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Veterans War Memorial Building 
401 Van Ness Avenue. Rm.100
San Francisco, CA 94102

Toll Free: 800-569-6711

 

San Francisco Shipwreck Walk offers historical look at coast

See Details

 

 

A Special Moment of Thanks.... To Leon Rader, Master Sculptor, for donating his time and artistic skills, in the creation of these Granite Monuments dedicated to the Ship's crew and the City and County of San Francisco.

Leon, a Russian, was born in Rumania.  He attended the world famous art College of Luve, near Lemberg Poland.  Leon studied art and worked at the college studio shop for 8 years, sculpturing in stone, marble and granite.  He graduated with honors, obtaining his Certificate as a Master Sculptor.  Leon migrated to Italy, and then to San Francisco in 1980.  His business, "Art in Stone". is in Colma, CA

He does this great work, because of his patriotism and his love for America, his country.  We are richly rewarded having Leon and his family became Americans.

 

Chief Johnny Johnson and Leon Rader

 

 

After WWII, veteran crew members of many vessels formed associations that were restricted to officers and crew only. The original idea was that these associations would last only as long as the crew members lived, and then disappear into history. However, many of us who are the sons and daughters and grandchildren of those who served do not want the men and ships to be forgotten, and with the advent of affordable, sophisticated  web technology, it is now possible to create a living "virtual" web memorial that will not only keep the memory of these ships and crew alive, but will actually continue to grow as new information from cruise books, estates and attics continues to come to light.



Some of the original CA-38 crew who are still hale and hearty have formed the USS San Francisco Memorial Foundation for the purpose of maintaining the physical memorial at Land's End in San Francisco, and a perpetual living memorial on the web. Membership in the foundation is open to any crew member, family member or friend, with a modest annual donation to keep the foundation going. members gains access to a members-only newsletter, downloadable research materials, contact information for other members, discounts on product purchases in the ship's store, and - perhaps most importantly -  the ability to add information directly into the foundation database about a particular crew member or event in the ship's history. Generation after generation will be able to visit this site and read about their ancestors who served aboard, and perhaps even hear and view their stories in their own words.
 

The Physical Memorial at Land's End
The first group of photos was taken during November 2001.  The memorial is made from the bridge wings of the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco.  The damaged areas were removed in late 1942/early '43 while repairing battle damage received during combat around Guadalcanal in November '42.  It's really amazing to see these pieces of the ship standing on a bluff overlooking the Pacific.  The San Francisco was scrapped after WWII.

 

Best World War II Memorial

In 1942 the cruiser USS San Francisco attacked a vastly superior Japanese force off the coast of Guadalcanal. It was the most brutal close-quarters naval engagement of World War II. The San Francisco took some 45 direct hits and sustained heavy damage while sinking one Japanese ship and seriously damaging two others (including a battleship). One hundred and six sailors, including Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan, were killed and 131 more wounded. Despite it all, the San Francisco safely made it back to port. This savage battle is commemorated by an unusual memorial in Land's End. The USS San Francisco Memorial is oriented toward Guadalcanal, and it eschews the usual symbolic folderol in favor of something far more visceral: a shell-ridden section of the San Francisco 's bridge. The site of heavygauge steel perforated like paper captures the fury and horror of that night better than any sculpture ever could.

 

 
Photos taken during a visit to the Bay Area during November 2003. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D. J. Callaghan Jr. And J. Joseph Sullivan Placing A Wreath On The U.S.S. San Francisco Memorial At Land's End In San Francisco.
October 28, 1953


"MEMORY HONORED--D. J. Callaghan Jr. (left) and J. Joseph Sullivan, vice president of Navy League council here, stand in tribute after placing a wreath on USS San Francisco Memorial at Land's End in Navy Day ceremony. Callaghan is the son of Rear Adm. Daniel J. Callaghan, skipper of the cruiser, who was killed in action aboard her in Guadalcanal battle.".
 

Dedication ceremony for the U.S.S. San Francisco memorial at Land's End in San Francisco

Some of the dignitaries at the dedication ceremony. In front row from left: Mayor Elmer E. Robinson, Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner (retired) at microphone, Rear Adm. Herbert C. Schonland (retired), senior survivor of cruiser San Francisco; Vice Adm. George D. Murray, Western Sea Frontier commander; Rear Adm. C. H. McMorris, 14th Naval District commandant, and Rear Adm. Bertram J. Rodgers, 12th Naval District commandant.

 

 

Bronze plaques on the base of a flag pole on the U.S.S. San Francisco memorial at Land's End in San Francisco

These plaques mark the base of the flagpole which surmounts the newly dedicated memorial to the cruiser San Francisco. The memorial is built about the bridge of the cruiser, which was salvaged from a scrap heap in Golden Gate Park where it had been discovered by The San Francisco News' Mr. Fixit.

 

 

Dedication ceremony for the U.S.S. San Francisco memorial at Land's End in San Francisco

Through a shell hole in the bridge of the cruiser San Francisco can be seen color guards which participated in the dedication of the memorial to the gallant cruiser and her men.

Pictures by Devin J. Poore

 
     
The USS San Francisco Memorial is prominently featured on this Chronicle Graphics map.  Please see link below.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/13/MNGOCKHMG01.DTL

Bottom line, we all must STOP the ill conceived land-grab effort to move the USS San Francisco Memorial from one of the most beautiful spots in the City and conserve in place; and not move the Memorial at this time, to an
unknown location at Aquatic Park.

We need to partner with the  Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute
http://www.si.edu/mci/

We need to raise funds like the USS San Diego did (2.5 million), and do if anything, a conservation and upgrade of the monument.
See
http://www.usssandiego.org/memorial.htm  and
http://www.usssandiego.org/San%20Diego-2.htm   and
http://www.portofsandiego.org/sandiego_publicart/usssandiegomem.asp

In addition, we must poll the CA-38 Association (all living members) and get their feeling about the monument and its location.  Will request President George Crane at the CA-38 annual business meeting in May in Chicago area
(Northbrook, IL) 2008 at the Cruisers and Sailors Association Meeting, to do a preliminary vote of the members that show up; and a mail out survey to all living CA-38 dues paid up members.

The fact is average citizens paid for the monument to be at Lands End. Children dumped pennies in a bucket at the City of Paris [photo of this in my WW II book], the San Francisco Junior Chamber of Commerce had fundraisers, the list is endless.  If anything this should be a ballot measure on the City ballot, like the recent proposition C, regarding Alcatraz Island conversion into a Global Peace Center.  The fact is citizens of San Francisco paid for the original monument to be located at Lands End and I have original documentation from the San Francisco Junior Chamber of Commerce files to prove this, as I am one of their past Presidents. I will continue to recommend as the Historian to conserve in place; and study enclosing the memorial in a glass self contained structure like the building in Philadelphia that houses the Liberty Bell.

Relocating the USS San Francisco Memorial, at this time in history, is not recommended.

 

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