USS San Francisco

The USS San Francisco (CA-38), a New Orleans-class heavy cruiser, was one of the most decorated ships of World War II. She was heavily damaged in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, losing her captain and an admiral. Having earlier survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 13 November 1942 engagement at Guadalcanal found the USS San Francisco firing in pitch darkness, taking on an enemy battleship, cruiser and destroyer, that destroyed her navigation bridge, killing or wounding all officers.

Sustaining the loss of 77 sailors, with 105 wounded, the ship had taken 45 hits. She reached San Francisco on 11 December 1942, where she was greeted by thousands of San Franciscans as she passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and past Crissy Field on her way to repair at Mare Island.