Quincy (CA 71) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 51 text:

noses and necks. Most of them didn't realize then, that hotter and more oppressive days awaited the ship in the Pacific. That night as the lights of Balboa twinkled in the cool tropical breeze, the Quincy left her dock to follow the channel which led to the sea. The Panama Canal and its strange sights were left far behind, Soon the ship was on the great circle course to Hawaii. Wheii the .Quincy arrived in Pearl Harbor on March 20, Honolulu was seething with the gaiety of many sailors on leave and liberty. Being liberty conscious the Quincy crew immediately joined in the fun of the crowds enjoying the marvels of this country of Waikiki fame. The beach had facilities for quiet beer drinkers. It offered fine swimming in the famous rolling surf of Hawaii. The favorite souvenirs of Honolulu were grass skirts and pictures of Hula girls. Eventually most of the pictures were sent home as evidence that everything written about Hawaii is true. Then, too, there were superb suppers to be eaten while enjoying the wonder' ful sight of the crimson sun sinking in the west. Unforf tunately all of the pleasures that make liberties enjoyf able had to be abandoned early in the evening so that the sailors could return to their ships before evening curfew-an emergency measure which was still in effect. There was more to be done in Pearl than simply wandering about the island. however. Conferences were called for final briefing. Here were learned all of the latest tricks of a cunning enemy, Battle practices were scheduled to test the firing accuracy under the many conditions that would be forced upon the Quincy later at sea in the war against Japan. During the tests the .Quincy preserved her fine reputation. The experts def clared the ship to be ready for all eventualities. They set a sailing date, and the .Quincy made last minute preparations for heading westward again. Eniwetok and Ulithi, two microscopic dots on the vast expanse of Pacinc blue, were scheduled to be the two fueling stops. The gay days of Honolulu were soon forgotten, and life began to take on a serious atmosphere as the ship steamed closer and closer to the Pacific battlegrounds. TOP DOWN: 1. Warrant Officers' Mess, Left to Right: Burke, McKinney, Clay, Morrison, Baker, Reese, Davidow- sky, Cook, Swanson. 2. Nothing like an egg shampoo to grow hair, says Westong, Flc. 3. Mog Mog beer is hot, but welcome. 4. Barber didn't sound as funny as he looks.

Page 50 text:

PACIFIC WAR With naval warfare in Europe drawing to a close the .Quincy was called upon to take her place in the famed Third and Fifth Fleets of the Pacific. Here endless days of sailing over limitless expanses of water, air attacks, and bombardments filled the days of the ship. Having returned the President from his conference with destiny at Yalta, the Quincy, all too soon, was back in Norfolk. Although the trip had essentially been a pleasure cruise for the men, they had looked forward to a short leave with its touch of home life before leavf ing for the uncertain days ahead in the Pacific. Soon, however, rumors made it quite obvious that the ship would be in the States for only the minimum time it would take to provision ship and replenish magazines. Quincy Sails for Pacific Plans for family reunions were quickly shattered when rumor became fact on March 5, 1945. Cut into the stream nosed the .Quincy to begin her long voyage to the war against Japan. The early morning of March 9 was damp and opf pressively hot with the low hanging pall of tropical mist. This was Panama. Then as the sun shone brighter and brighter, the grey mist burned off the lush jungle. Soon after breakfast the ship entered the first of the three Gatun Locks. Lines were thrown over to the quaint donkeys or engines, which were to pull the ship through the locks. When the .Quincy had been propf erly centered, the locks were closed and water poured in to raise her to the second level. Along the damp sides of the locks an occasional lizard could be seen, but the hot sun kept most other life undercover. To all aboard, though, the trip was alive with curious scenes. The Panama Canal presented an interesting paradox to those who watched the compass while traversing the isthmus. While slipping through from the East coast to the West coast, the ship followed predominantly a southeastern course. ln fact, the western terminal is east of the eastern terminal. Topside, the decks of the ,Quincy were crowded with sailors more interested in the scenery than paradoxes. By the time the ship had cast off the last line from the Pedro Miguel Locks on the Pacific side all men aboard were treating sunburned TOP DOWN: 1. Recreation at Mog Mog. 2. Comdr. DuH'il, Lt. Comdr. Davidson, and Dr. Goodnow find inspections pay. 3. Quincy entertains at sea. 4. Chief's steak fry.

Page 52 text:

The trip to Eniwetok proved to be uneventful, but busy. The men on gun watches were kept alert by surprise burst firing. There was practice against drones to make eyes sharper and wits keener. The constant steaming broken only by routine dawn and dusk alerts tended to dull the senses. On April 7 the .Quincy sighted the high tower of Eniwetok and maneuvered to enter the lagoon, Here the ship refilled her hungry bunkers, and on the next day, early Sunday morning, she got underway for the Ulithi Islands. Typhoon Damage. In three more days the low silhouette of the Caroline chain group appeared in the distance. Cne of its links, Ulithi, was equipped as another gas station for the fleet. Later the crew was to come back to patronize the memorf able drinking pavilions of Mog Mog. Shortly after anchor' ing at Ulithi a new task group of the Pacific's vast supply train formed up to rendezvous with a depleted unit of the famed Fifth Fleet. The Quincy sailed out in company with these tankers and supply ships-for in that Fifth Fleet her job was waiting. Fleet Operations Begin By April 18 the task group which the .Quincy had ref cently joined was operating off Okinawa. Continuous raids were flown off the carriers' flight decks as the pilots bombed and strafed the ,laps who were still fighting dog' gedly for this last bastion of the East Asia CofProsperity Sphere. The Sluincys job was to supply antifaircraft prof tection for the carriers. She steamed for days, just maneuvf ering to follow the carriers as they turned into the wind. Watching the fliers take off and land on the flight decks was the most exciting thing that happened during these days. Nights were different. Frequently the urgent clamor of AirfDefense or 'gGeneral Quarters catapulted the weary men out of sleep. The night interlopers which the Japanse air force sent out, however, were invariably shot down by the protecting night fighters. The sequence of events went like this. First the task group would intercept an unidentified plane on the radar screen. All ships would go to general quarters to repel the expected air attack. Soon after all hands had rushed to their battle stations, word would be received that a night fighter had a plane on its screen and was pursuing it. The next word would be that the Jap plane had been shot down in flaming wreckage. When the ship's screen proved to be clear of enemy aircraft, the Captain would order, Secure from general quarters . By this time utter weariness would have exhausted the men completely, and they would fall into their sacks for a dreamless sleep until dawn would come with its customary alert. I Everyone had become thoroughly wearied by this rouf tine of task force operations when the unit was ordered Change of Command: Captain Waters'relieves Captain Senn at Leyte. -:L