Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 144 text:

The hist five days ill Wonsan had been fortunate foi the Manchester. Further enemy efforts to mine the harboi were foiled, as were invasion attempts on ROK Marine held Hwang ' to Do, where Captain (now Major) Hansen had directed landings in March. We never heard again from Kalma Gak; possibly because the Manchestei and destroyer Duncan had made direct hits inside several of the peninsula ' s gun caves . . . By May 31st, we had steamed south, and after assuming command of Task Element 95.28, com- menced bombardment at the front lines ... At 1831 that afternoon, the Manchester fired her last round into Communist Korea, and soon after was underway to rendezvous with the heavy cruiser Los Angeles . . . our long-awaited relief.

Page 143 text:

We will never know, however, exactly what the mission of these people was. Some theories, based on examinations of boat (above) and the heavy, athwartship timbers recently installed in them, indi- cated a large-scale mine laying scheme. Others, view- ing the quantity of rifles, machine guns, ammunition and grenades found in the boats, suggested a sui- cidal raid on our hated siege ships.

Page 145 text:

£y¥ fU fc FROM: LOS ANGELES TO: MANCHESTER AFTER SEEING YOUR FINE SHIP AND ITS SPLENDID MORALE THE LOS ANGELES CONSIDERS IT A PRIVILEGE TO RELIEVE THE MANCHESTER X GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED