Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 88 text:

In the darkness of the following night, we kept our rendezvous with a major Naval armada. By morning of January 30th, the USS Dixie with CTF 95 aboard was on our starboard beam; the Missouri was dead ahead, and the horizon was crowded with destroyers, frigates and minesweepers. At 0702, our main and secondary batteries unleashed their thunder, and salvo after salvo, combined with those of the other warships pummelled installations around Kansong. Kosong, further north, was next on the list. The relentless bombardment never let up until two days later when we withdrew, leaving little more than charred destruction visible in what were once targets of Kansong and Kosong, Korea.

Page 87 text:

OUR TARGET: COMMUNIST KOREA On January 28th, the Manchester began her fiery career in Task Force 95 off Kosong, Korea, north of Parallel 38 on the east coast. During the bombardment which began at 1 500, our helicopter was fired upon by one of those hidden Korean shore batteries. Result: no casualties. Result for the afternoon: Manchester expended nine tons of explosives, destroying one concrete power station and one large warehouse; damaging a steel girder bridge and three other warehouses.

Page 89 text:

FROM: CTF 95 TO: MANCHESTER YOUR TASKS HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDINGLY WELL DONE FROM: LIND DD 703 TO-. MANCHESTER MESSAGE TO CAPTAIN X YOU HAVE A NICE FLAME THROWER