SHIP & SAILORS OF THE USS Des Moines

ANCHORS AWEIGH
Anchors Aweigh, my boys,
Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to foreign shores,
We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night ashore,
Drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more.
Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

President John F Kennedy - August 1, 1963
​I can imagine a no more rewarding career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worth while, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: "I served in the United States Navy."

CURRENT REUNION ROSTER - 
updated 23 July 2017

     Alphabetical Sort - 
    
​     Year(s)  board ship - 

COMMANDING OFFICERS - These files contain what has been found to date.

MUSTER ROLLS

We only had 1948, part of 1949 but thanks to Leonard Buffry we have all 1957-1961

Villafranche Reunion - January 2017

​

Phil Roberts Ville Franche Reunion Book

Phil was a JO2 who served aboard the Des Moine from 1955-56 in X Division

CRUISE BOOKS

We have six (6) books; if you have one we don't have send it to the web master for scanning.

​PERSONAL STORIES
​Stories from Des Moines Shipmates

BOOT CAMP

Navy and Marine Boot Camps of Des Moines servicemen.  Check it out and if a boot camp is missing, send the web master the book for scanning.

PORTS OF CALL

These records are incomplete, so if you have any information send it to the web master.

also Port Tour Brochures

​Daisy Mae Newsletters 
1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961

Thanks to Phil Roberts, Don Schaffer,  Jerry Manriquez and especially Lou Lockwood for their newletters.   We can use more newsletters if you have them.

The Hawk Eye Newsletters
​1949 & 1951

The "Hawk Eye" 25 December 1951 edition; this paper along with another from the Ships supply department ("THE DES PATCH") for the same date were provided to me by the son of LtJg Charles Davoli who served in F Division; LtJg Davoli at that time was also the coach of the ships basketball team and played/coached the baseball team; I guess the DES PATCH was the forerunner to the Daisy Mae news letter. His son Cliff Davoli said Lcdr Davoli passed away in 1986.
​Jim Chapman

Deck Logs - Day to Day operations, Ship's location, Captain's Mast, AWOL, etc

We only have July-December 1955
This is the Battle Flag of the USS Des Moines.  Thanks for the photo from  the “State Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines” where the flag resides. 
BADGES AND PATCHES
Check it out, if you have one that is not listed, please scan and send to the web master.

Check out the new patch created in 2017.  You can order it from Ship's Stores.

The history of the ship

Great Photos of USS Des Moines (inside and outside) 

​Recently I had the chance to go aboard the Heavy Cruiser USS Des Moines (CA-134).  She currently sits in the former Philadelphia Navy Yard where she has been waiting to be adopted since the mid-sixties but the Navy has decided to finally send her to be scrapped.  Before scrapping the Navy invited other museum ships to send groups to the yard to retrieve items they can use on their ships.  I was given the chance to go as part of the USS New Jersey's group on July 5th (20??) to try and salvage brass items for use on Big J.  Myself and another Brass Team member had a great day searching for useable brass items and exploring the ship; see photos from our day - Unknown Sailor

The Des Moines Photos - 2006 (another view)

Naval History and Heritage Command - USS Des Moines (CA-134)
The Heavy Cruiser USS Des Moines, CA 134 was the 2nd ship with this name.  This web site has many photos of the Des Moines and descriptions of where it was.
Cruiser Photo Archive - USS DES MOINES (CA 134)
This is a good web site that shows drawings of  the side and overhead view as well as ships statistics, a list of commanding officers, and various  pictures of the Des Moines and where it was over the years.

MILITARY RECORDS

Send for your own records, free of charge.
​The enlisted rating badge for Petty Officer Third Class and above consists of two parts. The chevrons indicate the pay grade (rate). Between the chevrons and the eagle is an insignia indicating the Sailor's job speciality (rating). Insignia are white on blue uniforms and Navy blue on white uniforms

MISCELLANIOUS - Items than might not fit other categories