USS ASTORIA
The Legacy of Four Ships of the United States Navy
USS ASTORIA CA-34
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 at San Diego, CA in an undated photo.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
USS ASTORIA CA-34 Specifications:
Classification: Heavy cruiser, NEW ORLEANS-class
Displacement: 9353 tons (as built)
10047 tons (standard)
12411 tons (full load)
Length: 588 ft 3 in (overall)
578 ft (waterline)
Beam: 61 ft 9 in
Draft: 21 ft 9 in min (as built)
22 ft 9 in max (as built)
Speed: 32.75 knots at 107,000shp
Complement: 51 officers, 700 men (peacetime)
77 officers, 965 men (wartime)
Armament: 9 x 8 in/55 cal (main battery)
8 x 5 in/25 cal (secondary battery)
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 in drydock at Puget Sound Navy Yard prior to commissioning, circa April 1934. The drydock is being flooded following final painting and work on her hull.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 during trials in Washington prior to commissioning, circa May 1934.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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"Nasty Asty" during her shakedown cruise, 29 May 1934.
-U.S. Navy photo from Brent Jones collection
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 during her shakedown cruise circa June 1934.
-U.S. Navy photo reproduced from Brent Jones collection
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 decked out with signal flags at a Peruvian port in an undated photo.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 passing under the St. Johns bridge in the Williamette River in June 1937.
-photo from Brent Jones collection
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 tied up in the Columbia River, Astoria, OR circa July 1937.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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Japanese sailors at attention as USS ASTORIA CA-34 fires a salute in Yokohama harbor, 17 April 1939. ASTORIA delivered the ashes of Japanese ambassador Hiroshi Saito back to Japan following his death in Washington D.C.
-photo from Brent Jones collection
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The ashes of ambassador Hiroshi Saito are transferred to a launch, 17 April 1939.
-photo from Brent Jones collection
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 in Yokohama harbor, April 1939.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 off Mare Island Navy Yard, circa 11 July 1941. She is dressed in camouflage measure 1C.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
USS ASTORIA CA-34 in a rare color photo, moored alongside MINNEAPOLIS CA-36 at Pearl Harbor circa June 1942.
-photo reproduced from www.navsource.org
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"Nasty Asty" launches an SOC Seagull floatplane from her port catapult, circa July 1942.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 off Pearl Harbor, preparing for floatplane recovery operations following gunnery practice, 8 July 1942. Her booms are extended and dragging aircraft recovery sleds amidships.
-photo reproduced from www.navsource.org
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Port side gun crews watch as the ship turns and extends her crane to create a leeward recovery area for a landing floatplane. A second SOC Seagull is perched on the port catapult.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
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A Seagull taxis onto the starboard recovery sled prior to crane recovery in this third photo from 8 July, 1942.
-photo reproduced from Wiper, Warship Pictorial 7
In final preparation for Guadalcanal operations, USS ASTORIA CA-34 joins Task Force 16 off Tulagi, circa 6 August 1942.
-U.S. Navy photo reproduced from www.navsource.org
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USS ASTORIA CA-34 in what is believed to be the last photo taken of her, circa 8 August 1942 during support of Guadalcanal operations. She was sunk off Savo Island the next day.
-photo from Brent Jones collection
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Sources
Jones, Brent. Private photo and documents collection.
Mooney, James L., ed. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 8 Vols.
Wiper, Steve, ed. Warship Pictorial 7. Tucson, AZ: Classic Warship Publishing, 2000.
www.navsource.org cruiser photo archive.
