Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

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An air force captain, picked up by Manchester helicopter from water off Chodo Island, is warmed by Manchester blanket, soon will be in warm Manchester bed.

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FLIGHT QUARTERS — Personnel concerned man all Flight Quarter stations. The helicopter detachment aboard the Manchester was called to stations at any and all hours of the day. ) ho would the windmill bring back this time? The men on the Manchester fantail watched the helo make her approach . . . they ran with wooden chocks to keep her from sliding oil the deck and into the sea . . . (hx ' tors and corpsmen were waiting with stretcher and friendl) medical aid. The Man- chester windmill had successfully brought back another injured man, and n4)w he would receive medical care. After recovery the man would be returned to his ship or station — via helicopter.

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On a cold February day a squadron of planes roared away from the carrier Valley Forge and streaked across Korea to burst their fury on the Communist bridges and high- ways which had been assigned as their targets. One of the planes caught enemy fire and crashed. The remainder of the formation covered the crumbled mass of steel on the ground while the pilot, ' bleeding and suffering from a broken leg, crawled out into the deep snow. A call for help was flashed back to the Manchester, and in a matter of minutes Lt. Ed Moore and Lt. Kenneth Henry were climbing into the Manchester helicopter. Soon they were making their descent to the injured pilot. But this was not a lucky day. A down-draft caused the rotor of the Manchester helo to crash against a rock, leaving the aircraft useless. Lt. Moore and Lt. Henry escaped uninjured and made their way to the downe d pilot. Now the Communist ground troops, poised in the area, had three targets instead of one, and they slowly began to encircle the three Americans. Another call for help was flashed out and an Air Force helo came in to attempt the rescue. There was only room for two passengers — there were three men on the ground. Lt. Moore and Lt. Henry refused to leave the pilot for it was impossible to move him to the place the new helicopter had landed because of his broken leg. They waved the helicopter away after its pilot had begged them to save themselves. The two Manchester men chose to stay. Darkness came, and the American formation of planes withdrew from the area. Unmolested now, except for the small arms Lt. Moore and Lt. Henry carried, the (Com- munist troops began drawing tight the circle they had formed. The next day, back on the Manchester, the following words were passed over the ship ' s public address . . . The search for Lt. Moore and Lt. Henry has been discontinued . . . blood was observed trailing to a house at the edge of the woods . . . Lt. Moore and Lt. Henry are ' onsidered in the hands of the enemy. The silence which followed the Bosun Mate ' s words was heavy. This had been the reward for attempting the res -ue of another man ' s life. But, perhaps, each ofliccr and crew member on the Manchester felt a deep and warm pride for two brave men who sacrificed themselves on a cold mean- ingless day in Korea. FROM: VALLEY FORGE CV-45 TO: MANCHESTER CL-83 APPRECIATE GREATLY YOUR ATTEMPT TO RESCUE OUR PILOT X REGRET THAT IT ENDED IN DISASTER FOR YOUR HELO AND ITS VALIANT CREW FROM: MANCHESTER CL-83 TO: VALLEY FORGE CV-45 WE SHARE YOUR DEEPEST REGRET UPON THE LOSS OF THREE VALIANT OFFICERS X IN ADDITION WE FEEL KEENLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FAILURE OF A MISSION WHICH SEEMED SO PROMISING AND WHICH TO US IN THE MANCHESTER APPEARED BOTH TIMELY AND WELL COORDINATED BY ALL CONCERNED