MIGHTY NINETY
The Homepage of USS ASTORIA CL-90
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USS ASTORIA CL-90 completes a turn at the beginning of her shakedown cruise, 8 June 1944.
-U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Larry Cote.
6 June 1944
While the invasion of Fortress Europe began across the Atlantic in Normandy, USS ASTORIA began shakedown training in the vicinity of
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It was drill, drill, drill, day and night; and battle problems, abandon ship, surprise firing and tracking drill. The words, “this will be a dummy run,” were hammered into our brains until we thought there could be no more. We didn’t know much when we started, but we learned fast and continuously. During the shakedown the ship stopped for a time at
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper -photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper -photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper -photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper We left the fine city of
ASTORIA's portside amidships 20mm mount during firing practice. Note the degree numbers painted on the inside of the splinter shield--used for quick target acquisition.
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
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Men surround 20mm Mount 10, resting as they wait for their turn during firing drills. This photo illustrates the ever-present cramped quarters of more than 1200 men on a 600-foot long ship.
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
Although not mentioned in the Mighty Ninety cruise book, during her shakedown USS ASTORIA developed a significant propulsion system problem. By 20 June 1944, a bearing had failed on her number two low pressure turbine. ASTORIA would have to complete her shakedown cruise with only partial power.
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USS ASTORIA underway during her shakedown on 20 June 1944. At the time of this photo, her no.2 turbine has failed.
-U.S. Navy Photo courtesy of Larry Cote
The burned out bearing. Schnipper later wrote that this shot was "taken while I was going through a bad case of sea sickness. I had to lay down every three minutes to keep my head from spinning. This was the first time I was to use the [Navy-issue] equipment and I had to break it all out of boxes and set it up while I almost heaved my insides out."
-photo taken by and courtesy of USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
Airing out bedding, starboard side forward. Note the two single 20mm mounts at upper right--these were replaced by twin 40mm mounts upon ASTORIA's return to the Philadelphia Navy Yard after the shakedown cruise ended.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
4 July 1944
ASTORIA spent her first Independence Day in Port of Spain, Trinidad:
Shore Patrol duty personnel muster on the quay circa 4 July 1944.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
ASTORIA personnel transferring from CL-90 to a barge to go ashore for liberty in Port of Spain.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
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Firefighting practice starboard side amidships, 9 July 1944. Note ASTORIA's camouflage paint has been carried around all sides of the five-inch mount.
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Men watching firefighting practice from the aft gun directors, 9 July 1944. Note men on lower level wearing their USN-issue gas masks.
Men crowd around a damaged gun mount starboard side aft, 14 July 1944. Note the short-lived 20mm mounts in the foreground, replaced by heavier 40mms upon return to Philadelphia.
Injured sailors are tended to port side aft following a training accident, circa 14 July 1944. They were topside and suffered injuries due to 6-inch main battery fire over their heads. Schnipper later wrote that "the concussion caused internal injuries, making the men throw up blood. They were bunched together and were actually bouncing around like ten-pins. One man was discharged for a broken ear drum."
16 July 1944
USS ASTORIA left the Trinidad area and headed back toward the United States for post-shakedown inspection and overhaul.
A view from 16 July 1944 as ASTORIA gets underway from Trinidad to return to the United States.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
St.Thomas in the Virgin Islands viewed from ASTORIA. The Mighty Ninety hid temporarily in the Mar Caribe off St. Thomas while en route back to the United States following reports of a German submarine in the area.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
A Virgin Islands seascape at sunset from the Mar Caribe.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
Wake churned up behind USS ASTORIA as she heads back toward the United States.
-photo taken by USS ASTORIA ship's photographer Herman Schnipper
23 July 1944
USS ASTORIA put in briefly at Norfolk, Virginia. There her crew underwent an admiral's inspection and was declared "fit for any and all action." She then headed back up the east coast to Philadelphia, where she remained for six weeks while her damaged turbine was replaced.
During this time she also underwent additional overhaul and refit, including removal of eight single 20mm gun mounts, replaced by four twin 40mm mounts. Throughout the U.S. Navy, ships were being refitted with more and heavier antiaircraft weaponry in response to the growing Japanese aerial threat.
USS ASTORIA returning to the East Coast from her shakedown cruise, 22 July 1944.
-U.S. Navy Photo reproduced from www.navsource.org
15 Sep 1944
Repairs and refit complete, USS ASTORIA CL-90 got underway for the war in the Pacific.
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The course of USS ASTORIA CL-90 during her shakedown cruise, overhaul, and finally to the Panama Canal.
-CL-90 Track Chart reproduced from 1986 Reunion Program in Brent Jones collection
Continue to CHAPTER 3: GOLDEN GATE IN '48
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Sources:
Cote, Larry. Private photo collection.
Jones, Brent. Private document collection.
MIGHTY NINETY: USS ASTORIA CL-90 cruise book, 1946.
Schnipper, Herman. Private photo collection.
www.navsource.org cruiser photo archive.
