Philippine Sea (CVA 47) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 10 text:

.-. ....-. ..-Lf ,H-1 Armed Forces Staff College. The crew nicknamed me The Showboatv during this stage of my career. . During May 1950 1 was ordered to become a part of the Pacific Fleet. 1 sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 24 May 1950 and passed through the Panama Canal on 31 May 1950. 1 arrived at my new home port in San Diego, California on 10 .lune 1950. As a result of the outbreak of Communist aggression in Korea, 1 was immediately deployed to WESTPAC and sailed from San Diego on 5 .luly 1950. 1 received my first taste of action off Korea as flagship for Task Force 77 on 5 August 1950. There was little rest or liberty for the crew and l began working very hard. My pilots flew as many as 1410 sorties a day during day and night operations. There were many targets, and my planes flew well as they hit North Korean rail and communication centers from Seoul to Wonsan, softening up the lnchon invasion coast on the Yellow Sea, and destroying many more vital targets. ln November 1950, Communists surprised our ground troops with a smashing drive down the middle of Korea. Throughout the long retreat, my planes blasted the path open for our surrounded troops. Hill after hill was cleared all the way to Hungnam where the carrier aircraft formed a virtual aerial umbrella. Eleven months later we received orders to return to the United States. l was tired and my men were anxious to get home quickly so the Engineering Depart- ment and 1 combined efforts to make the run from Yokosuka, Japan to San Francisco, California in seven days and thirteen hours. This was a new record for this crossing, breaking the BOXER's old mark by five and one-half hours. On the morning of 31 December 1951 1, put to sea from San Diegoi-destination: Korea. Nearly half of my crew was made up of sailors fresh from recruit training-men inexperienced in the highly specialized jobs that go into the operation of a modern warship. Every man from the engine rooms to the air defense stations, from galleys to the flight deck drilled in his job until top efficiency was reached. Once again 1 joined Task Force 77 and on 3 February 1952 launched the first strike of my second tour of Police Action. The ' Showboat was back in the fight. Again my Skyraiders, Corsairs and Panthers blasted the east coast of Korea, concentrating on the supply, communication and transportation networks of the Communist forces. Highlghts of my second cruise included strikes on the key supply center at Chonjin, just a few miles below the Manchurian border, and a four-carrier raid on important Red hydroelectric plants at Suiho, Kyson, Fusen and Kojo. This attack severed the main power artery which was vital to the Communist in Manchuria. The raid also marked the first time in the Korean conflict that four carriers participated in a single mission. After more extensive Police Action 1 turned my bow homeward again.

Page 9 text:

neil gtk llilled talflff' eil? t and l N11 1 At ...lik I am about as tall as a ten-story building. With a crew of nearly 3000 I am a sea-going city, with every convenience of one. There is a post office, hospital, theatre, cobbler shop, tailor shop, soda fountain, laundry and many other such shops contained within my hull. I was christened the USS PHILPPINE SEA by Mrs. A. B. Chandler, wife of the then Kentucky Senator, on 5 September 1945. My big day finally arrived on II may 19416 when I was commissioned at the U. S. Naval Drydocks, South Boston, Massachusetts. Captain Delbert S. Cornwell, veteran of many Pacific Campaigns, was my first Commanding Officer. In June, I proceeded to Quonset Point, Bhode Island, for the initial training of my new crew, and in September I began a shakedown cruise to the Caribbean. Upon returning from this cruise, I was ordered back to Boston to prepare for my first major assignment-the Navy7s Antartic Expedition, Operation Highjumpf, During this expedition I served as Admiral Byrd's flagship. Upon completion of the highly successful expedition I returned to the United States, and after a short rest was deployed to the Mediterranean. I had become an extensive traveler by then, and November 19417 found me once again exploring new territory, this time around the lower rim of the Artic Circle in cold weather operations to test my planes and equipment. Operating again from my base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island, Ihelped qualify carrier pilots. During the winter of I949 I took part in extensive fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean. I was busy during April and May with demonstration cruises for guests of the Secretary of the Navy, the Armed Forces Industrial College, the War College and the

Page 11 text:

ff of fmm 1950 ull of TPiQ lllmt 1 lli' v Illalli' iinters . and ound mv v the iths patt- cisco, ing ation : ,men arship- ' flight JCC , Tl .ct10H- itrailllf ohlfhf ., K, N mlltf f plalllf ich war liffffff .. Polic? In December 1952 I put to sea at San Diego once more for the Far East ready for the gruelling operations off Korea. During my third tour ,of combat duty in the Korean waters both my crew and I set many records. The North Korean offensive began at the same time the first truce overtures were extended and marked the beginning of a series of round the clock air sorties in support of front line UN troops. I set a record for the number of combat sorties launched in the Korean War on the 141th of .Iune and broke it the following day. The record is even more significant in that it was made with only three of the four shafts in operation. For a period of three days I operated on three screws and, for a short time, only two. However, I did not return to port. My Engineering Department worked day and night to make the vital repairs at sea. Replenishing and rearming at sea, vital to carrier operations, afforded another challenge to my crew. While rearming from the USS FIREDRAKE, my crew hit a new peak for tonnage of ammunition loaded per hour. I departed from Yokosuka on 2 August 1953-my officers and men happy to be under- way for the United States once more. They were justly proud of the records they had set during this tour of combat duty. I arrived at North Island, San Diego, California on 15 August 1953. On 9 January 1954, after a four months drydock period, I nosed my bow once again toward the Far East. Most of this cruise was spent operating near the Philippine Islands. Manila served as the base port. The most significant event of the cruise occurred in late July. The fighting in Indo-china terminated, ,Iuly 21st, In the meantime Communist planes had shot down a Cathay-Pacific Airways passenger liner somewhere near I-Iainan, China. I was ordered into the area as part of a search mission with hopes of finding the remaining survivors. While engaged in this mission, a flight of my Skyraiders were attacked by two Communist fighter planes. Under orders to Ere only if actually attacked, the Skyraiders returned the fire and shot down the Communist planes. My pilots returned to the ship after reporting the incident and the force was put on alert for a possible attack. Nothing further occurred, however, and this was apparently the end of what was later unofficially termed as the I-Iainan Incidentf, From here the cruise began rapidly drawing to a close. We began making a final round of ports-of-call and soon they faded away in my wake as we headed for home. We arrived in San Diego on 18 November 1954 to find our loved ones waiting on the dock. On 1 April 1955, I commenced my FIFTH western cruise. After the usual smooth sailing enroute to Pearl Harbor and the strenuous ORI period, we sailed for Japan. With peace restored in Korea this was to be my first peaceful mission in these waters.