USS California (BB-44)

USS "California" (BB-44), a "Tennessee"-class battleship, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. [ [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/bb44.htm "USS California (BB-44), 1921-1959", DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER.] ]

History

Her keel was laid down on 25 October 1916 by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched 20 November 1919 sponsored by Mrs. R.T. Zane (daughter of California governor William D. Stephens); and commissioned 10 August 1921 with Captain H.J. Ziegemeier in command. She immediately reported to the Pacific Fleet as flagship.

For 20 years, from 1921 until 1941, "California" served first as flagship of the Pacific Fleet, then as flagship of the Battle Fleet (Battle Force), U.S. Fleet. Her annual activities included joint Army-Navy exercises, tactical and organizational development problems, and fleet concentrations for various purposes. Intensive training and superior performance won her the Battle Efficiency Pennant for 1921 and 1922, and the Gunnery "E" for 1925 and 1926.In the summer of 1925 "California" led the Battle Fleet and a division of cruisers from the Scouting Fleet on a good-will cruise to Australia and New Zealand. She took part in the Presidential reviews of 1927, 1930, and 1934. She was modernized in late 1929 and early 1930 and equipped with an improved antiaircraft battery of eight 5"/25 caliber guns replacing the earlier 3-inch guns.Breyer 1973 p. 226]

In the mid- to late-1930s the "California" and the 14 Battleships of the United States Fleet was station in San Pedro, California. During that time they participated in numerous fleet exercises taking them up and down the west coast, to Hawaii, and in 1939 through the Panama Canal, to Cuba, to New York City for the 1939 World's Fair.

The "California" and other "Capital Ships" (other Battleships, USS "Lexington", and USS "Saratoga") competed for the Navy Department General Excellency Trophy for Capital Ships of the Pacific - known as the "Iron Man Trophy". Since 1919 the Capital Ships competed for this coveted award. The "California" was first awarded the "Iron Man" in 1925 and held it for three years. In 1938–39 sailors like Lt Wrenn, Swede Nelson, Robert Scott, Axcel Marshall, Chief Bender, Whizzer Wichman, and Louie Rash took the field for her Football Team. The same group plus Peewee, Newhall, Cliff Prentice manned the Baseball Diamond. Numerous others competed on the Boxing, Wrestling, Rowing, Basketball, and other sports teams in hopes of winning the "Iron Man".

In 1939 the "California" won the "Iron Man" for the last time with a total score of .733 to beat out the New Mexico. During those years the competition for the "Iron Man" was fierce among the capital ships of the Pacific Fleet until most of them were re-assigned to Hawaii in May 1940 after Fleet Problem XXI due to the growing concerns with relations with Japan. Those days would be lost to history after the war. "California" was one of six ships to receive the new RCA CXAM RADAR in 1940.

World War II

On 7 December 1941 she was moored at the southernmost berth of Battleship Row and was with other dreadnoughts of the Battle Force when the Japanese launched their aerial attack. Watertight integrity had been impaired by preparations for a material inspection; and the ship suffered extensive flooding damage when hit.Wallin, Homer N., VADM USN "PEARL HARBOR: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal" United States Government Printing Office (1968) p.223] One torpedo detonated below the armor belt between frames 46 and 60, and a second detonated below the armor belt between frames 95 and 100.Wallin, Homer N., VADM USN "PEARL HARBOR: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal" United States Government Printing Office (1968) p.225] At 0845 a 250-kg bomb entered the starboard upper deck level at frame 60, passed through the main deck, and exploded on the armored second deck, setting off an anti-aircraft ammunition magazine and killing about 50 men.Wallin, Homer N., VADM USN "PEARL HARBOR: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal" United States Government Printing Office (1968) p.225-6] A second near miss bomb ruptured her bow plates. Smoke from fires started by the bomb hit caused evacuation of the forward engine-room at 1000 and ended pumping efforts to keep "California" afloat. After three days of progressive flooding, "California" settled into the mud with only her superstructure remaining above the surface. When the action ended, 100 of her crew were lost and 62 wounded. Robert R. Scott was one of the sailors who lost his life on 7 December. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.

On 25 March 1942 "California" was refloated and dry-docked at Pearl Harbor for repairs. On 7 June she departed under her own power for Puget Sound Navy Yard where a major reconstruction job was accomplished, including improved protection, watertight compartmenting, stability, antiaircraft battery, and fire control system. The original 5"/51 caliber guns of the secondary battery and the 5"/25 caliber guns of the anti-aircraft battery were replaced by sixteen 5"/38 caliber guns in new twin mountings. Like her sister, she was a virtually new ship built on the bones of the old. [ [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/pearlhbr/ph-ca9.htm "Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 December 1941 -- Salvage and Repair of USS California, December 1941 - October 1942", DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER.] ]

"California" departed Bremerton, Washington, on 31 January 1944 for shakedown at San Pedro, California, and sailed from San Francisco, California, on 5 May for the invasion of the Marianas. Off Saipan in June, she conducted effective shore bombardment and call fire missions. On 14 June she was hit by a shell from an enemy shore battery which killed one man and wounded nine. Following Saipan, her heavy guns helped blast the way for the assault force in the Guam and Tinian operations from 18 July to 9 August. On 24 August she arrived at Espiritu Santo for repairs to her port bow damaged in a collision with USS "Tennessee" (BB-43).

On 17 September 1944 "California" sailed to Manus to ready for the invasion of the Philippines. From 17 October to 20 November she played a key role in the Leyte operation, including the destruction of the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Surigao Strait on 25 October. On 1 January 1945 she departed the Palaus for the Luzon landings. Her powerful batteries were an important factor in the success of these dangerous operations driven home into the heart of enemy-held territory under heavy air attack. On 6 January while providing shore bombardment at Lingayen Gulf she was hit by a kamikaze plane; 44 of her crew were killed and 155 were wounded. Undeterred she made temporary repairs on the spot and remained carrying out her critical mission of shore bombardment until the job was done. She departed 23 January for Puget Sound Navy Yard, arriving 15 February, for permanent repairs.

"California" returned to action at Okinawa 15 June 1945 and remained in that embattled area until 21 July. Two days later she joined TF 95 to cover the East China Sea minesweeping operations. After a short voyage to San Pedro Bay (Philippines) in August, the ship departed Okinawa on 20 September to cover the landing of the Sixth Army occupation force at Wakanoura Wan, Honshū. She remained supporting the occupation until 15 October, then sailed via Singapore, Colombo, Ceylon, and Cape Town, South Africa, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, arriving 7 December. She was placed in commission in reserve there on 7 August 1946, out of commission in reserve on 14 February 1947, and sold 10 July 1959.

Related works

See Daniel Madsen's "Resurrection-Salvaging the Battle Fleet at Pearl Harbor". U. S. Naval Institute Press. 2003, for a detailed account of her salvage, and Theodore C. Mason's "Battleship Sailor" for a non-fiction, first-person account of an enlisted man's life aboard "California" before and during WWII.

Notes

References

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External links

* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/bb44.htm US Navy Historical Center USS California gallery]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/uss_california_bb44.htm Maritimequest USS California BB-44 photo gallery]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/44a.htm NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive BB-44 USS CALIFORNIA 1916 - 1919]