The Augusta
remained in Manila 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, "Augie Maru" sailed for North
China, visiting Chinwangtao (12 June) before
beginning her cycle of training operations from
Tsingtao soon thereafter. Augusta
operated out of Tsingtao into late September.
Circumstances requiring Admiral Hart on several
occasions to visit Shanghai he traveled once to
Shanghai in Isabel and back
in Augusta, to Shanghai in Porpoise
(SS-172) and back to Tsingtao in Isabel,
and one round trip to Shanghai and back in Marblehead
(CL-12). 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
(CA-30) 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 Augusta's
Capt. John H. Magruder, Jr., estimated that his ship
had swept a belt approximately 25 miles 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." Capt. 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."
Ultimately reaching
Long Beach on 10 December 1940, Augusta
entered the Mare Island Navy Yard for a major refit
soon thereafter. 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 guns
were mounted atop the aircraft hanger; splinter
protection was fitted for the 5-inch guns on the
hangar and on the boat deck; interim 3-inch
antiaircraft guns were installed (ultimate armament
fit called for a one-to-one replacement of these
mounts with 1.1-inch guns), and Mark XIX directors
were installed for the 5-inch 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.
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