25 September 1944

USS ASTORIA passed through the Panama Canal and the crew received a brief liberty at Balboa, Panama.  She stopped at San Diego eight days later, on 3 October, for provisions and fuel.  Shortly afterward she continued up the West Coast to Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, CA.  En route to Mare Island, ASTORIA experienced a second turbine failure similar to the damage suffered off Trinidad.


7 October 1944
ASTORIA entered San Francisco Bay and made her way to Mare Island Navy Yard.  There she remained for almost three weeks, delayed again as her second damaged turbine was repaired.



The damaged bearing from ASTORIA's number four low pressure turbine.
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper




Above and below: During the delay at Mare Island, the ASTORIA ship's press began publication of a ship's newspaper called The Mighty Ninety.  The first issue was published 20 October, 1944.  Its cover featured art by a shipmate named Joe Aman.  This cartoon, the first of many he would draw at sea, showed "baby Mighty 90" receiving her sendoff from Uncle Sam, with a stereotypical wartime caricature of Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo waiting across the ocean.
-courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper




21 October 1944
With her turbine repairs at Mare Island complete, USS ASTORIA CL-90 was photographed at the navy yard in the final configuration she would carry into war.  Alongside her at Mare Island were sister CLEVELAND-class light cruiser USS MONTPELIER CL-57 and heavy cruiser USS BALTIMORE CA-68.  The three ships were scheduled to depart together in a few days for Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Fleet beyond.



CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Although at different times of day, these two photos were taken from the same vantage point at Mare Island Navy Yard on 21 October 1944 and depict the relative position of Mighty Ninety to other ships dockside.  At left is ASTORIA CL-90, at right is MONTPELIER CL-57, and at far right is INDIANAPOLIS CA-35.  Note the differences visible between early and late production CLEVELAND-class cruisers--most notably the bridge construction and gun director placement.  CL-57 has also been refit with an SK-2 radar dish (circled).
-U.S. Navy photos from Larry Cote collection and www.navsource.org respectively.


Note: Click here or navigate to the Views of ASTORIA CL-90 page to view all of the Mare Island Navy Yard CL-90 photos.  The next six images are closeups from these photographs.



ASTORIA sailors in dungaree work uniforms lounging on the forecastle.  Note the covers on the single 20mm mounts and the Union Jack flying from the jack staff.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



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Sailors waiting in line for mail call, many reading newspapers.  Note the two men at far left who appear to be working a crossword puzzle.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



A Navy and Marine officer stand at the top of the gangway, their coats reflecting the cool northern California weather.  Note the standing water indicating recent rain.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



Two ASTORIA sailors work at the Mk 51 gun directors for the amidships 40mm mounts.  Note one of CL-90's large searchlights at right.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



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Sailors at left wait in line for mail, while men scattered elsewhere read newspapers, shoot the bull, and try to relax.  Note that ASTORIA's camouflage measure extends over her hull and across the wooden deck.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



Finding a moment of solitude, a lone ASTORIA sailor writes a final letter before leaving for the Pacific.
-closeup from U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote




Cruisers berthed at Mare Island, 21 Oct 1944.  Left to right are BALTIMORE CA-68, INDIANAPOLIS CA-35, and MONTPELIER CL-57.  ASTORIA CL-90 has pushed away in this photo, and her empty berth is visible beyond CL-57.  The crane at top center appears to be the vantage point from which the previous photos were taken.
-U.S. Navy Photo reproduced from www.navsource.org



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The same lineup of ships in a photo taken from USS ASTORIA.  At the center is USS INDIANAPOLIS CA-35, which was undergoing lengthy repairs and refit during this time.
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper



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USS ASTORIA CL-90 off Mare Island in the afternoon of 21 October 1944.
-U.S. Navy photo in NARA collection, courtesy of Larry Cote



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ASTORIA's two OS2U Kingfisher aircraft atop their catapults in this Mare Island photo showing a clear view of her recovery crane.  Note also the 20mm mount behind the port catapult.
-U.S. Navy photo in NARA collection, courtesy of Larry Cote.


25 October 1944
USS ASTORIA CL-90 put to sea bound for Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Fleet beyond, accompanied by MONTPELIER CL-57 and BALTIMORE CA-68.  After months of training, shakedown, refit, and unexpected lengthy repairs, the Mighty Ninety was joining the fight against Imperial Japan.  "Golden Gate in '48" was the phrase, as her crew didn't know how long it would be before they would see home again.



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Yard workers in the foreground watch as USS ASTORIA gets underway from Mare Island.  In the background, MONTPELIER and BALTIMORE are also preparing to push away from the dock.
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper

On the same day that USS ASTORIA left San Francisco, the central action to the Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought by the U.S. Navy off Samar Island in the Philippine Sea.  The Leyte operation was the first phase of the liberation of the Philippine Islands, an effort that would ultimately involve Mighty Ninety during her first two months in theater,supporting the landings at Mindoro and Luzon.

The Fast Carrier Task Force, with which ASTORIA would be assigned, conducted operations in support of Leyte for another month, until late November.  During that time the Navy was introduced to a new Japanese tactic: Special Attack Corps, which came to be known colloquially as "Kamikazes."  The planes of these squadrons crashed headlong into U.S. ships repeatedly during the final month of Leyte operations, causing severe damage to many, including precious aircraft carriers.



Two American carriers burn after Kamikaze attacks on 30 October 1944 off Leyte.  In the foreground is BELLEAU WOOD CVL-24 and at right FRANKLIN CV-13.
-U.S. Navy Photo reproduced from www.navsource.org.


If USS ASTORIA had not experienced either of the two failures of bearings on her turbines, she would have joined the fast carriers weeks earlier and been present for these early Kamikaze attacks at Leyte Gulf.  Instead, she spent this period in transit between the United States and the Territory of Hawaii.




                            Continue to CHAPTER 4:  DOMAIN OF THE GOLDEN DRAGON

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Sources:

Cote, Larry.  Private photo collection.

Fahey, James J.  Pacific War Diary 1942-1945.  Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1963.

Jones, Brent.  Private document collection.

Schnipper, Herman.  Private photo and document collection.

Unk. editor.  MIGHTY NINETY: USS ASTORIA CL-90 cruise book.  Unk. publisher, 1946.

www.navsource.org cruiser photo archive.