USS Astoria (CA-34)

USS Astoria (CA-34), operating in Hawaiian waters during battle practice, 8 July 1942. She appears to be recovering floatplanes from off her starboard side. Note booms rigged below the forward superstructure to tow aircraft recovery mats, and starboard crane swung out.
History
United States
Name	Astoria
Namesake	City of Astoria, Oregon
Ordered	13 February 1929
Awarded	12 July 1929 (date assigned to ship yard) 2 June 1930 (beginning of construction period)
Builder	Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington
Cost	$11,951,000 (limit of price)
Laid down	1 September 1930
Launched	16 December 1933
Sponsored by	Miss Leila C. McKay
Commissioned	28 April 1934
Reclassified	CA-34, 1 July 1931
Identification	Hull symbol: CL-34 Hull symbol: CA-34
Nickname(s)	"Nasty Asty"[1]
Honors and awards	3 × battle stars
Fate	Sunk during the Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942
General characteristics (as built)[2]
Class and type	New Orleans-class cruiser
Displacement	9,950 long tons (10,110 t) (standard)
Length	588 ft (179 m) oa 574 ft (175 m) pp
Beam	61 ft 9 in (18.82 m)
Draft	19 ft 5 in (5.92 m) (mean) 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m) (max)
Installed power	8 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers 107,000 shp (80,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × Westinghouse geared turbines 4 × screws
Speed	32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)
Capacity	Fuel oil: 1,650 tons
Complement	104 officers 795 enlisted
Armament	9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3) 8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns 2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns 8 × caliber 0.50 in (13 mm) machine guns
Armor	Belt: 3–5 in (76–127 mm) Deck: 1+1⁄4–2+1⁄4 in (32–57 mm) Barbettes: 5 in (130 mm) Turrets: 1+1⁄2–8 in (38–203 mm) Conning Tower: 5 in (130 mm)
Aircraft carried	4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities	2 × Amidship catapults
General characteristics (1942)[3]
Armament	9 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 caliber guns (3x3) 8 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns 2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.9 in) saluting guns 12 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons 4 × quad 1.1 in (28 mm)/75 caliber anti-aircraft guns

The second USS Astoria (CL/CA-34) was a New Orleans-class cruiser of the United States Navy that participated in both the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, but was then sunk in August 1942, at the Battle of Savo Island. Astoria was the first New Orleans-class cruiser to be laid down but launched after and received a hull number higher than the lead ship New Orleans.

Immediately after the months-long Guadalcanal campaign ended in February 1943, the remaining ships of the class would go through major overhauls to lessen top-heaviness due to new electrical and radar systems and advanced anti-aircraft weaponry. In doing so the ships took on a new appearance, most notably in the bridge.