USS San Francisco (CA 38) under construction on ways #1, Mare Island Navy Yard, California. Looking aft showing results of the first month's work. 9 October 1931.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo #NH 70794

The keel of the San Francisco on 9 October 1931, one month after the start of construction. This view is looking forward from the stern.

San Francisco Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files

USS San Francisco (CA 38) under construction on ways #1, Mare Island Navy yard, California. Overhead view looking forward showing results of the first month's work. 9 October 1931.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo #NH 70796

USS San Francisco (CA 38) under construction on ways #1, Mare Island Navy yard, California. Overhead view looking forward from gantry crane amidships showing machinery spaces. 30 March 1932.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo #NH 70802

USS San Francisco (CA 38) under construction on ways #1, Mare Island Navy yard, California. Overhead view looking aft from amidships showing machinery spaces. 30 March 1932.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo #NH 70804

The launching of the San Francisco on 9 March 1933.

San Francisco Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files

The San Francisco, minutes after being launched on 9 March 1933. Note all the debris in the water from the launching. Think of the field day that the naturalist and EPA would have now .

San Francisco Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files

Starboard side view, date and location unknown.

Photo by George Winstead.

Port bow view Caption stated "San Francisco coming home"

U.S. Navy photo.

Starboard bow view at anchor, date and location unknown.

George Winstead photo.

Port side aerial view, date and location unknown.

U.S. Navy photo.

Port bow view, date and location unknown.

U.S. Navy photo.

The USS San Francisco at Mare Island Navy Yard in 1934. She was here through early 1935 for Gunnery installation and conversion to a flagship.

San Francisco Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files

USS San Francisco (CA 38) off Mare Island in March 1934.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) At anchor off San Pedro, California, 22 April 1935.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph - NH 50967

The USS San Francisco (CA 38) is forward of the USS Tuscaloosa (CA 37) on the left and the USS Houston (CA 30) is forward of the USS Chicago (CA 29) at Mare Island Navy Yard between 3-5 November 1936.

U.S. Navy Photo.

A local military official tours USS San Francisco (CA 38), as the cruiser visits a South American port. Commander Cruiser Division 7, Rear Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, USN, is at right, behind the Chief Petty Officer who has his back to the camera. Two Curtiss SOC floatplanes are inside the hangar. The more distant plane, with tail visible, is Bureau # 9957, a SOC-1.

Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-15 November 1942 - USS President Jackson (AP 37) maneuvering under Japanese air attack off Guadalcanal, 12 November 1942. In the center background is smoke from an enemy plane that had just crashed into the after superstructure of USS San Francisco (CA 38), which is steaming away in the right center. Photographed from USS President Adams (AP 38). Note the anti-aircraft shell bursts.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives - 80-G-32366

Metal fragments from the Japanese plane that crashed into the San Francisco during the Battle of Guadalcanal on 12 November 1942. The inscription reads:

12 out of 21
8 credited to ships
4 to airplanes
NOV. 12 1942

From the collection of QM3/c Glenn Gash.

Map of estimated enemy strength and location in relation to USS San Francisco (CA 38) on 13 November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal .

Source: Preliminary Design Branch, Bureau of Ships Navy Department, War Loss/Damage Report No.26.

Gunfire Damage Diagram of the USS San Francisco (CA 38) during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-13 November 1942.

Source: Preliminary Design Branch, Bureau of Ships Navy Department, War Loss/Damage Report No.26.

Projectile Damage Diagram of the USS San Francisco (CA 38) during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-13 November 1942.

Source: Preliminary Design Branch, Bureau of Ships Navy Department, War Loss/Damage Report No.26.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) At Pearl Harbor, with her crew manning the rails in "Whites", 4 December 1942. She was en route to the west coast for repair of damage received during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, on 12-13 November 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives - 80-G-21099

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN (center) (Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas) on board USS San Francisco (CA 38) to visit the two senior ship's officers who had survived the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-13 November 1942. Photographed at Pearl Harbor, while San Francisco was en route to California for battle damage repairs. On the left is Commander Herbert E. Schonland, USN, who assumed command after the ship's Captain was killed and led damage control efforts. On the right is Lieutenant Commander Bruce McCandless, USN, the ship's Communications Officer, who took over the conn and subsequently navigated San Francisco to safety. Both Schonland and McCandless received the Medal of Honor for their actions during and immediately after the battle.? 

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, #80-G-40031 now in the collections of the National Archives.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) steams under the Golden Gate Bridge to enter San Francisco Bay, California, on a foggy day in December 1942. She was en route to the Mare Island Navy Yard for battle damage repairs.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives - 80-G-40093.

The USS San Francisco (CA 38) is seen off San Francisco on 11 Dec 1942. The suspension section of the Oakland Bay Bridge is in the background.

US Navy photo #7723-42

USS San Francisco (CA 38) At the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, for battle damage repairs, 14 December 1942. Circles mark the location of some of the shell hits she received on 13 November 1942, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives - 19-N-44715

The Commissioning Pennant of the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA 38). The Pennant was recovered from the ship after it returned to Mare Island Shipyard for repairs in 1943, after the Battle of Guadalcanal.

Collection of Curator Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # 2010-2-33

USS San Francisco (CA 38) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following battle damage repairs and overhaul, 15 February 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives - 19-N-41052

USS San Francisco (CA 38) silhouetted against a snowy mountain in Kulak Bay, Adak, Aleutian Islands, 25 April 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Camouflage Measure 33, Design 13D

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for heavy cruisers of the CA 32 (New Orleans) class. Ships known to have worn this scheme included USS Tuscaloosa? (CA 37) and USS? San Francisco? (CA 38). This plan, showing the ship's starboard side, superstructure ends and exposed decks, is dated 3 February 1944, and was approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo #80-G-105506

Camouflage Measure 33, Design 13D

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for heavy cruisers of the CA 32 (New Orleans) class. Ships known to have worn this scheme included USS Tuscaloosa? (CA 37) and USS? San Francisco? (CA 38). This plan, showing the ship's port side, is dated 3 February 1944, and was approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo #80-G-105507

View of USS San Francisco (CA 38) arriving at Mare Island for overhaul on 16 Aug 1944. She was in overhaul at the yard from 16 Aug until 17 Oct 1944.

U.S. Navy photo 5241-44.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) launches a Curtiss SOC Seagull floatplane, circa 1944-1945.

U.S. Navy photo from the USS San Francisco (CA 38) World War II cruise book.

Starboard side view of USS San Francisco (CA 38) underway on 10 October 1944, taken by an aircraft from squadron ZP-31.

United States National Archives, Photo #80-G-283816, courtesy of C. Lee Johnson, (usndazzle.com).

Flag plot, looking forward, starboard corner aboard USS San Francisco (CA 38) at Mare Island on 10 Oct 44.

U.S. Navy Photo #6135-44.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following overhaul, 13 October 1944. Her camouflage is Measure 33, Design 13d.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives - 19-N-73588

Bow on view of USS San Francisco (CA 38) departing Mare Island on 13 Oct 44 for trials.

U.S. Navy Photo #6183-44.

Stern view of USS San Francisco (CA 38) departing Mare Island on 13 Oct 44 for trials.

U.S. Navy Photo #6184-44.

Aft radar transmitter room looking aft, port corner aboard USS San Francisco (CA 38) at Mare Island on 14 Oct 44.

U.S. Navy Photo #6234-44.

Magnesyn Compass Repeater aboard USS San Francisco (CA 38) at Mare Island on 14 Oct 44..

U.S. Navy Photo #6243-44.

Forward plan view of USS San Francisco (CA 38) at Mare Island on 15 Oct 44. She was in overhaul at the shipyard from 16 Aug - 17 Oct 44 and was loading ammunition of this date. USS Baltimore (CA 68) is in the background.

U.S. Navy Photo #6176-44.

Aft plan view of USS San Francisco (CA 38) at Mare Island on 15 Oct 44. She was in overhaul at the shipyard from 16 Aug - 17 Oct 44 and was loading ammunition of this date. USS Baltimore (CA 68) is in the background.

U.S. Navy Photo #6177-44.

USS San Francisco (CA 38) at sea with USS Gwin (DM 33) alongside taken by ZP 31 on 26 October 1944.

NARA photo #80-G-285354 from USNDazzle.com, colorized by Yu Chu.

New Orleans Class heavy cruiser USS San Francisco in Subic, July 1945.

Collection of Alan Meade, RAN 1943-1946 from Kookaburra2011's photostream on Flickr..

USS San Francisco (CA 38) Off the coast of Korea, 28 September 1945. She is flying from her mainmast a U.S. Ensign that flew over the Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C., during the debate of the United Nations Treaty. Note that she still carries SOC seaplanes.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives - 80-G-495711

Rear Admiral Thomas G. W. Stettle, USN, (center) with a Chinese Communist general and his companions, during the cruiser's operations in Chinese waters, circa September-November 1945.? Note anchor chain.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo #: 80-G-391451.

"Charles Weisman (from left), 36, [...]; Charles Cannon, 20, [...]; Norbert J. Kaczynski, 20, [...]; and Harry Reif, 20, [...], hoist the citation burgee to the truck on the USS San Francisco after its arrival here from the Pacific today."

Temple University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center

During the December 1942 repair at Mare Island, it was necessary to extensively rebuild the bridge. The bridge wings were removed as part of that repair, and are now mounted on a promontory in Lands End, San Francisco at Golden Gate National Recreation Area overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They are set on the great circle course from San Francisco to Guadalcanal.

These photos shows a little-known surviving part of the USS San Francisco (CA 38). It is a portion of bulwark from the ship’s aft starboard navigating bridge. According to war damage report no. 26, put out by the Bureau of Ships, this piece of bulwark was hit by an estimated 6” caliber projectile. Officially listed as hit no. 17, fragments resulting from the detonation of this projectile damaged multiple pieces of equipment in the vicinity, including the starboard pelorus and the captain’s target designator. Additionally, much electrical damage was caused by this and other nearby hits. This includes various lighting and communication circuits and equipment related to the 1.1” mount located on the deck above.

This piece of bulwark is noteworthy for two reasons. The first reason is that it retains its original paint which appears to be a dark greenish-grey. The second and most significant reason is that it has survived. The other surviving pieces of the San Francisco on display at Land’s End in the city of San Francisco are well known. This piece is not. It was apparently originally on display in the main administration building at the naval facility on Treasure Island. In the early 1950s it was given to the newly created Maritime Museum in San Francisco, an organization that was then a private nonprofit organization. It appears to have been on display at the museum for some time, but as displays were changed it was eventually rotated out and placed in storage. Over the years this park has transitioned from a private nonprofit park, to a California State Park, and, since the 1980s, as San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park; a unit of the United States National Park system which today retains control of this artifact.

Inboard view #1.

National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park museum collection, catalog # SAFR 7896.

Christopher Edwards,
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Inboard view #2.

Please see description above.

National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park museum collection, catalog # SAFR 7896.

Outboard view #1.

Please see description above.

National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park museum collection, catalog # SAFR 7896.

Outboard view #2.

Please see description above.

National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park museum collection, catalog # SAFR 7896.