Welcome to the Home Page for the USS Atlanta, CL-51, and the USS Juneau, CL-52.

This web site was designed as a memorial to those that served on these two great ships. We have tried to include not only ships histories and battle details but more importantly, we wanted to include personal perspectives, how events affected those that participated and their families and loved ones. In this respect we have included personal letters and stories that have been donated by survivors and their family members. We hope you will therefore find more than just history and ship specs, we hope you come away with a sense of how these events affected all those that were touched to this day!

This site is dedicated to my father, W.E. Edwards, who passed away April 23,1996; to my Uncle, Edward Morra, and to the rest of the men who served aboard the Atlanta and the Juneau.

Many thanks to Preston Cook for his kindness and generosity in supplying the action reports and some excellent pictures that appear on our pictures page.

 

 

A day of reflection and gratitude!

November 13th 2013 is the 71st anniversary of the "First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal" as the night action in which the USS Atlanta, USS Juneau and 4 US destroyers and one Japanese Battleship and two destroyers were sunk was often referred to.

Please feel free to look through the sight, especially the Tribute Pages where we have posted many stories from survivors detailing their experiences that night as well as those reflections of their family members.

Also leave your feelings or remarks in our guestbook

Thank you

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NOTICES

Anyone who served with Mr George R. Archibald and is interested in contacting him may do so at the following address:

George R. Archibald (Chief Watertender- Retired) 450 N. Soldano Ave.Apt. #103 Azusa, CA 91702

Posted by Joe Laferriere - "I am trying to locate an old shipmate of mine who served with me on the USS Atlanta. We were separated after we abandoned ship and I have not been able to locate him. I know this is almost impossible but I sure would like to try. His name was Pete Leyva, he was from ElPaso Tx. and the last I heard he was an attorney in the Boston area. Mr. Laferriere can be contacted at the following email address - Gwenjo5@ Juno.com

Check out this new book by Glenn Arnold called Warship Perspectives - The Atlanta Class Cruisers in World War 2. Has great pictures, some from personal collections and details of the ships in the class. A great reference on these great ships. Its published by W.R. Press in NY.

 

  Whats

Nov 2016.  - The Documentary "The USS Atlanta - Defender of Guadalcanal will be screened in Belgium

NEWSFLASH! Screening this weekend!

Return To The USS Atlanta will be screened on Saturday, November 16, 2013 at tekDIVE13 in Edegem, Belgium. Richard Lundgren one of the USS Atlanta explorers, will be available to answer questions during the Q&A session taking place after the screening. Filmmakers Elena Konstantinou, Julia Golosiy, and Philip Yakymov will also be present. 

DON'T MISS THIS FANTASTIC EVENT!

For more info about the screening and other fantastic events at tekDIVE13, visit www.tekdive13.com.

Hear directly from those who were there, in their own words about  their experiences, feelings and the horror of battle.

The complete documentary has extensive underwater footage of the USS Atlanta as she rests now, narrated by the divers as they respectfully explore the ship. i

 

In May 2011, a highly experienced team of deep divers landed on the shores of Guadalcanal expressly to dive the USS Atlanta, and through the video footage that they hope to capture, answer some of these questions and reveal her true, present condition, seventy years after the battle. Dive To The USS Atlanta, Defender of Guadalcanal, captures this dedicated survey expedition, while at the same time, telling the story of one of the fiercest battles of World War II – the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

The video production group has interviewed survivors and family members from New Jersey, Washington State, Atlanta Ga, and Helena Montana.

HWLL  want to interview others, survivors or family members on their experiences.  If anyone  is interested please email me  at  stickfighter1@gmail.com  with contact  info and I will forward it on to the group.

Many thanks to Elena Konstantinou, Executive Producer/Writer and Shareen Anderson, Director/Producer/Writer as well as the rest of the filming and diving team for making this amazing video.

 

Our survivor stories page is growing!!! The purpose of this page is to add a personal touch to the site and give interested parties a chance to add to their content. If you would like to supply information please email me by using the email button below. Thanks to all that would like to help.

Additional Items not yet filed!
  • NEW A Overhead view of the USS Atlanta and Juneau building at Federal Ship Building

  • NEW A Picture of the USS Atlanta and Federal Ship Building ID card of Charles Bedman who was a worker on the USS Atlanta. This was supplied by his family. (link is broken -we are trying to locate photos - Oct 25 2011)

     

  • NEW A Post card sent by Stanley Kokoska of the USS Juneau to his mother dated two weeks before the Juneau was sunk and Mr Kokoska lost his life. This was kindly supplied by John Kokish.
  • NEW A copy of a war bond certificate supplied by Kem Statham, which his great aunt purchased during WW2. This was to fund the construction of the second Atlanta, a Cleveland Class Light Cruiser although a picture of the already sunk Cl51 was used. (link is broken -we are trying to locate photos - Oct 25 2011)

    2002 Guadalcanal Reunion Pic's - 8/17/02

 

  TAPS:

Mr. Prather, a survivor of the USS Atlanta passed away on the 15th of October in Altanta Ga. Mr. Prather was to be interviewed for the upcoming documentary on the USS Atlanta but was too ill to participate. Our condolences to his family.

John W. Harvey - passed away December 31 2009.  Mr Harvey was a survivor of the USS Atlanta and went on to serve on other ships during WW2. His granddaughter Christine Burmeister was kind enough to forward the information to me and was instrumental in providing all the information for the John Harvey Survivors page on our site. Our prayers go out to his family!

Michael Hegedus, BM2c, passed away in 2000. Information was greatfully supplied by his nephew William T. Moran Jr. USN retired.

Bowdie Craighill, an officer on board the USS Atlanta during the cruiser's night action of 12-13 November 1942 and who was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in combat action against the Japanese, passed away at the age of 88 on April 7th. He will be buried in Washington, DC on April 21 at a service at St. Marks Church - 3rd. and A. St. SE at 1:30. If you have reflections on Bowdie and would like to pass them along to me so I in turn can pass them to those giving the eulogy, please E-mail Bill Dickinson at wdickin953@aol.com "Bowdie is a man who indeed deserves to be honored." - Bill Dickinson

Victor Sr. passed away on Saturday, 11/24, at UCONN Medical Center in Farmington, Conn. He was 81 yrs. old. He is survived by his wife, Mary Kelmelis, and his children, Joanie and Victor Jr.

Mr.Howard "Guns" Goddard, who served aboard the Atlanta, passed away May 22nd 2000 in Athol, Mass..Please take a moment to remember Mr.Howard in your prayers.

Mr. Lester Zook, one of the few remaining survivors of the USS Juneau, died November 12th, 1998. Please take a moment to remember Mr. Zook and say a prayer for him and his family..   Thank you.

 

 

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001,2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 by Don Edwards

COPYRIGHT - ALL information on these pages, personal pictures, lists created by myself, donated stories and page designs are copy righted and strictly prohibited from use on other web sites without written permission from myself. The information on these pages is the result of hard work on the part of myself and other people who were kind enough to donate time and material for the site. PLEASE do not lift anything off this site for use on another site without the permission of myself. We do require you mention the source to give credit to those that put in the time and effort. Thanks