Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

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January 14th was a big day: At 0902, we learned that our marathon at sea would end, and the Manchester headed south toward Sasebo. At 0906: MINE DEAD AHEAD! It was an ugly thing covered with brown rust — only a small portion was visible above the surface of the water, but as it passed below us within 10 feet of the hull, its ponderous size was evident. As diagramed below, the major problem in our vital maneuver to pull away was in checking the swing of the stern (arrow) toward the mine. We drew clear, and our floating enemy was destroyed — becoming nothing more than another red spot on the navigator ' s chart, and a grim memory to those who had seen it.

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Gasoline was pouring out of the ruptured real tank. Lieutenant Jones switched to the fronl tank in which only 25 gallons remained — and was startled to find that his mixture control snapped hack from lean to hill rich as soon as he released it, wasting valuable fuel every sec- ond. Under normal conditions, 25 gallons would never carry him as far as the nearest airstrip at Kimpo. He had at least hoped to get back over the Han, out of enemy territory, but even that was impossible unless the mixture could be secured to the lean position. He asked Corporal Wittall if he had his knife. The crewman understood at once. He crawled down under the pilot ' s fight leg and wedged his knife into the control switch, holding it in lean. Now they had a chance. Lieutenant Jones opened his radio circuit back to the escort planes. He told them he was sorry, but the game was up. Thanks for a hell of a good try, was all he heard. Looking back, the Lieutenant could barely make out the two fighters still circling the lost pilot futilely. Clementine got as far as the Han River; then her engines sputtered and quit. When she hit. Lieu- tenant Jones rolled the plane to starboard to stop the blades, which if allowed to rotate, would prevent escape. Clementine was filling with water when the Lieutenant turned and found his crewman, who had sprung from the floor- boards into his seal seconds before the crash, now unable to unfasten a fouled safety belt. Lieutenant Jones grabbed the knife and cut his crewman free. The two jumped from the p] and inflated a life raft in which they made their way to a nearby island and dug in. When the full moon rose, a helicopter appeared and hoisted them aboard. The rescue was a dar- ing one. The pilot, like Lieutenant Jones, had been given his choice — and had volunteered. The end of this helicopter story is simply the beginning of another. HELICOPTERS: NOTES ON VERSATILITY OF OPERATION (From reports of Lieutenant Charles Jones and Lieutenant ( jg) Raymond Miller on their activi- ties while detached from the Manchester during November and December, 1950) November: Pilots Jones and Miller transferred to an LST with crew and helicopter to engage in minesweeping operations near Chinnampo in the Northwest . . . Hovered ahead of hospital ship Solace to spot mines as she steamed up a river to extract wounded — Because of the slow movement of the heli- copter, it was possible at low tide to make out tiny ripples, indicating objects below the surface . . . Also worked in conjunction with Underwater Demolition Teams. Spotting mines, the pilot would inform UDT who would tie yellow 5 powder cans to them and then a PBM would fly over and destroy them by machine gun fire. December: With CTG 90.1 as west coast Rescue and Reconnaissance Unit . . . Under orders to search for and rescue UN troops trapped by enemy near Changyon. Lieutenant Miller and crewman Anderson landed in a school- yard to evacuate two ROK soldiers. As they took off with the passengers, three enen MIG-15 ' s attacked with machine gun fire. Lieutenant Miller hovered evasively close to hills and other obstructions about which the MIG ' s could not maneuver, until the s] ittackers had to gain altitude or The enemy jets finally disappeared into the clouds. Helicopter not damaged. Operations continued 40 minutes later . . . At: tion of Inchon. Jones and Miller con Ititude scouting above tl for first signs of enemy infiltration . . . In January, our two pilots with crew and helicopter, returned to the Manchester for duty. From then on we would never lose sight of that clumsy looking machine we called our windmill.

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The evening of the same day we came home to Sasebo. In spite of our 45 days at sea, we behaved like gentlemen . . . after a fashion. We got a kick out of the three-night ship ' s party at the Shangri-la, where the Recreation Committee had provided plenty of wine, women and song.