicfio. In 1920. the ship was sold to a lunthci I ompari} in I ' loricla. Ihc fourth CALirOKniA. SF-647. was a 58foot yacht built in 1910. commissioned in 191 . and owned by the San Francisco Bar Pilots Association. The vessel registered 34 tons, and attained a ma.ximum speed of 9.2 Knots. The vessel patrolled the coast around the San Francisco area.

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USS CALirORniA THROUGH THE YEARS r ' -RIS I « ' « The first naval ship named for the state of CALIFORniA was a 313-foot screw sloop launched in 1867 as the MinnETOriKA. The ship was renamed CALIFORniA in 1869 and decommissioned in 1873 at Mare Island. The second CALIFORISIA, a 503-foot armored cruiser was launched in San Francisco in 1904. In 1914, she was renamed SAiy DIEGO so that the name CALIFORniA could be assigned to a newly authorized battleship.

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USS CALIFORniA BB-44 BB-44 PRIOR TO PEARL HARBOR BB-44 AFTER PEARL HARBOR The largest ship to bear the state name was the battleship CALI- FORniA, BB-44. The ship was commissioned on 10 August 1921 and for 19 years served as flagship of the Pacific Fleet (1931-1941). Its charac teristics were: length, 624 feet; displace- ment, 32,300 tons; speed 21 knots; and complement, 57 offi- cers and 1,026 enlisted men. The ship was armed with 12 14 50 guns, 14 5 51 guns, and 21- inch submerged torpedo tubes. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, CALIFORniA was berthed in Battleship Row ' at Pearl Har- bor. During the Japanese aerial attack, the CALIFORniA took three torpedo hits, causing the ship to list 8 degrees to port. By Thursday, the CALIFORniA was sitting on the harbor s floor with only its superstructure above the surface. In 1942, the CALIFORniA was refloated. After repairs, the ship departed by Puget Sound navy Yard, Washington, for major re- construction. The CALIFORniA returned to active service in 1944. During WWII, the CALIFORniA earned seven battle stars. It par- ticipated in shore bombard- ments during the Saipan, Guam, Tinian operations, and in the Battle of Surigao Strait. While providing gunfire support at Lin- gayen Gulf the CALIFORniA was struck by a kamikaze plane. After repairs, the ship served off Okinawa, in the East China Sea, and in support of the landing of the occupational forces in Ja- pan. The CALIFORniA was placed in commission rcseivc in 1946, de- commissioned in 1947, and sold for scrap in 1959.