USS San Francisco-- Part 4: The Sinking of the USS Juneau (CL-52)

As I said at the conclusion of the last post, the transfer of the USS Juneau's medical crew to the USS San Francisco at this time was very fortunate for them.

By 1100,  the Juneau had taken a torpedo  in her port side from the Japanese submarine I-26, striking in the vicinity of the bridge.  "The entire ship seemed to explode  in one mighty column of brown and white smoke and flame which rose  easily a thousand feet into the air.  The Juneau literally  disintegrated."

The San Francisco was hit by several large fragments from the Juneau.  One man was hit, both his legs were broken.

Nothing of the Juneau was seen in the water after the smoke lifted.  The surviving ships were ordered  to keep going and not to look for survivors.  Unfortunately, some 100 Juneau survivors (out of 697 aboard) were forced to wait eight days for rescue while floating on the ocean, undergoing  intense shark attacks.  Only ten survived.

This was also the ship on which the five Sullivan brothers served.  All five died.

The San Francisco then sailed to temporary repairs and then to San Francisco for a major repair and overhaul.

She went on to fight in the rest of the war in the Pacific Theater.

--GreGen

Follow Up on USS San Francisco (CA-47)-- Part 3: Aftermath of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal

Seventy-seven sailors, including Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan and Captain Cassin Young, had been killed.  Captain Young, like his ship, was a veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack.  Only, he hadn't been on the San Francisco, but on the USS Vestal, which was next to the Arizona when it blew up. he received a Medal of Honor for his actions that day.

Another 105 had been wounded.  Seven were missing, but three were eventually rescued.

The ship had taken 45 hits.  Structural damage was severe, but not fatal.  No hits had been received below the waterline.  Twenty-two fires had been started, but extinguished.

At 0400, the San Francisco, all of her compasses out of commission, joined the Helena and Juneau and followed them through the Sealark Channel to sail to Espiritu  Santo for initial repairs.

At about 1000, the medical crew of the USS Juneau transferred to the San Francisco to assist the injured there.

That was very fortunate for them.

--GreGen

A Follow-Up on the USS San Francisco (CA-47)-- Part 1: Engagement

The last three posts I wrote about Richard Jongarden's experience on board this heavy cruiser with a lot of the story being about its battle with a Japanese off Guadalcanal on November 12-13, 1942.  

Here is some more information on it.

From Wikipedia.

On 12 November, the task force the San Francisco was with was unloading when it was attacked by 21 Japanese planes.  The ship was almost hit by a torpedo, but the plane that dropped it crashed into the "Frisco"  Fifteen men were killed, 29 wounded and one missing.    Control aft was destroyed and much damage done.

Some of the wounded were transferred to the USS President Jackson, but then a Japanese fleet arrived on the scene.  The San Francisco and heavy cruiser Portland, light cruisers Helena, Juneau and Atlanta and eight destroyers entered the Lengo Channel to fight it.

It was then 0125 November 13, and the San Francisco opened fire in the pitch dark on the Japanese ships, targeting on two Japanese cruisers.  Unfortunately, a mistake was made and also the fire hit the USS Atlanta, killing Admiral Scott and most of the bridge crew.  (Later the green dye the San Francisco used to distinguish its shells was found on the Atlanta's superstructure.)

--GreGen

Wreck of the USS Juneau Found

March 21, 2018, Newsweek  "USS Juneau:  Warship sunk by Japan in World War II discovered two miles beneath the Pacific"  Cullom Paton.

Found 2 1/2 miles deep off the coast of the Solomon Islands on Saturday, march 17.  It was found by Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and brings his total of historic shipwrecks he's found to six.

It was sunk by the Japanese in November 1942 with the loss of 687 naval personnel.  That includes the famous five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa:  George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert.  These five demanded they be put on the same ship despite the Navy's policy forbidding family members from serving on the same ship.  A destroyer was named after them.

The Juneau had been commissioned just a year before it was sunk in the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Paul Allen has also found the USS Lexington, USS Indianapolis, USS Ward and USS Astoria as well as the Japanese battleship Musashi and the Italian destroyer Artigliere.

--GreGen

The Sullivans and Bixbys

From February 4, 2012, Madison County (NY) Courier "Correcting the Record: The Sullivans and the Bixbys" by Hobie Morris.

A Civil War letter to Mrs. Bixby about her five killed sons is featured in the movie "Saving Private Ryan."

Bill Ball of Fredericksburg was a friend of the five Sullivan boys of Waterloo, Iowa, and was killed at Pearl Harbor.  All five:  Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George, sons of Tom and Alleta, enlisted in the Navy together, insisting that they serve together.

This was not a policy of the Navy, but men were desperately needed, so they granted it.

On November 14, 1942, the Sullivan boys were on the light cruiser USS Juneau when it was torpedoed, broke in half and sank quickly.  Out of 700 men aboard, only ten survived.  Four of the Sullivans died quickly.  George, the oldest, died at sea four or five days later.

--GreGen