Leyte (CV 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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AIR - SEA POWER UR visit to Sasebo came to an abrupt l1alt on November 5. Scuttlebutt about a speedy return to the States via Suez to complete a round the world cruise proved to be wishful thinking. Toward the end of October the Chinese bigwigs decided to push some 100,000 volunteers into the fray to regain the loss of prestige fand manpowerj their fellow Communists had suffered. American and R.O.K. troops met stubborn resistance. Chinese Reds borrowed the tactics of Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes by making fanatic night cavalry charges. Our outnumbered troops fell back. Air power was badly needed for close support, and to knock down tl1e Yalu Bridges to slow the Chinese troops and supplies. i So at dawn Sunday, November 5, back to sea went the LEYTE.

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SASEBO is situated on the southernmost of the four main Japanese islands, Kyushu. Nearb is 9 , Y Kyushus largest port, Nagasaki, which had tl1e unenviable honor of being the recipient of the third A Bomb. f . Sasebo was headquarters of tl1e Third Japanese Naval district'during World War II and still is a major Naval Base. ' The harbor is situated at the foot hills of the Dyushu Range of mountains which extend from north to south on tl1e island. The city was devastated somewhat during tl1e War, but has been mostly re- built. The outlying districts of Sasebo comprise many small towns and villages in which are some of tl1e famous l1ot springs of Japan. Before tl1e war the district was a 'must for sightseers, as it is com- posed of many beautiful and inspiring peaks and valleys. Sasebo harbor was frequented by Dutch and Spanish trading ships in the 16th century. Through this tl1e Japanese were able to come in contact with the first phases of Western learning. The Eu- ropean ideas of medicine, botany and military arts were recorded in Nagasaki as early as the 16th century. It was here that St. Francis Xavier first introduced Christianity into Japan. I w Two views of the .harbor at Sasebo

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, 1 LCDR' Mccmhm y t vc-4sQuADRoNHlsToRY g TIIE Composite Squadron FOUR Detachment came from the parent squadron at NA S, Atlantic City to load aboard the Leyte with the rest of Air Group Three at Norfolk. The Detachment con- sisted of 6 officers and 28 enlisted men in the charge of LCDR. Otis E. McCutcheon of Boise, Idaho. The Detachment's main function in Task. ,Force 77 was. to provide friendly air cover for the force during the hours of darkness and low visibility. We were assigned Photo Escort, Target Combat Air Partol, Anti-Submarine Patrol, and Night Heckler flights as well, and found that we could ac- complish these missions in addition to our regular Night Combat Air Patrol. The high availability enjoyed by the Detachment on this cruiseis mainly due to the excellent Work of the men assigned, and contributed highly to the good hunting wehad over Korea. W ' -