Quincy (CA 71) - Naval Cruise Book

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downpours. Leyte also offered curious sights of native life. The large town of Tacloban was picturesque in a filthy sort of way, but the odors were nearly unbearable. The natives, though small in size, carried themselves with a graceful air not observed in the poverty stricken peoples of the Mediterranean. Liberties were often made more interesting by meeting old friends from other ships. These chance meetings were surprisingly refreshing. At night the ship always had movies topside in the cool evening air. Rain, however, sometimes interf rupted even this amusement. Occasionally interfship boxing matches were arranged. These included refreshments, musical entertainment, good fights, and a movie. In retrospect the ship's stay in the San Pedro Bay seemed quite bearable, yet at the time, the days seemed to drag by in restless anticipation of the next operation. U. S. Fleet Bombards Japan Near the end of June the ship was put into a new task group- 38.4, and preparations were begun for the sortie. On june 28 Ad' The chief's initiate Calhoon, Shad, Reinholtz, and De Remer. miral Wiltse shifted his flag to the Quincy. Finally on july 1 all preparations had been completed and the ships proceeded from the bay. The heading was toward Japan. It would have been a jolt to all hands had they known that the ship would not anchor again for more than 58 days. Un july 10 strikes again flew off the decks of the carriers, and this time they flew against Tokyo itself. But larger things were in the ofling. The ships of the U. S. Navy were plan' ning to bombard the homeland of fortress Japan. Cn Saturday, July 14, the .Quincy was underway as before, steaming with task force 38. After the routine dawn alert, Bombardf ment Unit 34.8.1 formed up under the com' mand of Rear Admiral Shafroth. The mission was the complete neutralization of Kamaishi, a great steel center of Japan, located 240 miles north of Tokyo. After days of monotonous steaming far at sea, the bombardment loomed ahead as an awe' some, sobering thought. The shores of Japan had never been shelled during this war. just what revenge the bombarding ships would stir up in the way of Kamakazies was a question everyone asked. But come what might, at 1052 on July 14 Admiral Shafroth hoisted the battle cry Never Forget Pearl Harbor. The mission was at hand as Japan appeared ahead under the grey sky. This operation made the .Quincy the first ship to fire on both Fortress Europe and Fort' The cartographer brings the track up to date. 1551 I Noon Sightseers 'Y'

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The Hamamatsu bombardment was like a Fourth of July celebration, there was plenty of noise and eerie shadows, but the danger was negligible. Damage to the enemy was difiicult to assess. The Quincy's career as a bombarding ship ended with a return engagement at Kamaishi. The ship used her Kingfisher spotting planes in a daring daylight at' tack. Barracks, railroads, factories and waterfront were blasted again. Except for a few bogeys that appeared, more out of habit than desire, this bombardment, like all the others, was very quiet. After the war had ended a Jap naval captain was reputed to have remarked that the first bombardment of Kamaishi had been so devastating that the force's return ex' cited much curiosity. As a matter of fact, everyone present was quite excited, too. By the time the bombardments were history, the atomic bomb had captured all the available headline space. The Jap' anese, themselves, began to show marked concern over this new weapon, Appeals for peace were frantically broadcast by ' Number two turret fires a salvo to port at the first bombardment of Kamaishi. ress Japan. Because of a. temporary failure of the main power, however, the ship was not able to claim the openf ing salvo as she had done at Normandy. The shooting match itself proved to be very simple and deinitely one' sided. Excitement below decks was stirred up when reports came through the phones that an enemy DE was being taken under fire by the ship. Unfortunately the wily Jap backed under a protective cliff where shells would not ferf ret him out No hits had been observed. The air action was fairly mild, too, alf though one Betty was shot down by the CAP. Air spotters reported only desultory antiaircraft fire, thus indicatf ing that the attack had been a complete surprise. By the time the OTC ordered Cease Eire it was 1415 and Kamaishi was ablaze. Oil tanks were roaring with unf checked fury, a pier was burning, sundry warehouses had been gutted, and apparf ently the battleships had successfully blasted the factories farther inland. The United States Navy had steamed up to the very portals of Japan. The challenge had not been accepted. On July 29 Admiral Halsey, as presif dent, formed the Hammer Hamamatsu Olubf, The members of the society were units of the U. S. Navy, plus units of the British Navy. Initiation ceremonies were scheduled for the coming night. The club had picked the iob of leveling the industrial center of Hamamatsu, a city some hundred miles south of Tokyo for its purpose. The Quincy had been selectf ed to lead the force in, and at 2321 her job began. One minute before, the battlef ships commenced firing at their targets. the enemy. In America great cries were raised as to what unconditional surrenf der should really mean. The days of indecision before the final arrangements of August 15 were filled for the Quincy crew, with speculation as to how, when and where the war would end. Sporadic attacks by fanatical Japs persisted even after the day of victory. This kept everyone alert, but the main part of the burden of war had been lifted. On August 27 the fleet, Quincy in company, steamed into Sagami Wan to begin the Occupation of Japan. J The forward turrets let go with a six-gun salvo at the first U71 bombardment of Kamaishi.