USS Chester (CA 27) makes 25 knots during official sea trials, circa 1929-1930.

Naval History & Heritage Command, Photo No. NHF-059

Undated starboard side photo.

Starboard side view while at anchor, pre-WWII, location unknown.

U.S. Navy photo.

USS Chester is seen at pre-commissioning fitting out at New York Shipbuilding, Camden NJ. This is 1930 during times of light work loads at the yard.

USS Chester fitting out at New York Shipbuilding, Camden NJ in March or April 1930. USS Salt Lake City (CL 25) is at the top of the picture.

ISM Aero Service Collection #11925. Used for educational and non-commercial purposes.

USS Chester (CL 27) Running trials, in 1930.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 55113.

USS Chester (CL 27) At anchor in Hampton Roads, Virginia, November 1930. Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 64643.

View taken from the deck atop the aircraft hangar of USS Chicago (CA 29, circa 1932, and shows in line astern formation: USS Salt Lake City (CA 25), USS Louisville (CA 28), USS Northampton (CA 26), USS Pensacola (CA 24), USS Chester (CA 27), and USS Augusta (CA 31).

Naval History and Heritage Command, Catalog No. NH 51838

Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Oahu, Hawaii - Scouting Force ships at, and off, the yard, 2 February 1933. Cruisers tied up at 1010 Dock are (from left to left center) Augusta (CA 31), Chicago (CA 29) and Chester (CA 27). USS Northampton (CA 26) is alongside the dock in the center, with USS Kane (DD 235) in the adjacent Marine Railway and USS Fox (DD 234) tied up nearby. USS Louisville (CA 28) is in the center distance. Moored off her bow and at the extreme right are USS Salt Lake City (CA 25) and USS Pensacola (CA 24).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph #80-G-451164, now in the collections of the National Archives.

USS Chester (CA 27), at left with other ships of Cruiser Division FOUR, in Panama Bay on 21 April 1934, at about the time of Fleet Problem XV. Ships in column behind Chester are USS Salt Lake City (CA 25), USS Pensacola (CA 24) and the Division flagship, USS Northampton (CA 26) Photographed from a U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 93543.

1936 photo of Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor. Among the ships in the harbor are: Front and center a? Northampton class? CA, most likely the? Chester? (CA 27).
The two New Orleans (CA 32) class cruisers on the far left are the Minneapolis (CA 36) nearer the camera with New Orleans (CA 32) behind. Both have the curved-faced turrets, limiting them to the CA-32/34/36 group. Within that group, only New Orleans lacked the glassed-in navigation bridge (below the pilothouse), and minor superstructure variations point to the other being Minneapolis rather than Astoria(CA 34).
The battleships from left to right: Colorado (BB 45), or West Virginia (BB 48), outboard of Idaho (BB 42), Nevada (BB 36), outboard of Mississippi (BB 41), New Mexico (BB 40), outboard of Maryland (BB 46) or California (BB 44).
On the far right is the Hospital ship Relief (AH 1) with two unidentified ships ahead and to her port side.

Text courtesy of David Johnston, (USNR), Aryeh Wetherhorn (USNR) & Richard Jensen. Photo courtesy of Edward Cwalinski.

USS Chester (CA 27) approaches the pier at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while preparing to dock, 27 November 1936. At right, already tied up, is USS Indianapolis (CA 35), which was carrying President Roosevelt. Note the crowds awaiting the President, who was making his first stop during the "Good Neighbor" cruise. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, collection of Rear Admiral Paul H. Bastedo, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 68102.

Lieutenant Wilson R. Bartlett, Senior Aviator of USS Chester (CA 27), walks forward on the cruiser's well deck to make his report, after returning from a flight spotting gunfire for the ship's bombardment of Taroa Island, Maloelap Atoll. In the background is damage from the bomb hit sustained during a Japanese air attack at 0820 hrs. Also visible are the port wingtips of one of a SOC "Seagull" aircraft, with the open hangar beyond. The ship's port catapult "silo" is at right, dented by the bomb blast. Note the pilot's uniform, "Mae West" life vest, binoculars and plotting board.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph NH 50945.

Photos of bomb damage received on 1 February 1942 after the raid on Taroa. Retiring under heavy air attack she received a bomb hit in the well deck which killed eight and injured 38.

Photo Caption "Looking aft on the main deck. Note that most of fragment holes in intake trunk are at a low level."

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

Photos of bomb damage received on 1 February 1942 after the raid on Taroa. Retiring under heavy air attack she received a bomb hit in the well deck which killed eight and injured 38.

Photo Caption "Close-up of air intake to after engine room, showing fragment damage. Screens were blown away and have been replaced. Note holes in the edges of the hangar doors. Holes behind the ladder are plugged with wood."

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

Photos of bomb damage received on 1 February 1942 after the raid on Taroa. Retiring under heavy air attack she received a bomb hit in the well deck which killed eight and injured 38.

Photo Caption "No. 2 boiler room blower intake trunk, frame 65, looking forward and to starboard. A few fragments hit the stack, and a hole can be seen in the pontoon overhead. The 7-1/2 lb. plating of the trunk was dished in 3 inches. The umbrella plating was blown loose, and was removed before this picture was taken."

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

Photo Caption "U.S.S. CHESTER
February, 1942.
Hit by 134 lb. bomb on main deck at frame 68 port. Time of hit 0820 Zone -12.

View from Signal Bridge looking aft 44 ft. above and 60 ft. forward of hit.
Time of photograph about 20 minutes after hit.
Fire has been extinguished but no repair work has been done. "

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

View from 4 ft above main deck looking 270 relative.
Time of photograph about 40 minutes after hit.
No structural repairs have been completed.
Men in foreground are reeving a new whip to the airplane crane. "

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

View from 4 ft above main deck looking 225 relative. Time of photograph about 1 hour after hit.
Wood deck has been partially cut away preparatory to welding patch over hole. "

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

View from 4 ft. above main deck looking 315 relative. Time of photograph about one hour after hit.
Wood deck has been partially cut away preparatory to welding patch over hole."

NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45, USS Chester Damage Report

20MM guns port & starboard on communication platform, navigating bridge and machine gun platform - looking aft from bow - 26 February 1942.

National Archives, San Francisco Branch, Mare Island Naval Shipyard General Correspondence files, 1941-47

20MM Installation: looking forward from frame 143 on main deck. Note guns on main mast on hood over searchlight control and on searchlight platform - 26 February 1942.

National Archives, San Francisco Branch, Mare Island Naval Shipyard General Correspondence files, 1941-47

Plan view, Starboard. Side, looking forward, showing alterations while at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 August 1942.

U.S. Navy Photo

Plan view, amidships, showing alterations while at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 August 1942.

U.S. Navy photo #4597-42

Plan view aft showing alterations while at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 August 1942.

U.S. Navy photo #4600-42

Plan view amidships, looking forward showing alterations while at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 6 August 1942.

U.S. Navy photo 4559-42

USS Chester (CA 27) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, following overhaul, 6 August 1942.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives #19-N-32461.

Port bow view, taken 6 August 1942 off Mare Island Navy Yard, CA.

USN Photo.

General starboard quarter view of the USS Chester (CA 27) after her arrival at Espiritu Santo on 23 October 1942. Note the missing armor plate above the torpedo hole, broken searchlight bent CXAM radar and damaged life rafts, damage which occurred on 20 October by a submarine fired torpedo.

Source: Preliminary Design Branch, Bureau of Ships Navy Department, War Loss/Damage Report No. 36

Naval personnel examine the hole caused by a torpedo hit in the hull of the heavy cruiser USS Chester (CA 27) in Sutherland dock of the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, Australia, November 1942. While cruising in support of the operations in the Solomons, Chester was hit by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-176 on the starboard side, amidships on 20 October 1942 which killed 11 and wounded 12. She returned to Espiritu Santo under her own power for emergency repairs on 23 October. She steamed to Sydney, Australia, on 29 October for further repairs and on Christmas Day, departed for Norfolk, Virginia, USA , and a complete overhaul.

This image is available from the Collection Database of the Australian War Memorial under the ID Number: 305794.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo #NH 84597

Chester as refitted at Mare Island on 16 September 1943 shows her new open bridge without bridge wings to interfere with the sky arcs of the quad.40mm mounted at the 01 level.

U.S. Navy photo #6882-43

Chester as refitted at Mare Island on 16 September 1943 - The former Main Battery Rangefinder has been eliminated in favor of additional 20mm's and all her radars are visible; SG, SK, MK3 & MK4.

U.S. Navy Photo

Chester as refitted at Mare Island on 16 September 1943 - Notable is the sharp reduction in searchlights as compared to 1942, indicating battle experience in the Solomons - they were a hazard in night actions.

U.S. Navy Photo

Chester as refitted at Mare Island on 16 September 1943 - Plan view aft. Note the numerous floats and floater nets, a consequence of the lessons of the disastrous Solomons cruiser-destroyer night actions.

U.S. Navy Photo

Chester as refitted at Mare Island on 16 September 1943 - Plan view aft, looking Forward.

U.S. Navy Photo

Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, after torpedo damage repairs and overhaul, 2 October 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives #19-N-54656.

Broadside view of the USS Chester (CA 27) off Mare Island on 2 Oct 1943. She was in overhaul at the shipyard from 15 Sept until 2 Oct 1943.

U.S. Navy Photo #6879-43

Stern view of the USS Chester (CA 27) off Mare Island on 2 Oct 1943.

U.S. Navy Photo #6877-43.

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 9D (Starboard)

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for heavy cruisers of the CA-27 (Chester) class. This plan, approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN, is dated 18 March 1944. It shows the ship's starboard side, exposed decks and superstructure ends. USS Chester (CA 27) was painted in this camouflage pattern.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph #80-G-173265 now in the collections of the National Archives.

Camouflage Measure 32, Design 9D (Port)

Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for heavy cruisers of the CA-27 (Chester) class. This plan, approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN, is dated 18 March 1944. It shows the ship's port side. USS Chester (CA 27) was painted in this camouflage pattern.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph #80-G-173263, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Port quarter view while off Hunter's Point, 12 June 1944 after undergoing repairs.

U.S. Navy photo #1204-44-S8

Robert Hurst

National Archives Photo #80-G-305100

Tracy White

OS2U recovery either during invasion rehearsals on February 12 or during the invasion between the 16th and 19th when she provided gun fire support. Her scout planes were sent aloft multiple times per day, returning to refuel and relaunch in under twenty minutes.

National Archives Photo #80-G-305117

Tracy White

Maintenance on Chester's anchor chain.

National Archives Photo #80-G-305105

Tracy White

Directors and guns on Chester's port side are trained skyward during the invasion of Iwo Jima.

National Archives Photo #80-G-305118

Tracy White

Fire from the barrels of Chester's 5" and 40MM guns during the invasion of Iwo Jima. She reported expending 1200 rounds from her 8" guns on the island as well as 748 rounds of her 5" and 2,914 40mm rounds in anti-aircraft fire during the operation.

National Archives Photo #80-G-305119

Tracy White

Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Chester (CA 27) at Mare Island on 25 April 1945. She was under going inclining experiment in dry dock #3. She was in dock from 19 mar until 27 Apr 1945. She was in overhaul at the shipyard from 10 Mar until 16 May 1945.

U.S. Navy Photo #2925-45

Amidships plan view of USS Chester (CA 27) at Mare Island on 25 April 1945. She was under going inclining experiment in dry dock #3.

U.S. Navy Photo #2928-45

13 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit. #1 turret has lost its rangefinder, her starboard catapult is removed. Her foremast has been shortened and a lattice main mast installed along with a quad 40mm gun ahead of #1 turret to take care of planes crossing and approaching the front of the ship. All of the items were removed due to the overweight/stability problems suffered by prewar(esp.) ships towards the end of the war.

U.S. Navy Photo

13 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit. A ventilator replaced the Starboard Catapult. Note the NANCY IR Beacons at the Foretop below the SG and the MK-13 Fire Control Radar that replaced MK-8 atop her MK-34 Director.

U.S. Navy Photo

13 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit. New Main Mast with SP Fighter Control radar and ECM outfit - a TDY jammer on a topmast, DBM radar direction finders below it, intercept antennas and an S-Band jammer in a large radome.

U.S. Navy Photo

13 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit. Note two Twin 40's, Main Battery Director MK-34, a deck-edge TDY S-Band jamming system in a radome and Mk-28 in front of the Mk-33 Director.

U.S. Navy Photo

16 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit with new Fore Mast antenna equipment. Note the MK-34 radar antenna of GFCS MK-63 atop the MK-2 Quad.40mm.

U.S. Navy Photo #3624-45

16 May 1945 photo taken at Mare Island Navy Yard after refit. Note the lattice work platform built out of it and intended to carry a magnetic compass clear of the ship's steel. SP,IFF and TBS tactical radio.

U.S. Navy Photo

185k

Bow on view of USS Chester (CA 27) departing Mare Island on 16 May 1945.

U.S. Navy Photo #3608-45

2m

Mare Island photo of USS Chester (CA 27) at the south end of the yard on 16 May 1945. Photo from the files on the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum.

U.S. Navy Photo #3609-45

At San Francisco, California, following overhaul, circa late May 1944. Circled numbers mark indicate recent alterations to the ship.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives #19-N-73474.

Off San Francisco, California, following overhaul, circa late May 1944. Her camouflage is Measure 32, Design 9d.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives #19-N-73468.

USS Chester (CA 27) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 16 May 1945, following her last wartime overhaul.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives #19-N-84007.

USS Chester (CA 27) Being towed away from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, on her way to be scrapped, circa 1959.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 85179-KN.