USS Augusta ( CA - 31 ) USS " Augusta " ( CA - 31 ) ( originally CL - 31 ) was a " Northampton " - class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy , notable for service in the Atlantic and Mediterranean during World War II , and for her occasional use as a presidential flagship carrying both Franklin D . Roosevelt and Harry S . Truman under wartime conditions ( including at the Newfoundland Conference ) . According to the " Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships " , she is named after Augusta , Georgia ( rather than Augusta , Maine ) , and was sponsored by Miss Evelyn McDaniel of that city . Construction . " Augusta " , a " Treaty " cruiser of 10 , 000 tons normal displacement , was laid down on 2 July 1928 at Newport News , Virginia , by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co . ; launched on 1 February 1930 , sponsored by Evelyn McDaniel of Augusta , Georgia ; and commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard , Portsmouth , Virginia , on 30 January 1931 , Captain James O . Richardson in command . Originally CL - 31 , effective 1 July 1931 , " Augusta " was redesignated CA - 31 in accordance with the provisions of the London Naval Treaty of 1930 . Service history . Damage to one of her turbines curtailed the ship ' s original shakedown cruise , but " Augusta " conducted abbreviated initial training during a cruise to Colón , Panama , and back , before she was assigned duty as flagship for Commander , Scouting Force , Vice Admiral Arthur L . Willard , on 21 May 1931 . During the summer of 1931 , she operated with the other warships of Scouting Force , carrying out tactical exercises off the New England coast . In August 1931 she was reclassified as a heavy cruiser , CA - 31 . In September , " Augusta " moved south to Chesapeake Bay , where she joined her colleagues in their normal fall gunnery drills until mid - November , when the cruisers retired to their home ports . " Augusta " entered the Norfolk Navy Yard at that time . At the beginning of 1932 she and the other cruisers of the Scouting Force reassembled in Hampton Roads , whence they departed on 8 January on their way to Guantánamo Bay , Cuba . " Augusta " conducted training evolutions with the Scouting Force in the vicinity of Guantanamo Bay until 18 February , when the force headed for the Panama Canal on its way to the eastern Pacific to participate in Fleet Problem XIII . She arrived in San Pedro , California , on 7 March but returned to sea three days later to execute the fleet problem . During the maneuvers " Augusta " and her colleagues in Scouting Force squared off against Battle Force in defense of three simulated " atolls " located at widely separated points on the West Coast . The exercises afforded the Fleet training in strategic scouting and an opportunity to practice defending and attacking a convoy . The fleet problem ended on 18 March , but " Augusta " and the rest of Scouting Force did not return to the Atlantic at its conclusion as was normal . In a gesture that presaged Roosevelt ' s retention of the Fleet at Pearl Harbor in 1940 after Fleet Problem XXI , the Hoover Administration kept the Fleet concentrated on the West Coast throughout 1932 in the unrealized hope that it might restrain Japanese aggression in China . In fact , Scouting Force was still on the West Coast almost a year later when the time came for Fleet Problem XIV in February 1933 , and the Roosevelt Administration , which took office in March , proceeded to keep it there indefinitely . Consequently , " Augusta " continued to operate in the eastern Pacific until relieved of duty as Scouting Force ' s flagship late in October 1933 . The cruiser left the Navy Yard , Puget Sound , Washington , and sailed for China on 20 October . Asiatic Fleet . Steaming along the Northern Pacific " Great Circle " route from Seattle to Shanghai , " Augusta " moored in the Whangpoo River , at Shanghai , on the morning of 9 November 1933 . That afternoon , Admiral Frank B . Upham , Commander in Chief , Asiatic Fleet ( CinCAF ) , broke his flag on board the newly arrived cruiser , and his old flagship , , sailed for the United States . Soon after she broke Admiral Upham ' s flag and " Houston " sailed for home , " Augusta " proceeded south from Shanghai in December 1933 , and , over the next few months , operated in the Philippines , interspersing training with her yearly overhaul at Cavite and Olongapo . That spring , " Augusta " returned to China waters , " showing the flag " , and then steamed to Yokohama , Japan , arriving there on 4 June 1934 . At 0730 the following morning , Admiral Upham left the ship to attend the state funeral ceremonies for the late Fleet Admiral Heihachiro Togo ; " Augusta " commenced firing 19 one - minute guns in honor of the Japanese naval hero at 0830 . Departing Yokohama with Admiral Upham embarked on 11 June , the cruiser then visited Kobe ( 12 to 15 June ) before she proceeded to Tsingtao , arriving there on 17 June , departing for Chinwangtao 10 September , departing for Chefoo 24 September , then departing for Shanghai 25 September , arriving 26 September . " Augusta " remained in Chinese waters , then departed Shanghai for Guam on 5 October 1934 , under command of Captain Chester W . Nimitz , arriving there on the 10th . Sailing the next day , she proceeded to Australian waters for the first time , reaching Sydney on the 20th . Total complement at this time was 824 : 64 officers and 760 enlisted . She remained there a week , while Admiral Upham visited the capital of Australia , Canberra , on 25 and 26 October . With CinCAF back on board on the 26th , " Augusta " cleared Sydney the following day for Melbourne , arriving there on 29 October . She remained there , observing the city ' s centenary ceremonies , until 13 November , when she sailed for Fremantle and Perth . On 20 November she sailed for the Dutch East Indies . " Augusta " reached Batavia ( now Jakarta ) on 25 November and remained there until 3 December , when she sailed for Bali , arriving at the port of Lauban Amok on 5 December . Underway again on the 8th , " Augusta " touched at Sandakan ( 14 to 16 December ) , Zamboanga ( 17 to 19 December ) , and Iloilo ( 20 to 21 December ) , before reaching Manila on the 22nd . The heavy cruiser remained in the Philippine Islands , receiving her usual yearly overhaul at Cavite and drydocking at Olongapo , in , before she re - embarked Admiral Upham and sailed for Hong Kong on 15 March 1935 . Arriving on the 16th , " Augusta " remained there until the 25th , while CinCAF was embarked in for a trip to Canton ( 17 to 20 March 1935 ) . ( The cruiser ' s draft did not permit her to make the passage up the Pearl River to Canton . ) " Augusta " got underway again on the 25th for Amoy and stayed there from 26 to 29 March , before she proceeded thence to Shanghai , arriving at that port city on the last day of March . " Augusta " remained at Shanghai until 30 April , when she sailed for her second visit to Japan , reaching Yokohama on 3 May 1935 . The ship remained there for two weeks . Steaming thence to Kobe , and arriving there on 18 May for a week ' s sojourn , " Augusta " sailed for China on 25 May , and reached Nanking , the Chinese capital , on the 29th . The flagship remained at Nanking until 4 June , then sailed for Shanghai , arriving the following day . " Augie Maru " , as her crew had affectionately nicknamed her , stayed at Shanghai until 27 June , and sailed for North China , reaching Tsingtao on the 29th . She remained there , carrying out exercises and gunnery practice , for the rest of the summer . " Augusta " departed Tsingtao on 30 September for Shanghai , arriving on 1 October , where , four days later , Admiral Orin G . Murfin relieved Admiral Upham as CinCAF . On 8 October , with the new CinCAF embarked , " Augusta " departed Shanghai for points south . Admiral Murfin transferred to " Isabel " to visit Bangkok ( 15 to 22 October ) , while he returned to the heavy cruiser to visit Singapore ( 24 to 30 October ) . Subsequently touching at Pontianak and Jesselton on Borneo , ( 31 October to 1 November and from 3 to 5 November respectively ) , " Augie Maru " visited the southern Philippine ports of Zamboanga ( 6 to 8 November ) and Iloilo ( 9 to 10 November ) , before she returned to Manila on 11 November 1935 . While " Augusta " underwent her annual overhaul at Cavite and Olongapo , Admiral Murfin flew his flag in " Isabel " from 14 December 1935 to 27 February 1936 . Soon afterwards the heavy cruiser , again having CinCAF on board , sailed for the a succession of Philippine ports and places : Catbalogan , Cebu , Tacloban , Davao , Dumanquilas , Zamboanga , Tutu Bay , Jolo , and Tawi Tawi , before the ship returned to Manila on 29 March . On 31 March " Augusta " sailed to Hong Kong , arriving on 2 April , remaining there until the llth . During this time , Admiral Murfin embarked in " Isabel " for the trip up the Pearl River to Canton ( 6 to 8 April ) , returning on the latter date to reembark in his flagship to resume his voyage up the China coast . Visiting Amoy on 12 and 13 April , " Augusta " then paused briefly at Woosung on 16 April before proceeding up the Yangtze , reaching Nanking on the following day . While " Augusta " dropped back down the Yangtze to the Whangpoo River , and Shanghai , Admiral Murfin continued up the Yangtze to Hankow in " Isabel " , flew to Ichang , then in to Crossing 22 , and finally back to Hankow and Shanghai in " Isabel " , where he rejoined " Augusta " on 4 May . " Augusta " sailed for Japan on 21 May , for her third visit to that country , arriving at Yokohama on the 25th . The Asiatic Fleet flagship remained at that port until 5 June , when she sailed for Kobe , arriving there the following day . She remained in Japanese waters until 13 June , when she got underway for Tsingtao , arriving on the 16th . " Augusta " remained at Tsingtao , operating thence on exercises and training , for two months , then sailed for Chefoo , North China , on 17 August . Arriving the same day , she departed Chefoo on the 21st , and returned to Tsingtao , remaining there into mid - September . Underway for Chinwangtao , the port at the foot of the Great Wall of China , on 14 September , " Augusta " reached her destination on the 15th , where Admiral Murfin disembarked to visit the old imperial city of Peiping ( Peking ) . Following his inspection of the Marine Corps legation guard at that city , CinCAF returned to Chinwangtao by train and reembarked in his flagship on 25 September . Underway from Chinwangtao on the 28th , " Augusta " visited Chefoo ( 28 September ) before returning to Tsingtao on the following day , 29 September 1936 . " Augusta " stood out of Tsingtao on the same day she arrived and reached Shanghai on 1 October . At the end of that month , on 30 October , Admiral Murfin was relieved as CinCAF by Admiral Harry E . Yarnell . Shortly afterwards , with her new CinCAF embarked , " Augusta " stood down the Whangpoo River on 3 November 1936 on her annual southern cruise . " Augusta " again visited a succession of ports : Hong Kong ( 5 to 12 November ) , Singapore ( 16 to 23 November ) , Batavia ( 25 November to 1 December ) , Bali ( 4 to 7 December ) , Makassar ( 8 to 12 December ) , Tawi Tawi and Tutu Bay ( 14 December ) , Dumanquilas Bay ( 15 December ) , Zamboanga ( 15 to 16 December ) , and Cebu ( 17 December ) , before she returned to Manila on 19 December . Admiral Yarnell transferred his flag to " Isabel " on 2 January 1937 , when " Augusta " entered Cavite Navy Yard for repairs and alterations that included the fitting of splinter protection around the machine gun positions at the foretop and atop the mainmast . The CinCAF used " Isabel " as his flagship through March , rejoining " Augusta " at Manila on 29 March 1937 . " Augusta " remained in Philippine waters for the next several days , at Manila ( 29 March to 2 April ) and Malampaya ( on 3 and 4 April ) before she returned to Manila on the 5th . Touching briefly at Port San Pio Quinto on 7 and 8 April , the Asiatic Fleet flagship sailed for Hong Kong on the 8th , arriving at the British Crown Colony the following day . Shifting his flag to " Isabel " for the trip to Canton , Admiral Yarnell returned to " Augusta " on 13 April , and the heavy cruiser sailed for Swatow on the 18th . The ship visited that South China port on the 19th , and Amoy the following day , before the CinCAF shifted his flag again to " Isabel " for a brief trip to Pagoda Anchorage ( 21 to 22 April ) , rejoining the heavy cruiser on the 23rd . " Augusta " stood up the Whangpoo River on 24 April and arrived at Shanghai that day , mooring just upstream from the city proper . She remained at Shanghai until 5 May , when she sailed for Nanking . The flagship remained at that Yangtze port from 6 May to 9 May before she got underway on the latter day for Kiukiang , further up the Yangtze . Shifting his flag to " Isabel " , Admiral Yarnell then visited Hankow and Ichang in that ship , transferring thence on 22 May to " Panay " at Ichang for the voyage up the Yangtze through the gorges and rapids that lay above that port . After visiting Chungking , the CinCAF returned to Ichang in , where he rejoined " Isabel " for the trip to Hankow and Nanking . Admiral Yarnell eventually rejoined " Augusta " at Shanghai on 2 June 1937 . Clearing Shanghai on 7 June , " Augusta " sailed for North China , and reached Chinwangtao on the 9th , where Admiral Yarnell disembarked with members of his staff to journey to Peking by rail , where the admiral would conduct the yearly CinCAF inspection of the legation guard . The admiral rejoined the cruiser at Chinwangtao on 22 June and the ship sailed for Chefoo ( visiting that port on 24 and 25 June ) and Tsingtao , arriving there on 26 June for the summer . " Augusta " was conducting her usual training from Tsingtao when events elsewhere in that region took a turn for the worse . Political relations between China and Japan had been strained for some time . The Chinese attitude toward the steady and unrelenting Japanese encroachment into North China in the wake of the 1931 seizure of Manchuria was stiffening . Chiang Kai - shek , China ' s leader , asserted that China had been pushed too far , and launched strenuous efforts to improve his nation ' s military posture . On the night of 7 July 1937 Japanese and Chinese units exchanged gunfire near the ornate Marco Polo Bridge in the outskirts of Peking ( now Beijing ) . The incident quickly escalated into a state of hostilities in North China , with the Japanese taking Peking against little resistance by the end of July . Against this backdrop of ominous developments , Admiral Yarnell considered cancelling a goodwill visit to the Soviet port of Vladivostok , but was ordered to proceed . Keeping a wary eye on developments in China , Admiral Yarnell sailed for Vladivostok in " Augusta " on 24 July , accompanied by four destroyers . After passing through the edge of a typhoon , Augusta and her consorts reached that Soviet port on the 28th , and remained there until 1 August , the first United States naval vessels to visit that port since the closing of the naval radio station there in 1922 . As Yarnell later wrote , " The visit of this force evidently has meant a great deal to these people " , as both officers and men were lavishly entertained . Departing Vladivostok on 1 August , " Augusta " and the four destroyers sailed for Chinese waters , the latter returning to their base at Chefoo and " Augusta " returning to Tsingtao , where Admiral Yarnell continued to receive intelligence on the situation in North China and , as events developed around Shanghai , where increasing Chinese pressure on the comparatively small Japanese Special Naval Landing Force led to a build - up of Japanese naval units in the Whangpoo River leading to that port . Hostilities commenced within days after the death of a Japanese lieutenant and his driver near a Chinese airfield on 9 August . With considerable American interests in the International Settlement of Shanghai , Admiral Yarnell deemed it best to sail there , on the morning of 13 August 1937 , to make it his base of operations . Her passage slowed by a typhoon which caused the ship to reduce her speed to five knots ( 9 km / h ) and which produced rolls of 30 degrees and washed away the port 26 - foot ( 8 m ) motor whaleboat and its davits , " Augusta " reached her destination the following day , and stood up the Whangpoo . En route to her moorings she passed many Japanese warships , principally light cruisers and destroyers , which duly rendered the prescribed passing honors to " Augusta " s embarked admiral . Meanwhile , at Shanghai proper , Chinese Air Force Northrop 2 - E light attack bomber aircraft had tried to bomb Japanese positions in their portion of the International Settlement ; the bombs fell short and caused extensive damage and heavy loss of life in the neutral portion of the settlement . One plane which had retained its bombs proceeded down the Whangpoo and dropped two bombs which exploded in the water off " Augusta " s starboard bow . Large American flags were then painted on top of " Augusta " s three main battery gunhouses to identify her as neutral . On 18 August " Augusta " unmoored , moved further upstream , and moored off the Shanghai Bund , assisted by tugs . She remained there , in a prominent position off the famous " Bund " , into January 1938 , observing the Sino - Japanese hostilities at close range . Initially , there was the problem of evacuating Americans from the war zone . American merchantmen called at Shanghai to do so , passengers travelling downstream to waiting steamships on the Dollar Line tender guarded by sailors from " Augusta " s landing force . The flagship ' s Marine detachment , meanwhile , went ashore to aid the 4th Marines in establishing defensive positions to keep hostilities out of the neutral enclaves . On 20 August 1937 , while the flagship ' s crew gathered amidships on the well deck for the evening movies , a Chinese anti - aircraft shell landed amongst the sailors , killing Seaman 1st / Class F . J . Falgout and wounding several others . Ten days later Chinese planes bombed the American Dollar Line SS " President Hoover " off the mouth of the Whangpoo , with one death and several wounded . American ships ceased calling at Shanghai as a result , and Admiral Yarnell ' s attempts to get a division of heavy cruisers to carry out the evacuation met resistance from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt . At Shanghai " Augusta " s officers and men could observe the war . Her moorings proved a good vantage point from which Americans could size up the Japanese Navy and judge how well its ships and planes operated , an opportunity not lost on Admiral Yarnell , who sent insightful intelligence reports back to Washington , striving to alert the United States Navy to the character and capabilities of the navy many regarded as the future enemy . On 12 December 1937 Japanese naval planes sank the US gunboat " Panay " and three Standard Oil tankers north of Nanking , in the Yangtze River . Soon afterwards the ship ' s survivors arrived at Shanghai in " Panay " s sister ship , , which moored alongside Augusta on the 19th . They spent Christmas with ' Augusta ' s crew . On 6 January 1938 " Augusta " departed Shanghai for the Philippines for her yearly overhaul . Admiral Yarnell , however , his presence in China deemed necessary to uphold American prestige in the Orient , remained in Shanghai with a token staff on board " Isabel " . He ultimately rejoined " Augusta " when she returned to Shanghai on 9 April 1938 after her overhaul . Proceeding north along the China coast , " Augusta " visited Tsingtao ( 12 May to 13 May ) and Chefoo ( 14 May ) before she arrived at Chinwangtao on 15 May . There , Admiral Yarnell disembarked and entrained for Tientsin and Peking , inspecting the Marine detachments in both places before ultimately returning to Chinwangtao to reembark in his flagship on 29 May . Proceeding thence via Chefoo , " Augusta " reached Shanghai on 6 June ; the CinCAF transferred his flag to " Isabel " on 23 June , and sailed for Nanking and Wuhu , returning to Shanghai and " Augusta " on 27 June . Returning to Tsingtao on 3 July 1938 , " Augusta " operated in North China waters , between Tsingtao and Chinwangtao , for the remainder of the summer and through early October . Sailing for Shanghai on 10 October , the cruiser arrived at her destination two days later , and remained there through Christmas . She sailed again for the Philippines on 27 December 1938 ; once again , Admiral Yarnell remained in Shanghai with his flag in " Isabel " . Following her yearly navy yard overhaul , and training in Philippine waters , " Augusta " visited Siam , French Indochina , and Singapore en route back to Shanghai , making port at her ultimate destination on 30 April 1939 . Again flying Admiral Yarnell ' s flag , she lay at Shanghai until 8 June , when she got underway for Chinwangtao . Arriving there on 10 June , she touched at Chefoo ( 24 to 25 June ) and Tsingtao ( 26 June to 16 July ) before she sailed down to Shanghai , arriving on the 18th . On 25 July 1939 Admiral Thomas C . Hart relieved Admiral Yarnell as CinCAF . The heavy cruiser then sailed for North China port Tsingtao , on 2 August . She remained based there — and was moored there on the day war broke out in Europe with the German invasion of Poland — through late September 1939 . During this period , the ship twice visited Shanghai ( 5 to 7 September and 15 to 19 September ) , and also visited Chinwangtao , Chefoo , and Peitaiho . Late in September , Admiral Hart disembarked at Chinwangtao and inspected the Marine detachments at Peking and Tientsin . Returning to Shanghai on 12 October , " Augusta " remained there through mid - November ; during this time Admiral Hart shifted his flag to " Isabel " and proceeded up the Yangtze to Nanking on an inspection trip ( 3 to 7 November 1939 ) . Sailing for the Philippines on 21 November , she visited Amoy en route ( 22 to 23 November 1939 ) , and ultimately reached Manila on 25 November , reminaing there through early March 1940 . " Augusta " operated in the Philippines through early April , visiting Jolo and Tawi Tawi . Admiral Hart wore his flag in " Isabel " during March , for cruises to Cebu , Iligan , Parang , Zamboanga , and Jolo , rejoining " Augusta " at Jolo on 19 March . Transferring his flag back to " Isabel " at Tawi Tawi two days later , Admiral Hart cruised to Malampaya Sound , ultimately rejoining his flagship on 26 March at Manila . " Augusta " then sailed for Shanghai while Admiral Hart , who had again transferred his flag to " Isabel " on 13 April , visited Swatow and Amoy , ultimately rejoining " Augusta " and breaking his flag on board the cruiser on 22 April . Following a month at Shanghai , " Augusta " sailed for North China , visiting Chinwangtao ( 12 June ) before beginning her cycle of training operations from Tsingtao soon afterwards . " Augusta " operated out of Tsingtao into late September . Circumstances requiring Admiral Hart on several occasions to visit Shanghai , he travelled once to Shanghai in " Isabel " and back in " Augusta " ; to Shanghai in and back to Tsingtao in " Isabel " ; and one round trip to Shanghai and back in . " Augusta " departed Tsingtao for the last time on 23 September , arriving at Shanghai on the 25th . Moving on to Manila , arriving there on 21 October , " Augusta " remained there into late November , to be relieved by her recently modernized sister ship " Houston " as Admiral Hart ' s flagship on 22 November 1940 . " Augusta " sailed for the United States , clearing Manila Bay that same day . On 24 November 1940 , she was ordered to search the waters north of the Hawaiian chain , to investigate reports of the activity of " Orange " ( Japanese ) tankers in the vicinity . At this point on her way back from the Asiatic station , the cruiser encountered bad weather — heavy swells and fresh - to - strong cross winds — that rendered searching by her aircraft " impracticable . " As she neared the focal point of her search ( 35 degrees north latitude , 165 degrees west longitude ) , " Augusta " darkened ship and set condition III . As she passed between the two designated points on her search , she posted special lookouts from dawn to dark . Although the visibility varied between 8 to 15 miles ( 15 and 28 km ) , " Augusta " s Captain John H . Magruder , Jr . , estimated that his ship had swept a belt approximately 25 miles ( 45 km ) wide , maintaining radio silence until well clear of the area searched . " Weather conditions were such that fueling at sea in the area would not have been practicable " , Captain Magruder reported later , alluding to the reason why his ship had been dispatched to those waters , " and submarine operations at periscope depth would have been difficult due to the danger of broaching . " Refit . After reaching Long Beach on 10 December 1940 , " Augusta " entered the Mare Island Navy Yard for a major refit . While " Augusta " had been serving as the Asiatic Fleet flagship , alterations of the type accomplished in her sister ships had been deferred until her return to the United States . During this overhaul , the ship received significant changes in her antiaircraft battery . Four additional 5 inch ( 127 mm ) guns were mounted atop the aircraft hangar ; splinter protection was fitted for the 5 inch ( 127 mm ) guns on the hangar and on the boat deck ; interim 3 inch ( 76 mm ) antiaircraft guns were installed ( ultimate armament fit called for a one - to - one replacement of these mounts with 1 . 1 inch ( 28 mm ) guns ) ; and Mark XIX directors were installed for the 5 inch ( 127 mm ) guns . The placement of directors and rangefinders altered her silhouette , and a pedestal was fitted atop the foremast to receive a CXAM radar antenna when it became available . " Augusta " was one of fourteen ships to receive the early RCA CXAM - 1 RADAR . Atlantic Fleet . Departing Mare Island on 11 April 1941 , " Augusta " , her configuration altered and repainted , sailed for San Pedro , remaining there over 12 and 13 April . She transited the Panama Canal four days later , reporting for duty with the Atlantic Fleet on 17 April . Departing the Canal Zone on the 19th , the heavy cruiser arrived at Newport , R . I . , on 23 April . Admiral Ernest J . King , now Commander in Chief , Atlantic Fleet , returned from Washington , D . C . , on 2 May and broke his flag in " Augusta " . The cruiser remained at Newport , serving as the administrative CINCLANT flagship ( although Admiral King journeyed to Washington again during this time ) , through most of May , until she sailed for Bermuda on the 24th of that month . Reaching her destination on the 26th , she remained there only until the 28th , at which time she sailed for Newport once more . " Augusta " remained anchored at Narragansett Bay from 30 May to 23 June , when she sailed for the New York Navy Yard . She had been chosen for special duty , the inception of which had come in the developing personal relationship between US President Franklin D . Roosevelt and the Prime Minister of the UK ( since 1939 at war with Nazi Germany ) , Winston Churchill . The two leaders had sought a face - to - face meeting for some time , and Harry Hopkins ( President Roosevelt ' s personal representative ) had visited Churchill and sounded him out on the proposal as early as February 1941 . The President had also discussed the idea with Admiral King earlier that spring . Original intentions had been to hold such a conference in June , but British disasters in Greece and Crete had forced a postponement until later in the summer . " Augusta " had been chosen to serve as the President ' s flagship as early as mid - June , shortly after Admiral King had visited Roosevelt in connection with the drafting of Western Hemisphere Defense Plan No . Four . On 16 June , the New York Navy Yard commandant was informed that " Augusta " would soon require an availability for the installation of her CXAM radar and 1 . 1 inch ( 28 mm ) antiaircraft guns , " incident to possible future Presidential use and other urgent work . " Details of the availability assignment , however , touched off a " little war " between the Bureau of Ships ( BuShips ) and CINCLANT . Since BuShips had no word concerning the President ' s plans , they issued orders to hold " Augusta " at New York Navy Yard for extended repairs . On 22 June , Admiral King informed BuShips , however , that alterations to the heavy cruiser " for possible use by the President were initiated by the Commander in Chief , Atlantic Fleet , after conversations with the President " and that the alteration should be limited to accomplish only " essential " items . " Augusta " remained in the yard at New York from 23 June to 2 July , after which time she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard , in waters off Hilton Head and Charleston , South Carolina ( 4 to 5 July ) , Hampton Roads ( 6 to 7 July ) before she returned to Newport on 8 July . She remained there into August . During that time , details for the meeting between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill were worked out and plans set in motion to bring it to pass . While Churchill was making the Atlantic crossing in the modern battleship , the President was on his way ; he departed Washington , D . C . at 1100 on 3 August for the Submarine Base at New London , Connecticut , where he embarked with his party on board the Presidential yacht , which , in company with her escort , , soon sailed for Appogansett Bay . At 2223 on 4 August " Potomac " anchored in Menemsha Bight , Vineyard Sound , Massachusetts , joining " Augusta " , which had already arrived . and five destroyers lay nearby . At 05 : 30 on 5 August , " Potomac " came alongside " Augusta " and moored , the President and his party embarking in the heavy cruiser at 0617 . For security purposes , the President ' s flag remained in " Potomac " while she , accompanied by " Calypso " , transited the Cape Cod Canal to New England waters . A Secret Serviceman , approximating the President in size and affecting his mannerisms when visible from a distance , impersonated the President . Press releases issued daily from " Potomac " led all who read them to believe that " FDR " was embarked in his yacht on a pleasure cruise . Meanwhile , " Augusta " , accompanied by " Tuscaloosa " and their screening destroyers , stood out of Vineyard Sound at 0640 , at 20 knots ( 37 km / h ) , passing the Nantucket Shoals Lightship at 1125 . Increasing speed slightly during the night , the ships steamed on , darkened . Outside of a brief two - hour period the following day , 6 August , when the formation encountered heavy fog which forced them to slow to 14 knots ( 26 km / h ) , the ships maintained a 20 to 21 knot ( 37 to 39 km / h ) pace for the rest of the voyage to NS Argentia , Newfoundland . Ultimately , on the morning of 7 August 1941 , " Augusta " and her consorts stood into Ship Harbor , Placentia Bay , and anchored to await Churchill ' s arrival . During the forenoon , the Chief Executive indulged in one of his favorite leisure activities , fishing , from " Augusta " s forecastle . Roosevelt " caught a large and ugly fish which could not be identified by name and which he directed be preserved and delivered to the Smithsonian Institute upon return to Washington . " At 1335 , the President left the ship in a whaleboat to fish in the nearby waters , taking with him members of his party and his son , Ensign Franklin D . Roosevelt , Jr . , USNR , an officer of on temporary duty as his father ' s aide . Later , after a somewhat less than successful fishing expedition , the President inspected the waterfront and the base development at Argentia . On 9 August , Prime Minister Churchill arrived at Argentia aboard " Prince of Wales " , the arrival of the battleship being viewed by the President and his party ; Churchill visited the President at 1100 that day , and lunched with him in his cabin . Admiral King entertained members of the respective staffs at a luncheon in his cabin . The heavy cruiser also embarked Harry Hopkins , who had come across from England on board " Prince of Wales " . The Prime Minister later dined with the President , and ultimately left " Augusta " at 2345 . The following day , came alongside and embarked the President and his party , transporting them to " Prince of Wales " for divine services , an inspection of the battleship ' s topsides , and a luncheon . President Roosevelt again entertained the Prime Minister on board " Augusta " that evening . On 11 and 12 August , Prime Minister Churchill and members of his staff came on board the heavy cruiser for conferences with the President and his aides ; from these discussions emerged the famed " Atlantic Charter . " On the latter day , the final draft of the " Eight Points " of the charter was completed . With the meeting having been completed , President Roosevelt and his staff assembled on " Augusta " ' s quarterdeck at 1450 on 12 August to bid Prime Minister Churchill and his staff farewell . With the ship ' s guard and band paraded , the parting ended with the playing of " God Save the King . " A little over two hours later , " Prince of Wales " passed close aboard and rendered passing honors , after which the band stuck up " Auld Lang Syne . " " Augusta " then got under way in company with " Tuscaloosa " and their screening destroyers , en route to Blue Hill Bay , Maine , to rendezvous with " Potomac " and " Calypso " . The following day , a dense fog prompted the ships to reduce speed , and the President and the members of his staff rested , preparing for the transfer to the " Potomac " . The following morning , 14 August , off Cape Sable , Nova Scotia , President Roosevelt went on deck to witness the operations of the first aircraft escort vessel ( later CVE ) , , the prototype of a ship type that the Chief Executive had avidly pushed toward development . " Long Island " launched three Brewster F2A - 2 Buffalo s by the catapult method and six Curtiss SOCs by conventional carrier takeoff . That afternoon on board " Augusta " , Admiral King hosted a farewell luncheon for the President . " Augusta " anchored at Blue Hill Bay at 1228 on 14 August , and " Potomac " moored alongside to commence the transfer of baggage and other gear , ultimately casting off at 1418 for passage to Rockland , Maine . " Augusta " returned to Narragansett Bay on 15 August , and remained there for ten days , putting into the New York Navy Yard soon afterwards . She returned to Newport on 29 August . Admiral King retained " Augusta " as his flagship through the autumn , while she operated between Newport and Bermuda . During this time , she also briefly embarked Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox . World War II . The day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , 7 December 1941 , found " Augusta " moored at Buoy 7 , Newport . From that day until the 11th , she operated out of Newport ; she remained in port until 11 January 1942 . During this time , on 5 January 1942 . Rear Admiral Royal E . Ingersoll ( one of " Augusta " s former commanding officers ) relieved Admiral King as Commander in Chief , United States Atlantic Fleet . " Augusta " stood out of Newport on 12 January , en route to Casco Bay , Maine , via the Cape Cod Canal . She arrived the next day , and after conducting training exercises , returned to Newport . On 17 January , Rear Admiral Ingersoll shifted his flag from " Augusta " to " Constellation " . On 19 January , " Augusta " got underway for Bermuda , arriving two days later and joining Task Group ( TG ) 2 . 7 . She operated with this unit when it proceeded to Martinique to conduct a " show offeree " between 22 February and 4 March , and returned to Shelley Bay , Bermuda , on 5 March . As part of TG 22 . 7 — consisting of , , , , and — she stood out on 13 March to patrol the waters of the Caribbean . and joined the formation on 15 March , and the following day , " Augusta " was detached and , with " Hambleton " and " Emmons " , steamed to New York . While on passage , " Augusta " sent " Hambleton " to investigate a dim flashing light abaft her starboard beam during a heavy storm on 18 March . The destroyer rescued six survivors of the stricken Honduran steamer " Ciepa " , and rejoined " Emmons " and " Augusta " after nightfall . " Augusta " made landfall at New York on 19 March , and the heavy cruiser underwent repairs and alterations until 7 April , when , along with as escort , she sailed for Newport . The next morning , " Wilkes " was rammed by the steamer " Davilla " and was forced to proceed on one engine to Boston . " Augusta " steamed on alone to Casco Bay , arriving on 8 April . On 14 April , in company with and , she conducted experimental firings of turret guns against a drone simulating a torpedo plane approach , and returned to Casco Bay that night . Two days later , escorted by , she transited the Cape Cod Canal and touched at Newport . Joining Task Force ( TF ) 36 there , of which " Ranger " was flagship , the cruiser departed on 22 April for Trinidad . A minor collision between " Hambleton " and , and frequent submarine scares , accented the voyage . joined the task force on 28 April and fueled almost all of the ships , with " Augusta " s scout planes maintaining an air patrol during the dangerous fueling evolution . " Ranger " launched 68 Army Curtiss P - 40 s on 10 May , the planes bound for Accra , on Africa ' s Gold Coast , where all landed safely . The formation arrived at Trinidad on 21 May , where " Augusta " fueled before putting to sea with the task force the next day bound for Newport . On 26 May , " Augusta " and " Corry " were detached and proceeded together to Hampton Roads , anchoring there on 28 May . Two days later , Rear Admiral Alexander Sharp hoisted his flag on board " Augusta " and assumed command of TF 22 . With " Corry " and as escorts , the heavy cruiser sailed on 31 May for Newport , arriving on 1 June and leaving the next day with " Corn " for calibration of radio direction finders in waters west of Brenton Reef Lightship . " Ranger " joined the two ships the same day and all proceeded to Argentia , Newfoundland , arriving there on 5 June . With " Ellyson " and " Corn " , she formed an antisubmarine screen off Argentia on 17 and 18 June , and two days later joined TF 22 steaming through heavy fogs to Newport , mooring on 22 June . " Augusta " sailed south to New York for overhaul , arriving on 24 June . Completing repairs by 29 June , " Augusta " moved to Newport the following day , and on 1 July sortie d with TF 22 for the Gulf of Paria , Trinidad , and arrived on 6 July . The formation departed two days later , " Ranger " completing her second ferry mission with Army aircraft , launching 72 Army planes off the coast of West Africa . Another reinforcement successfully accomplished , the task force reached Trinidad on 30 July . The heavy cruiser then proceeded to Norfolk , and moored there on 5 August for limited availability . On 18 August , she conducted short range battle practice and night spotting exercises in Chesapeake Bay , and training continued until " Augusta " sortied with " Ranger " , " Corry " , and on 23 August , arriving at Newport two days later and returning to Norfolk with " Corry " on the last day of August . The task group also carried out gunnery training , shore bombardment , and antiaircraft defense exercises off the Virginia Capes from 7 to 11 September , and further training between 28 September and 1 October in Chesapeake Bay . On 23 October 1942 , Rear Admiral H . Kent Hewitt came on board " Augusta " and broke his flag as Commander , TF 34 . Major General George S . Patton and Rear Admiral John L . Hall , Jr . also came on board the same day for passage to North Africa . " Augusta " stood out on 24 October with TF 34 , steaming for French Morocco and participation in Operation " Torch . " Operation Torch . " PLAY BALL " – With the initial element of surprise , at 0000 GMT on 8 November 1942 , " Augusta " , under Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt , reached the shores off Casablanca and the Task Force commenced disembarking the invasion troops under the command of General Patton who , at the time , was directing the assault from " Augusta " . The ship ' s war diary contains the following entry for that morning ' s Naval Battle of Casablanca : " The landing of our boats was heavily opposed by both shore installations and French troops and at 0617 the order to " Play Ball " was received – this meant that we were to carry out our Attack Plan and destroy to the best of our ability all resistance encountered . " At 0700 in Casablanca Harbor , five Vichy French submarines were preparing to stand out of the harbor to go on patrol . Merchantmen were beginning loading and unloading their cargos , and on board the cruisers and destroyers the crews were at work scrubbing decks . At 0730 , " Ranger " launched her first strike of bombers with F4F Wildcat escorts . Ten minutes later they were intercepted by French fighters , and in a dogfight 5 American and 7 French planes were shot down . At 0804 , as " Ranger " s bombers were releasing their loads , opened up with salvoes of her 16 inch guns on Casablanca ' s quays and ships . In the commercial harbor 10 cargo and passenger ships were sunk in 10 minutes , 40 crew killed and 60 wounded . Alongside the breakwater 3 Vichy submarines went down at their moorings . " El Hank " and " Oukacha " returned fire along with the battleship " Jean Bart " , which only had one operating turret . Wreckage hurled aboard from the quayside landed down on the turret . At 0900 , the Vichy 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron under Rear - Admiral Gervais de Lafond raised sufficient steam to put to sea to head for Fedala . As his flagshp " Primauguet " was undergoing minor engine repair , de Lafond hoisted his flag in the super - destroyer " Milan " . He steamed northwards at full speed hoping that the smoke and rising sun would blind the American naval forces . At 0920 , Wildcats from " Ranger " strafed her decks . Every man on bridge , including Lafond , was wounded . The Vichy " Boulonnais " , was severely damaged . The commanding officer , Lieutenant Commander Martinant de Preneuf , was killed on " Albatross " . The " Brestois " ' anti - aircraft battery was put out of action . " Primauguet " was now off Fedala within range of " Augusta " , " Brooklyn " to the north and " Massachusetts " , " Tuscaloosa " and " Wichita " from the northeast The first Vichy ship to sink was " Fougueux " , which was struck by shells from " Massachusetts " and " Tuscaloosa " . " Milan " s bow shattered and forward turret wrecked and she beached . " Boulonnais " was sunk by 8 16 " rounds while she was carrying out a torpedo run , she turned turtle , and sunk with all hands . " Primauguet " , holed below her water line and with half of her engine room crew dead , dropped anchor near Milan . " Brestois " and " Frondeur " got back to harbor but capsized during the night . Finally , the destroyer " Alcyon " left harbor for survivors but was attacked by bombers and navy guns when she cleared the Casablanca breakwater . " Albatross " and " Primauguet " were hit again while trying to transfer 100 dead and 200 wounded . For the next three days the " Augusta " was engaged in protecting the transport ships and the invasion troops , and combating enemy naval and coastal resistance . On 10 November 1942 the " Augusta " helped turn back the French units sortieing from Casablanca who were attempting to disrupt the landings . The ship ' s scout observation planes played an active role in spotting the accuracy of gun splashes from ship ' s gunfire against the enemy ships and coastal batteries . The " Augusta " was straddled by shells from " Jean Bart " , which had been earlier mistakenly reported to Hewitt to have been out of commission . " Jean Bart " was subsequently put out of action by return ship and carrier plane bombardment . The invasion was successful and the ship and crew had the good fortune of being able to celebrate Thanksgiving Day 1942 with a special dinner with cuisine ala North Africa . A copy of the ship ' s program issued to the crew for that day is reproduced here . The message to the crew for that day summed up the feelings of all : " In its five engagements , one against a shore battery and four against enemy naval forces , the ship rendered a good account of itself and contributed in a large degree to the final defeat of the opposing forces and the establishing of a second front , in North Africa . In the course of each engagement the ship was subjected to accurate and heavy fire by the opposing forces . And yet , although bracketed many times by the projectiles of the enemy , the ship miraculously escaped without damage to herself or injury to the crew . It should be apparent to all that consistent escape from harm was due not alone to skill , or to good luck , but unquestionably to the intervention of divine providence . " Morocco and Atlantic Duties . Arriving off Fedhala , French Morocco , on 7 November , " Augusta " went into general quarters at 2200 . During the predawn hours of 8 November , the initial landings met with stiff opposition . At 0630 , Augusta catapulted two Curtiss SOC scouting planes aloft , and at 0710 , opened fire with her 8 inch ( 203 mm ) guns at shore batteries . The nearby supported " Augusta " s barrage , dodging near misses from enemy guns . A brief lull at 0730 permitted " Augusta " to launch her remaining two SOC s , but 10 minutes later the enemy guns opened up again ; several near misses fell within 50 to 100 yards of " Augusta " , the whistle of oncoming shells plainly audible to those on her bridge . " Augusta " shortly left at flank speed to intercept an enemy force of two light cruisers and four destroyers north of Casablanca . Closing the range at 0915 , " Augusta " opened fire with her 8 inch ( 203 mm ) battery on one enemy cruiser , barring the Vichy ships ' passage and turning them back into Casablanca harbor by 0950 . " Augusta " returned to her station to assist " Brooklyn " , firing on shore batteries . In the sortie of French ships from Casablanca harbor , destroyers " Le Brestois " and " Le Boulonnais " attempted a torpedo attack on " Augusta " and " Brooklyn " . " Augusta " s main battery gunfire sank the latter , and forced the other away in a damaged condition ; she sank later that day . Other Vichy ships attempting to escape were forced back into the harbor by 1122 , and firing ceased for a time . Around noon , " Augusta " turned back " Primaguet s " attempt to sortie , scoring an 8 inch ( 203 mm ) hit on the French ship ' s turret 3 . Vichy ships tried to sortie at 1305 , only to be blocked and forced to retreat by 1350 . " Augusta " spent the following day , 9 November , patrolling south and southwest of the transport area off Casablanca , and continued that patrol through 10 November . At 1135 on that day , she opened fire with her 8 inch ( 203 mm ) guns on an enemy destroyer , straddling her and forcing her to retreat . Ten minutes later , " Augusta " was unexpectedly taken under fire by " Jean Bart " , reportedly " gutted by fire " and harmless . Geysers of water from near - misses erupted about " Augusta " and drenched the cruiser with yellow - dyed spray , but American carrier planes bombed " Jean Bart " later in the day and silenced her for the remainder of the campaign . A cease - fire agreement was signed by Allied forces with the French on 11 November , bringing the operation to an end , and opening Morocco to the Allies . " Augusta " departed on 20 November with TF 34 , her part in the operation over . She touched at Bermuda on 26 November en route to Norfolk , arriving at the latter port four days later . There , Rear Admiral H . K . Hewitt left the ship , and TF 34 was dissolved . " Augusta " stood out of Norfolk on 9 December for extended overhaul at New York , during which time her antiaircraft battery was significantly improved . That period of yard work completed , " Augusta " proceeded to Newport , anchoring there on 15 February 1943 . Refresher training took " Augusta " to Casco Bay two days later . She conducted air operations with her four scouting planes off the coast of Maine , and on 24 March conducted experimental fragmentation test shots , operating with " Ranger " on 26 to 28 March . She concluded that part of her training with night illumination exercises on 30 March and night battle practice the next day . " Augusta " stood out on 2 April with TF 22 , flagship " Ranger " joining the formation on 4 April , and arrived at Little Placentia Harbor , Argentia , on 5 April . From 13 to 18 April , the heavy cruiser operated with " Ranger " , carried out antiaircraft practice on 22 April , and conducted flight operations with her own planes from 30 April to 1 May . In company with TG 21 . 7 , " Augusta " sailed on 6 May , under orders to escort RMS " Queen Mary " to New York . " Augusta " rendezvoused with the huge liner on 9 May , and after seeing her safely into the swept channel , moored at New York on 11 May . Her mission accomplished , the heavy cruiser returned to Argentia with her task group , arriving on 17 May , and engaged in further local operations through June . " Augusta " closed TF 68 on 20 July and began escorting Convoy AT 54A across the submarine - infested Atlantic to the Clyde . After an uneventful passage , the convoy arrived at Greenock , Scotland , on 26 July , and " Augusta " continued as escort on the return voyage , relinquishing command as the convoy neared American waters , and proceeding with to Argentia , arriving on 8 August . She left the next day with " Hilary P . Jones " for Halifax , Nova Scotia , to rejoin TF 22 , reported for duty on 10 August , and departed on 11 August for Scapa Flow , in Orkney . The British Admiralty assumed operational control of the task force , renaming it TG 112 . 1 , as the ships neared Scotland . " Augusta " moored at Scapa Flow on 19 August , reporting to the British Home Fleet the same day . " Augusta " operated with units of the Home Fleet on 23 August and departed with for Hvalfjörður , Iceland , arriving the next day . She acted as covering force for training exercises with " London " and off Iceland from 2 to 10 October , and conducted gunnery training off Eyjafjörður , Iceland on 19 October . While returning to Scapa Flow , " Augusta " fired on a passing German Junkers Ju 88 bomber at 1139 on 27 October , firing 14 rounds from her 5 inch ( 127 mm ) battery until the plane passed out of range . She moored at Scapa Flow on 31 October , proceeding to Greenock two days later , and returned to Scapa Flow on 7 November . On 22 November , she got underway with " Ranger " and other ships of the task force for Hvalfjörður , arriving two days later . Operational control passed to the United States Navy on 26 November when TF 68 stood out for Boston , " Augusta " mooring there on 3 December 1943 . She remained there , undergoing repairs and alterations through the end of the year . Repairs completed , " Augusta " departed Boston on 29 January 1944 and steamed to Casco Bay for post - overhaul training exercises . She participated in bombardment , radar , illumination , and tactical exercises with TF 22 off Maine , until steaming to Boston on 7 April for limited availability . She left President Roads , Boston , and rendezvoused with convoy UT 11 the next day . However , she was soon detached from the convoy and escorted by across the Atlantic to Belfast , Northern Ireland . Arriving on 15 April , she steamed thence to Plymouth , England , on 17 April . There , Rear Admiral Alan G . Kirk , Commander , TF 122 , came on board on 25 April and broke his flag . At 1300 on 25 May , King George VI of the United Kingdom came on board to lunch with Admiral Kirk , and departed the same day . Normandy . In June , " Augusta " took part in the Normandy invasion , standing out of Plymouth on 5 June with Lieutenant General Omar Bradley , USA , and his staff , embarked . Closing the shore on 6 June , the heavy cruiser commenced firing at 0618 , hurling 51 rounds from her main battery at shore installations . VCS - 7 , a U . S Navy Spotter Squadron flying Supermarine Spitfire VBs and Supermarine Seafire IIIs , was one of the units which provided targeting coordinates and fire control . On 10 June General Bradley and his staff left the heavy cruiser to establish headquarters ashore . " Augusta " was bombed at 0357 on 11 June , but escaped damage as the bomb exploded 800 yards ( 730 m ) off her port beam . The following day , anchored as before off Omaha Beach , she fired eight 5 inch ( 127 mm ) rounds at an enemy plane at 2343 , driving it off . On 13 June at 0352 she sent 21 rounds of 5 inch ( 127 mm ) at a German plane , and shot it down . " Augusta " drove off other aircraft and bombarded the shore with her heavy guns on 15 June , and provided antiaircraft defense to the forces off Normandy on 18 June . The next day , while underway to shift berths , she lost a man overboard when he was swept overboard by heavy seas . Rear Admiral Kirk shifted his flag to on 1 July , and " Augusta " got underway the same day for Plymouth , mooring there on 2 July . Four days later , in company with TG 120 . 6 , she departed for Mers el Kebir , Algeria , arriving there on 10 July , only to leave two days later with " Hambleton " for Palermo , Sicily . She moored at that port on 14 July and reported to TF 86 for duty . Rear Admiral L . A . Davidson came on board and broke his flag the same day , and " Augusta " stood out with " Macomb " and " Hambleton " for Naples , arriving the next day . She carried out shore bombardment exercises on 23 July . She returned to Palermo on 27 July and steamed to Naples the following day . She continued her training until 12 August , when as flagship for TF 86 , she carried Brigadier General Benjamin W . Chidlaw , USA , to Propriano , Corsica , arriving the following day . On 14 August , the heavy cruiser departed the Golfe de Valin - co at 1030 for Ile du Levant , southern France and the beginning of Operation " Dragoon " . " Augusta " arrived at 2155 at the staging area , joining the Sitka Assault Group . On the morning of 15 August , " Augusta " trained her main battery against targets on Port Cros Island , and fired nine rounds . At 1125 , she sent six . Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal came on board at 2023 for an official visit with Admiral Davidson . The next day , " Augusta " patrolled the Sitka Assault Area and Secretary Forrestal left her at 0850 . The heavy cruiser fired 63 more rounds at the fort on Port Cros Island to soften it up . On 17 August , she patrolled with and poured 138 rounds from her 8 inch ( 203 mm ) battery into the island fort , which surrendered that day . The following day , General Chidlaw left the ship to establish his headquarters on shore , and " Augusta " turned her fire on the remaining coastal defense batteries . She departed on 19 August for a reconnaissance - in - force of St . Mandrier Island off Toulon , France , where the battery known as " Big Willie " was located , bombarding shore installations , and returning to the Sitka Assault Area the same day . The Golfe Hotel , Hyeres , France , was nearly leveled by 114 rounds from " Augusta " on 20 August . Toulon and Marseilles surrendered eight days later . On 29 August , a landing party drawn from the Marine detachments from " Augusta " and " Philadelphia " went ashore on the islands of Ratonneau and Chateau d ' If in the harbor of Marseilles and accepted the surrender of German forces on those islands , taking 730 prisoners . In support of " Dragoon " , " Augusta " had fired over 700 rounds of 8 inch ( 203 mm ) projectiles , and had materially aided invading Allied forces . She steamed to the Gulf of San Tropez , France , on 30 August , where Admiral Davidson shifted his flag to , and " Augusta " was detached from TF 86 . On 1 September , the heavy cruiser sailed via Propriano to Naples , where she joined Cruiser Division ( CruDiv ) 7 . After calling at Oran , Algeria , on 6 September , " Augusta " , in company with " Tuscaloosa " , , and , stood out , bound for Philadelphia and an extensive overhaul . While undergoing these repairs and alterations , " Augusta " suffered an explosion of unknown origin on 20 November in her ice machine room , which killed three - yard workers and injured four crew members . Her overhaul completed , " Augusta " departed Boston on 26 January 1945 with and , bound for Trinidad , tested her guns en route , and arrived on 31 January . In the first week of February , she conducted refresher training in the Gulf of Paria , Trinidad , polishing up on gunnery , night battle , radar , and antiaircraft techniques . She steamed to San Juan , Puerto Rico , calling there on 9 February . Sailing for the United States on 21 February , " Augusta " , along with , , and , rendezvoused with and her screen on 24 February as that cruiser steamed back to the United States with President Roosevelt embarked , following the Yalta Conference . After " Augusta " and her screen had covered the approach of the President to Hampton Roads , she underwent minor emergency repairs , remaining at Norfolk until 7 March when she steamed to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , arriving there three days later . She trained off Trinidad and Curaçao until 7 April , when joined her . " Augusta " returned to Norfolk on 10 April , and on 14 April , in accordance with orders from the Secretary of the Navy , half - masted her colors for a period of one month in honor of the late President Roosevelt . After a brief call at Annapolis , Maryland , she sailed north to Newport on 22 April to train 11 officers and 300 men from on a cruise . The ship conducted antiaircraft defense and other exercises in Long Island Sound until 27 April when she returned to Newport and disembarked the trainees . Three days later , " Augusta " sailed for New York , and arrived there on 1 May . On 7 May , in company with , she headed for Casco Bay , where the end of the war in Europe found her , and returned to New York on 2 June . On the 13th , " Augusta " got underway to proceed back to Norfolk . She then conducted further training exercises in Chesapeake Bay until 7 July , when President Harry S . Truman , Secretary of State James F . Byrnes , and Fleet Admiral William D . Leahy boarded her , and she stood out for Antwerp , Belgium , to carry her distinguished passengers on the first leg of their voyage to the Potsdam Conference . Met by a British escort , " Augusta " arrived on 14 July , and received dignitaries , including General Eisenhower . Her guests departed the same day , and " Augusta " got underway to proceed to Plymouth , arriving there on 28 July . On 2 August , she embarked her distinguished passengers again , and received another visit from King George VI . Harry Truman was on the ship when he got the news that Hiroshima had been bombed by an atomic bomb . The ship then sailed for the United States , arriving at Newport on 7 August to disembark the President . A week later she moored in Casco bay . After carrying out training at Baltimore , Maryland , she arrived at Norfolk on 11 September , and conducted exercises off the Virginia Capes until steaming to Casco Bay again on 5 October for temporary duty under the direction of Commander , Operational Training Command , Atlantic , Commander TF 69 . She then proceeded to New York , and participated in Navy Day observances on 27 October at New York City , where President Truman reviewed the fleet . Open to the public from 25 to 30 October , " Augusta " hosted 23 , 362 visitors . On 31 October , " Augusta " moored at the New York Naval Shipyard , to be modified for " Magic Carpet " operations , bringing home American servicemen from Europe . She performed this duty through the end of the year 1945 . Ultimately placed out of commission , in reserve , in a deferred disposal status at Philadelphia , on 16 July 1946 , " Augusta " remained in the Philadelphia group of the Reserve Fleet until she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 March 1959 . She was sold for scrap on 9 November 1959 to Robert Benjamin of Panama City , Florida , and her hulk removed from naval custody on 2 March 1960 . Awards . " Augusta " was awarded three battle star s for her World War II service .