Boston (CA 69) - Naval Cruise Book

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was ordered to lend fire support. It was the ship's first opportunity to use her guns in support of a landing and occupation oper- ation. She opened fire on the Northern part of the island, in sup- port of the Marines ,battling ashore and at 6.500 yards thoroughly covered the target area with shells, destroying gun emplace- ments, block houses, shelters and ammunition dumps. With the Carriers once more, the Boston headed again for easy pickings up Tokyo way. A Fighter sweep was launched at dawn of February 25th, while overhead a force of 220 B-29s dropped tons of bombs on the crumbling empire. As the Fleet turned south towards Ulithi, another blow was struck at Okinawa, and then on March 3rd the Commander of the Carrier Task Force sent the greetings: Your well earned overhaul and recreation period is at last in sight, may you have a pleasant cruise home and a happy leave. After sixteen months from home and fourteen months of continuous operations with the Carriers of the Pacific Fleet, the Boston had earrfed a rest. Streaming a 700 foot homeward bound pennant, she paraded past the fleet out of Ulithi on her way to Pearl Harbor and the West Coast of the United States. Early in the morning of March 25th, the mainland of the United States was sighted and later in the morning the Boston entered the Naval Operating Base at Terminal Island, California while the N.O.B. Band played and Ginny Simms sang Oh, What a Beautiful Morning. I, Six weeks later all members of the crew had' returned from a short leave, and on May 20th the Boston put to sea again to test the new equipment and rehearse the crew for the next phase of operations which were destined to lead them to final victory. After three weeks in Pearl Harbor, during which time Captain Herrmann was succeeded by Captain Kelley on Iune 29th, the ship once more got underway for Eniwetok. After three days at that Atoll, the Boston rejoined the Car- riers which launched air strikes, on Iuly 24th, against shipping in and around the waters ofthe Iapanese mainland. At least two groups of our planes were able to attack remnantsof the Jap- anese Fleet taking refuge in the Kure Area, inflicting severe damage on a Heavy and ,Light Cruiser. ' , Four days later, extremely damaging blows were struck at the lap Fleet in the Kure-Kobe Area of the inland sea. Then, on the night of Iuly 29th, the Boston steamed in close to the main- land and participated in the bombardment of Hamamatsu, on Southern Honshu. She rejoined the Carriers the next day for strikes against Tokyo and Nagoya. Bad weather dogged the fleet again, and for more than a week the Boston was idle off the coast of Iapan. On August 9th she participated in a daylight bombardment of Kamaishi, steel center on Northern Honshu. The next day. when the first reports of Iapanese surrender came, the Boston was back with the Carriers aiding in air blows against Northern and Eastern Honshu. Q More attacks against Tokyo and the Bay Area came on August 13th, and then the Fleet retired while peace rumors flew. Returning to attack again on the 15th, the Carriers had al- ready launched their first strike when the Third Fleet heard the final news of Iapanese surrender. Thus the war ended for the Boston as she sailed directly off the coast of Iapan+a position she had fought for and finally attained 21 months after she had leftyher name port for the Pacific. On August 27th the Boston took her rightful place among the first group of ships to sail into Sagami Wan, dropping her anchor in that Iapanese Harbor at 17 minutes after two in the afternoon. ' The formal Japanese surrender was signed on September 2nd and the following day the Boston's final goal had been reached. She anchored in Tokyo Bay on September 3rd, 1945. But although the war was over the Boston was not to remain idle for long. There was still work to bedone. A Task Unit com- posed of the Boston, two Destroyers and an Underwater De- molition Team embarked in a high speed CDestroyerj Transport, all commanded by Captain M. R. Kelley of the Boston, got under- way from Tokyo Bay on September 8th for the Katskura, Sendai, Onahama and Chosi Areas on the East Coast of Honshu, Japan. Their job was to inspect and insure the demilitarization of lapanese Coastal Defenses and Suicide Boat and Midget Sub- marine Bases. Landing parties were formed and contacts made with Iap- anese Military Officials who provided information as to the lo- cation of ' these defenses. Inspection parties discovered caves jammed with small arms, ammunition, torpedoes, mines, suicide boats and midget submarines. All were either destroyed or confiscated, as the work proceeded smoothly and efficiently under Captain Kelley's direction. Anchored once morein Tokyo Bay, the Boston's now silent guns pointed towards the Iapanese shore line. No threatening planes roared overhead. On deck, sailors pointed at misty Fujiyama in the distance. Others boarded liberty boats to go ashore and purchase souvenirs for the folks back home: knowing, but not realizing, the freedom they bought for these same folks back home through long months of deprivations and warfare was more precious than the- most expensive remembrance of conquered Iapan. t ' A Q ' The ship., the officers, the crew had all contributed to making this continued freedom possible. I t ' A

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. 5 Fighter planes struck at Airfields on Luzon, and in one day destroyed 224 'planes and damaged 90 by strafing. Subsequent strikes were hailed by Admiral Halsey as A brilliantly planned and executed operation. . When the Third Fleet locked horns with a -typhoon on December 18th, the Boston was there to ride it out, and al- though she recorded one roll of 46 degrees and many others in excess of 30 degrees, the ship's log solemnly reports that there was suprisingly little evidence of seasickness. Later, the Boston aided in the search for survivors from less fortunate, smaller shi s. pChristmas day was spent in the anchorage at Ulithi and a rather sad crew was cheered somewhat by packages from home, taken aboard the night before. On New Year's Eve the Boston was underway again, and headed for Formosa where our Carrier planes again took a heavy toll of enemy Aircraft. Then Task Force 38 headed south for a two-day strike at Northern Luzon Airfields, designed to keep the Nips grounded so they would be unable to attack our Amphibious Forces approaching Luzon from the south. On Ian- uary 9th, Formosa was hit again in the first strike of an operation that would take Task Force 38 into the South China Sea to hit at targets on the China coast. That night the Boston was the first heavy ship of the Force to enter the South China Sea through Narrow Bashi Channel,- a difficult feat in itself, for the visibility was such that no navi- gational aids could be seen and the ship was necessarily man- euvered entirely by Radar. It became known that the Task Force 'was seeking some remnants of the lap Fleet last reported in Camranh Bay on the coast of French Indio-China. Although the emptiness of the Bay was disapp-ointing, our planes took a heavy toll of lap shipping from Tourane to Saigon, a distance of over 400 miles. Thirty-two enemy ships were sunk, including a Katori Class Cruiser, and 47 vessels Ctotali-ng 80,000 tonsD were damaged. Twelve planes were shot down, 88 destroyed and 24 damaged on the ground. Admiral Halsey again recognized the splendid work of the Force in a message which read, Well done to the Force in a superlative attack. The strategic effect of yesterday's performance will be great. ' On Ianuary 16th our planes hit Hainan and the Ho area, meeting only slight opposition. It was in this area that they Boston rode typhoon, and escaped with only slight damage shields, which were quickly repaired sea whichtossed she was the last to leave through bottle-necked Balantang Chan- nel, although the laps hysterically declared that no American ships would leave the China Sea. It was here too, that the Boston added another enemy plane to her mounting score. A twin engined Irving passed speedily over the ship at a 300 foot altitude, turned and headed straight for the big cruiser. But the Boston's gunn rs had been too Well trained and the lap was downed by fins from the five inch and 40 MM Batteries. North once more sailed the Heavy Cruiser and her company for a last fling at Formosa, and this time the Iap's struck in force, probably in an attempt to save face at having been duped in the China Sea operation. The final tally in this all-out Iapanese attack was 10 enemy planes downed, 97 destroyed on the ground and 101 damaged. Admiral Halsey again saluted the Task Force and called it a Landslide victory for the Big Blue Team. Before heading south again, the fleet took another swipe at Okinawa, sinking 10,000 tons of shipping and destroying numerous planes. A proud crew stepped ashore on Mog-Mog Island for much needed recreation, for the Secretary of the Navy had radioed a message stating that All hands take hats off to the performance of the Third Fleet. In a summation of operations engaged in by the Boston up to this time Admiral Halsey said that We have driven the enemy off the sea and back to his inner de- fenses. I am so proud of your that no words can express my feelings. To the traditional Well done he added that word Super1atively. V Early in February the Fleet set sail again, with the Boston protecting the Carriers as before. After a fast run north-some fifteen hundred miles-the Boston participated in the first Carrier attacks on the Iapanese Home Islands since General Doolittle's raid in 1942. Closing in on Tokyo during the night of February 16th, the Carriers launched their planes at dawn the next day from a point only 130 miles Southeast of the Iapanese capital. All day Fighter sweeps continued over the city, and the next day we struck again, piling up a two day score of 141 planes shot down, 26 destroyed on' the ground and 55 probables, 92 damaged in the and 35 ognghe ground. Coasfal Qs-sel were also sunk and two major Air- four Tokyo ' 'elds were severely damaged. Of the Commander of thi?'Ta'sgGroup said, I hope the lfie Bosion of leading you...-.to victsYy Ior you--W 2. -4. -as--fr' '

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' ... . ., -r sw ' -- 1 . --- ' ' tis ' , A-5.-. ., . ... --M---1-....f.-N,, ...W .z G'l ' J - . f . . 1 Q H . t I 1 9 I In 'll tcm? ,,., ., ..r.:l-s l F .5 rc' Ei? lg: 'J 11 2 s 1 fi ' v t f' f' 5913131 as 4 ng H 5 5 Qnsiun ..., V H5 f June ao, 1941 Keel mid. qrhe sth BOSTOND ' August 26, 1942 Launched. Iune 30, 1943 Commissioned. p August 13 Maiden Voyage to Trinidad begun. W November 14 Left Boston for Pacific. V ,V December 6 Arrived at Pearl Harbor. Ianuary 19, 1944 Underway from Pearl Harbor. February 2 Planes from BOSTON-accompanied USS SAHA- TOGA bomb direction finding station on Utirik Atoll, Marshall Islands. February 3-8 Carrier planes hit Eniwetok. March 30 Iapanese torpedo planes attack Task Force near western Carolines and BOSTON'S guns open on enemy for first time. April 22 BOSTON supports General MacArthur's forces in 1, seizure and occupation of Hollandia, New Guinea. . April 29 In strike against Truk BOSTON downs one of three Q enemy planes which pierced formation. April 30 BOSTON shells Satawan. Iune 5 Carriers accompanied by BOSTON hit at Marcus and Wake. Captain E. E. HERRMANN, USN, relieves Captain I. - H. CARSON, USN. Iune 11-13 Participated in attacks on Guam and Rota Islands CMarianasj. Iune 15-16 Attacks on Iwo lima, Chichi Jima and Haha- lima CBonin Islandsj. Iune 17-21 Participated in engagement and defeat, by T. F. 58, of Major Iap Task Force in waters west of Marianas. it Iune 23-24 HitjPagan Islands CMarianasj and Iwo lima CBon- y ' ins . 1, Iuly 4 Bombardment of Iwo lima. lr U Iuly 7 ' Participated in attacks on Guam and Rota and sub- 1 l ' sequently in operations in support of invasion of Guam. September 6 Attacks on Palau Islands CWoleai, Yap, U1ithiD. September 9-14 Participated in Attacks on Mindanao and Visayan Group CPhi1ippine Islandsj. , 7 September 19 September 21-22 September 24 September 28 October 10 October 11 October 12-14 Clark and Nichols Fields and Shipping in Manila Bay hit. Subsequently participated in attack on Celebes Is- lands and in operations in support of the landing on Morotai Islands. Attacks on Luzon. Attacks on Visayan Groups C P. 1.5. Carrier planes hit Okinawa. Attacks on Nansii Shoto Islands. Attacks against Luzon. BOSTON downs another plane during attacks on Formosa. I 1 H