Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

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FROM: COMMANDER SEVENTH FLEET TO: MANCHESTER WELL DONE FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN CONNECTION WITH RESCUE OF PRASAE CREW FROM: COMMANDER TASK FORCE 95 TO: COMMANDER SEVENTH FLEET THE PROMPT AND EFFICIENT ASSISTANCE FURNISHED BY MANCHESTER DURING PRASAE OPERATIONS DESERVES HIGH COMMENDATION X DESERVING PARTICULAR COMMENDATION ARE OPERATIONS OFFICER X MEDICAL OFFICER X AND ENLISTED PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN RESCUE WORK FROM: COMMANDER TASK GROUP 95.2 TO: MANCHESTER SERVICES COMPLETED X YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS OPERATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED X WINDMILL PILOT AND CREW DESERVE HIGHEST COMMENDATION FOR A DIFFICULT JOB WELL DONE X THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK X FROM PRINCE PISIT DIS KUL COMMANDING OFFICER THAILAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND QUOTE AS CHIEF OF THE THAI MILITARY LIAISON AND COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE THAI EXPEDITIONARY FORCES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND COMMA PERMIT ME TO PLACE ON RECORD THE DEEPEST APPRECIATION OF HIS THAI MAJESTYS GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS OF HIS MAJESTYS ARMED FORCES FOR THE GALLANT AND SUCCESSFUL RESCUE OPERATION OF THE END OF HIS MAJESTYS CORVETTE PRASAE WHICH WAS RECENTLY AGROUND AT KISASMUN DAN OFF THE EASTERN KOREA COAST DURING AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENEMY ASHORE X ON BEHALF OF HIS MAJESTYS ARMED FORCES AND OF THE ROYAL NAVY IN PARTICULAR I BEG TO YOU ADMIRAL TO CONVEY TO YOUR COMMAND AS WELL AS TO THE COMMANDING OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SHIPS CONCERNED WHO TOOK PART IN THE RESCUE OPERATION AND IN THE ENSUING BRAVE ATTEMPT TO REFLOAT THE PRASAE AN EXPRESSION OF OUR MOST GRATEFUL THANKS FOR ALL THEY DID TO HELP THEIR THAI COMRADES IN ARMS IN THIS CONNECTION X THE THAI PEOPLE OF ALL RACES AND FIELDS HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY TOUCHED BY AND ARE PROFOUNDLY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS ACTION ON THE PART OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN IN QUESTION WHICH EXEMPLIFIES NOT ONLY THE SPIRIT OF COMRADESHIP BUT ALSO THE CORDIAL FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO PEOPLES WHICH I AM SURE WILL GO INTO THE ANNAL OF THE PRESENT STRUGGLE FOR THE IDEALS OF THE UNITED NATIONS WITH WHICH WE ARE BOUND IN SOLIDARITY X UNQUOTE X

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' In background sailor keeps the watch between gulps ot soup while hr buddy tries to warm hand irom Korea ' s hitter cold. As the temperature dropped to 12 degrees below zero it became apparent to the Commanding Officer of the Prasae, Commander Vudhichae, of Bangkok, Thailand, that his men could no longer aid in the salvage operation because of the cold, and requested that they be transferred from the ship. He said, We can always build a new ship, but not a new man. He directed the transfer of his men until he himself fainted from the intense cold and was also taken to the Manchester. During the two days, the helicopter carried out 111 evacuees, seven of them Americans. Aboard the ship, they were given warm food and clothes, and remained aboard until January 14th when the Manchester dropped anchor in Sasebo. The last evacuees are lowered to the Manchester ' s deck and rushed below to sickbay for medical treatment.

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It was clear to us after the Prasae evacuations that helicopters were playing a major role in the Korean campaign. The number of jobs they could accomplish due to their versatility amazed even the experts. Following, a brief report on the few helicopter operations we know about, because we knew the guys who flow them. HELICOPTERS: A STORY Dui e Inchon operation, the former Man i pilots, Lieutenant Charles Jones and the ieutenant (jg) Kay Miller, with detach ment and helicopter, were transferred from our ship to operate in the vicinity of Kiinpo airfield on the Han River. In the late afternoon of September 25th word was received that a Navy fighter pilot was downed on the mainland in enemy territory. The rescue job was in the hands of Lieutenant Jones; his crewman, Marine Corporal Wittall — and their helicopter, Clementine . The orders came through at 1630. Clementine was launched at 1635, and by 1650 she had rendezvoused with two fighter escort planes from the carrier Valley Forge. The sun was reddening when Clementine passed over the Han River, and Lieutenant Jones called back to control tower inquiring about the time of sunset — 1830, they said. The Lieutenant was beginning to realize the job ahead would be no pushover; part of the flight would have to be made in darkness and Clementine was not fitted for night operations. He advised control of this, asking if he should continue regardless of the circumstances - - Is your plane equipped with cockpit lights, they questioned - - No. - - Have you had much night flying experience - - No. - - It ' s up to you, they said. The Lieutenant turned to Corporal Wittall. He was game. Control tower predicted a full moon with slight haze for the night. Lieutenant Jones requested further information from the escort planes, and was told thai the downed pilot was a young ensign whose fighter plane had been hit by enemy flak and crashed in a rice paddy. He had climbed a nearby hill seeking cover in a small trench at its crest. They said he was unhurt, that no one was around him and that Clementine could land and pick him up with little difficulty. Just before sunset, the three planes arrived on the scene and the entrenched pilot became visible on the hill described. The coast seemed clear, and with a 180 degree turn, Lieutenant Jones brought Clementine into position to make a fast let down. Just as he hovered over the trench before going down, the picture changed. The coast was not clear. The figure on the ground was waving frantically — waving to the helicopter to get out. In the same moment, a voice came on the radio warning Jones that he was under fire. He pulled Clementine up quickly. The fighters began strafing the hillsides around their downed buddy, and Jones asked them if he should make another effort to save the En- sign. He knew what the answer would be: it was entirely up to him. There was no time to ponder over the answer; he ' d try again. Jones told the fighter pilots he would make an emer- gency hover and attempt to pick the man below out of his trench with a hoist. As Clementine began to lose altitude again, the fighters made several more strafing runs. Corpo- ral Wittall was ready with the hoist. The hill was coming closer and they could begin to make out the Ensign ' s features. Clementine was no more than 20 feet above him and the hoist line was nearly in his hands when small arms fire spit from all directions. The young pilot drew his pistol and fired down the sides of the hill, then stopped and gave the ' copter a wave off. Lieutenant Jones could hear the bullets piercing Clementine ' s outer skin, and there was a strange vibration as gas fumes began to fill the cockpit. Two lives, and a helicopter needed to save many more, were at stake now. Clementine gained altitude and the downed pilot and the hill be- came obscured in the distance.