Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 39 text:

Admiral Scott -MoncreiJ of the Royal Navy aboard the Manchester for conference. On the alert, U.N. craft patrol ihroufihout the darkness as well as daylight. We shared in the work of the Royal Navy. Combining our forces, we participated in day and night bombardment of the coastline, and our lookouts and security patrols were constantly alert. One night our lookouts reported someone digging on the beach . Approximately a week later, during the evening meal, enemy (ire straddled the Manchester and British ships in company. The counter-battery fire obviously meant the Commies had brought guns down to the beach and entrenched them where our lookouts had reported the digging . Immediately we went to Gen- eral Quarters and in a mere matter of minutes the enemy guns were smothered with rapid fire salvoes from Manchester guns.

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SMALL BOAT OPS Full moon, with its twenty-fet-t surging tides, meant possibility of North Korean invasion of the islands. ' i he enemy eould float down the coastal estuaries with the hipli tides, stage a landing, or the) might have attempted the old pirate trick of clind)ing ahoard the Manchester and other ships. e transferred volunteers to the I .SS Bass who sent out small lioats to patrol the area. I ' lqui[)| ed with small arms and short wave radio, these men were prepared to engage the enemy and report any (lonununisi movements to the ships. On one instance there was a nip-an l-luck race between a Navy craft anil a North Korean sampan. The (lommies were hightailing up the coastline | ursued h red h )l American rifle lire. Auarc of danger of amhush the iNa boat was ordered to turn back.

Page 40 text:

In the Sea of Japan, off the Eastern Coast of Korea, Manchester operated with the Valley Forge, Antietam, Philippine Sea. Boxer, Princeton, and Kssex. The now famous Navy Panther Jets became a familiar sight to us. FAST CARRIER TASK FORCE 77 Our job: to provide the primary defensive bulwark of the carrier formation. The carriers launched and recovered their planes, and the orbit of destrovers on the horizon screened for enemy submarines, while the Man -hcster steamed in the center of the formation with her eyes and ears alerted. If air or surface attai-k should come we would supervise the defense. Our Combat Information Outer continuall) watched with her radars: Pilot House wheeled us through the changes of formation and course; the (ire rooms kept the boilers producing the steam so necessary to drive us into the wind while the carriers launched an l recovered their planes during air-ops ; the radio room with radio and teletypewriter circuits, supplied the Task Force with last-minute press from home.