25 September 1944

USS ASTORIA passed through the Panama Canal.  She arrived at San Diego a week later, on 3 October.  Shortly afterward she left San Diego for Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, CA.

At some point during this time CL-90 experienced a second propulsion failure, this time the aft bearing in her no. 1 turbine.  She was delayed on the West Coast for much of October while this problem was fixed.

21 October 1944
The Mighty Ninety was photographed at Mare Island Navy Yard, both dockside and at sea, four days before she got underway for the Pacific.



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Although at different times of day, these two photos were taken from the same vantage point at Mare Island Navy Yard on 21 Oct 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.
-U.S. Navy photos from Larry Cote collection and www.navsource.org respectively.



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


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.



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USS ASTORIA CL-90 off Mare Island, 21 Oct 1944.  Note the discolored patch in her camouflage measure on the hull amidships--this lines up with her forward engine room and possibly indicates where the hull was cut in order to perform repair work on her no.1 turbine.
-U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote



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ASTORIA's two OS2U Kingfisher aircraft atop their catapults in this Mare Island photo.  In less than two months both of these aircraft would be damaged beyond repair in a typhoon.  Note also the 20mm mount behind the port catapult.
-U.S. Navy photo 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 repair, 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.



A U.S. Navy observation airship escorts ASTORIA out of San Francisco harbor.  Airships were used to spot potential threats, primarily enemy submarines.
-photo taken by U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Herman Schnipper



USS BALTIMORE CA-68 steams from San Francisco in company of ASTORIA.
-photo taken by U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Herman Schnipper



Wake churns behind ASTORIA as she heads further to sea in this shot from her fantail.
-photo taken by U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Herman Schnipper


On the same day that 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 the next month.  During that time they were introduced to a new Japanese tactic: The 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 damage to many in the process, including precious aircraft carriers.

If ASTORIA had not experienced the failure of the aft bearing on her no. 1 turbine, she would have joined the fast carriers weeks earlier and been present for these early Kamikaze attacks.  As it ended up, her crew would experience more than their share six months later at Okinawa.



Two American carriers burn after Kamikaze attacks on 30 Oct 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.



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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.

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

www.navsource.org cruiser photo archive.