USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

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USS Columbia sliding down the ways at Camden, N. J. plaintive cries of Where is bunk number?? emanated from below decks. At 0900 the same day, the Gem, under tug power, was shifted across the Delaware River and berthed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Here, more new members of the crew joined the ship and a marine detachment came aboard followed by an aviation unit. The order All hands to Quarters sounded presently and the crew mustered on the fantail of the ship for commissioning ceremonies. Rear Admiral A. E. Watson, USN, then Commandant of the Fourth Naval District, presented com- mand of the ship to Captain W. A. Heard, USN. Captain Heard read his orders and upon assum- ing command, directed his Executive Officer, Commander H. E. Gearing, USN, to Set the Watch. With this procedure completed, the COLUMBIA became the USS COLUMBIA, a commissioned ship in the United States Navy. Certain installations of a military nature remained to be added, however, before the Gem could be sent to sea. These installations were rushed to completion by employees of the Philadelphia Navy Yard and members of the crew. In a matter of weeks the COLUMBIA was ready for her post repair trial. A Sunday was chosen and the trial consisted of a trip down the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay and back to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. All goes well was the professional opinion upon return and a prospective date for departure on a shakedown cruise was set. In September, 1942, the COLUMBIA de- parted from the Philadelphia Navy Yard for her intensive training and shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay. The task of preparing a green crew to man the vessel ' s guns, machin- ery, and planes, was a large job made larger by the limitations of time. To many seasoned veterans the shakedown was uninteresting, but to the large number of recruits aboard everyday brought new experiences such as launching planes from the ship, firing the AA weapons, the main and secondary batteries, executing the various drills (not to forget the Abandon Ship Drill), and running to the sound of the General Alarm or Beeper — an alarm the crew little realized would regulate their lives during the days and nights of the months to come. While engaged in training, the COLUMBIA anchored off the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., and weekend liberties were granted. Many of the crew visited the Capitol of the United States, while those with families or girls in the vicinity made hurried trips for what they felt might be the last visit with their loved ones. Captain W. A. Heard, USN

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2 2 2 2 4- X} HE BEGIXXIXG THIS, then, is a battle record and a history of the light cruiser USS COLUMBIA from her inception to her last Pacific Fleet assignment in WORLD WAR 11. This is the story of YOUR ship — a valiant ship manned by valiant men. The USS COLUMBIA was named for the city of Columbia, S. C, and she was the second cruiser of her class to be built. She was author- ized on May 17, 1938, and her building contract was placed with the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, N. J. Her keel was laid on August 19, 1940, and on the 17th day of December, 1941, she was launched. Miss Jean Adams Paschal, daughter of the acting mayor, in 1941, of Columbia, S. C, was -- acis (}j (Jniemi Boam «5 ' T ' a Length 610 ' O Displacement 10,000 Draft 24 ' 5 Haled Speed 33 Knots llwrse Power 100,000 Slain Battery 12 « 47 Secondary Battery ..12 5 38 tOM l Anti Aircraft BatlericN 20MM Anti Aircraft BattericN Steamed mileage 178,023 ■ -- -- Miss Jean Adams Paschal, daughter of acting mayor of Columbia, S. C, christens the USS Columbia — Dec. 17, 1941. accorded the honor of smashing the traditional bottle of champagne against the COLUMBIA ' S bow. With the blowing of yard whistles and the cheers of workmen, the youthful ship slipped quickly down the ways into the waters of the Delaware River unaware of the essential role she was to play in victory over Japan. Due to the exigencies of war, a pre-commis- sioning detail was immediately assigned to the new ship by the Navy Department. This first nucleus gathered for duty in the Welsback Building in Gloucester, N. J. — duty which ac- counted for the COLUMBIA ' S plank-owners being dubbed Welsbackers. Early on the morning of July 29, 1942, the order to board ship was given to the Wels- backers, and to many of that first crew, the order marked the beginning of a trip that would see them half-around the world, and for some others, half-around again to return after three years of fighting in the Pacific. The crew stepped up the gangway of the Gem of the Ocean, or Gem for short — a nickname the COLUMBIA had already acquired — at the New York Shipbuilding Cor- poration, having previously been assigned bunks and lockers. It was the first assigned billet aboard a naval vessel for some of the men and

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A perfect straddle. Chesapeake Bay, 1942 Culebra Cut — Panama Canal