Leyte (CV 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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GUNNERY DEPARTMENT Gun boss orders the battery to fire In ' H in I Your sleeve is down-Over. THE Gunnery Department under LCDR. Gibson has a two-fold purpose: to maintain our guns in readiness to repel any attack and to perform countless tasks of seamanship. . The Gun Boss has two capable assistants to help him. LT. Chapman, the First Lieutenant, super- vises numerous 'udecki' operations such as fueling, loading stores, and dropping the hook. LT. Elliott, the Assistant Gunnery Oiiicer, with Mr. Gibson, insures that the battery ,is always in working order, and handles much of the oflice work. J p U i The Gunnery Department's primary function off Korea can not be determined by its title, because not once were the LEYTE's twelve five inch guns andnumerous' 40MlVI and ZOMM guns fired in anger. The Red Air Force never ventured 'to raid Task Force 77 during our tour of duty off Korea. This fact was probably due more to the obstacles facing such a raid than a lack of daring pilots or a lack of planes. Unlike Air Force bases, our airfield was constantly on the move, so the Reds had an added problem of trying to find us. Then, if they managed to battle through our combat 'air patrol, they would have met a hot reception committee in our AA barrage. ' T Throughout our Pacific cruise our gunners remained sharp with frequent target practice. We paced the force in knocking down sleeves. All during our time in the War zone part of our battery was manned in case of sudden emergency. ' A N0i 11 baby A'b0mb, just OUT Tiny, though toxic, twenties 5-inch battery going ojf. track the target,

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BACK TO THE FRAY UNDERWAY on the 7th of January, a little shot, more than a little broke, and a sight happier, we weren't aware that we'd pitched our last liberty in Sasebo. Our presence was urgently required because a massive Chinese drive had just captured Seoul. In about ten days the tide of battle changed. LEYTE planes helped the Army hold the strategic central town of Wonju. General Ridgeway's Eighth Army, upon blunting the Chinese drive to split our lines in the center, then started a savage offensive of its own. Within three weeks his forces had retaken Inchon and Kimpo airfield and were knocking at the gates of Seoul.

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p OUR FLOATING GAS STATIONS Fueling Family style 6'Fill 'er up IN ORDER for the LEYTE's planes to maintain their daily pounding of the Communist foe and to keep the LEYTE's giant screws in motion, we were required to refuel every few days. When the LEYTE's supply of fuel and ammunition became depleted, we left the operating area for a rendezvous 'with the replenishing force. i To prevent wasting time returning to port, almost all our ammunition and fuel were brought aboard at sea. Replenishing required great teamwork and ability by the entire crew, especially the gunnery department.'During the usual rough weather in the Sea of Japan, the winchmen and line handlers had to be very adroit to prevent lines from parting or mountainous waves from swal- lowing our cargo. The fueling operation begins when the Captain carefully brings the ship alongside the tanker. Then shotguns shoot lines over from each of three fueling stations. These lines are called messenger lines since, when they are hauled back to the ship, the end of the hose comes with them. The engineers then couple the hose to our fuel connections and seconds later fuel begins to flow. We used over 3,400,000 gallons of fuel-one could drive a Cadillac forever on that. 1 First lille 0129? Start pumping The captain maintains distance