America Cries Out

OFFICIAL UNITED STATES NAVY DOCUMENT

Subject: Exploits of USS San Francisco (CA-264)

Date: September 1st, 1956

Declassification Authorized: Captain John F. Kennedy

This document has been released to the American public regarding the exploits and career of the Astoria Class Heavy Cruiser USS San Francisco.

The San Francisco's keel was laid down on the 12th of April, 1929 in the Alameda Naval Yards. She was the second ship in the new Astoria class of Heavy Cruiser which were designed to be the ultimate mix of firepower and speed for a medium size capital ship. Her armament consisted of eight 9-Inch guns arrayed across four turrets with two guns per turret. Secondary armament consisted of three 40MM Anti Aircraft mounts, eight 20MM and six 50 cal. machine guns. She also carried 8 side launching "K Guns" for depth charges as well as two DC racks. Two tri-torpedo mounts were located on turrets on her superstructure. The vessel was 478 feet long and displaced 12,600 tonnes. Top speed was an impressive 35 knots.

The hull was completed on the 30th of December 1929 and the ship was christened by Major Thomas Jacobs of San Francisco on New Years day 1930. After the ceremony, her engines, armament and superstructure were installed and the ship was set out for sea trials on the 8th of April 1930. Through these trials it was discovered that the vessel had an impressive turn rate due to her tapered rear hull and her weaponry was active and efficent. After passing all requirements, the ship was commisioned as USS San Francisco (CA-264) on the 20th of April 1930. Her first assignment was a interdiction mission to Alaska to keep the Russian Navy from attempting to resieze the Alaskan territory from the United States in an action that was later known as the start of the Northern War.

San Francisco, her sister USS Seattle (CA-279) and three Buckley class Escort Destroyers, USS Jameson (DE-682), USS Roger Young (DE-593) and USS Humphrey (DE-623) engaged the Russian cruiser Anastastia and three destroyers on the first of July 1930. After a fierce battle raging for over an hour, a torpedo salvo from the San Francisco penetrated Anastastia's armor and detonated her forward magazine, the resulting explosion destroyed the ship. Expert gunnery from the American vessels sunk two of the Russian destroyers, the third escaped into thick fog.

The following morning, the San Francisco sighted the brand new Russian battleship Peter the Great with a full flotilla of escorts. The ships radioed Rear Admiral Halsey and his task force stationed just 10 miles south around the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39). The task force rushed to Francisco's aide and managed to close the range just as the Peter the Great began firing on the San Francisco. Arizona, escorted by San Francisco, closed on the Peter the Great. A lucky torpedo strike from planes from USS Saratoga (CV-4) disabled the Russian battleships rudder and allowed Arizona to cross her T and decimate her. After an hour of bombarbment, all the Russian escorts except for 3 were sunk at the cost of 2 US Destroyers. The Peter the Great had been reduced to a floating hulk, her superstructure burned to the deck. Her 15 inch guns remained silent. Over 1800 of her 2300 crew had been killed or incapactitated. Lieutenant Polyoco, the last surviving senior officer, placed a explosive device in the ships magazine and detonated it. The explosion blew upward and sheared off the forward third of the ship. The remainder stayed afloat for roughly an hour before sinking. The action was later known as the Battle of the Bering Sea.

To be continued...

Interesting. You've certainly peaked the interest of this RN officer.

You certainly don't do half measures, do you? I tell of a corvette, you talk about a heavy cruiser.

Wow, a mention of the Roger Young!

Oddly enough, Roger Young (A US Marine who sacrrificed his life so his comrades could neutralise a Japanese Machinegun post - Or at least it says as much in the book, Starship trooeprs which also features a ship by this name) might never have died in the way he did OTL in this timeline.

Useless trivia over...