USS PITTSBURG (CA-72) & her lost bow.
January 2nd, 2009 From
>Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 20:16:51 -0500
>From: Brooks A Rowlett
>Organization: None whatsoever
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>To: Mahan Naval History Mailing List
> MARHST
> World War II Discussion List
>CC: elmer@wpi.edu
>Subject: USS PITTSBURG (CA-72) & her lost bow.
>Precendence: bulk
>Sender: mahan-owner@microworks.net
>Reply-To: mahan@microworks.net
>
>As is fairly well known, BALTIMORE class heavy cruiser USS PITTSBURGH
>lost her bow in a storm in 1945. Larry Sowinski’s photo book ACTION IN
>THE PACIFIC has a photo of her, moored next to a light cruiser at Guam
>with the bow missing; Paul Silverstone’s US WARSHIPS OF WORLD WAR II has
>an aerial photo of PITTSBURGH steaming along without the bow.
>
>The bow was salved and brought into Guam. However, PITTSBURG sailed
>to Puget Sound Navy yard with a false bow and was under repair there at
>the end of the war, and was decommissioned upon completion of repairs.
>So it appears that the original bow was not re-attached.
>
>Is that correct? Was a new bow built? If not, what vessel towed the
>original bow back to the United States; or if the original bow was not
>used, what was its ultimate fate? Scrap? Sunk as target?
>
>Works already consulted: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS
>N-P volume with entry on PITTSBURGH.
>
>Thanks,
> -Brooks