Quincy (CA 71) - Naval Cruise Book

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A relic of the Russo-ja War rests in concl- suka. The fa p crm panese ete at Yoko- Sep Hqrurza. 11 The lap battleship Nagato IVO1-ld's largest suhlnarzhe.

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band played Remember Pearl Harbor. Five miles in the lead of the formation were the super battleships Missouri and Iowag the British ships King George V and the Duke of York. In the center of the group steamed. modern cruisers. There were heavies like the Quincy, and lights such as the Amsterdam. Behind followed five old battlef ships, proud survivors of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. Although the carriers were not in sight, they were well represented by their high flying planes. By noon of August 27 the Quincy had passed the Izu Islands group and was steaming into Sagami Wan which is flanked by the long tenuous arms of Myuri and Sagami peninsulas. Unce heavily fortified, the land defenses showed only small white flags silently marking the gun positions. A subtle tenseness pervaded the air as Sagami Wan accepted the task force's arrival in the inscrutable Japanese fashion. The scenery surrounding the ships was new and strange. Except for a few fleet moments, Mount Fujiyama remained cloaked in the secrecy of her clouds. Ahead the Tokyo plain spread like a verdant sea sailed by gaunt factory chimneys silently reaching skyward. Before the fleet entered the mine iields, a lone Jap destroyer came out to act as escort. The Jap was painted black and looked grotesque with its slanted bow and raked stack. With her guns depressed, her sailors sitting on the deck, she gave all the appearance of a beaten enemy. The Quincy maneuvered into position and at 1409 the anchor let go with a rumble. This was the first time the ship had stopped since she left Iseyte, 5 8 days, 6 hours, and 58 minutes ago. The mighty United States fleet was safely anchored in the home waters of Japan. Two days after the entry of the fleet into Sagami Wan the Iowa, Missouri, and South Dakota upped anchor and steamed through the minefswept channel into Tokyo Bay. The stage was being set for the formal surrender ceremony of September 2, 1945. Two days later the British ships Newfoundland and Gambia followed the American battlef ships into the Bay. ' Cn August 30, 1945 the actual landings on Japan began. The Quincy got underway at sunrise to lend fire support to the operation should the need arise. At 1111 Allied forces completed the occupation of the Yokosuka area and held a formal flag raising ceremony. All news received throughout the day indicated an orderly bloodless occupaf tion. There was no need for active fire support at any time. By sunset the Quincy was again at anchor in Sagami Wan. Although no one from' the went ashore in the Sagami Wan area, several persons made rangefinder and binocular liberties. Through their glasses they could see an occasional Japanese climbing about the beach. A few of the natives were dressed in bright red clothing, but most of them were clad in white or olive drab. Three buildings peaked with the traditional sloping roofs and a high curved bridge unmistakably identified the country. Occasionally a truck lumbered along a modern road, or an old Toonerf ville trolley rocked by. Snow-capped Fuji looks down on Tokyo Bay filled with American Ships. E641

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l 1 w I v ll it E : . I , ii: ., l :E 'Z , , 1 1 li .ii 'w s. x5,l w Hn T Y A W . The Qumcy birdmen Hy over devastated , Japanese cities. iii 1 ils f l Yokohama's harbor is crowded with Q4 small craft. l A shell of a city stands as mute testi- mony to airforce skill. L: .Q l rr. rw MI Ig' 1 H1 W il AERIAL VIEWS Now go to your stations all the special sea and anchor detail, sparked the crew into action on the morning of September 1, The Qluincys destination was Tokyo Kaif wan. By 0936 the ship was underway. Shortf ly after entering the mouth of the bay a def stroyer came close aboard and received the first personnel to leave the .Quincy for transf portation to 'LUncle Sugar and return to civilian life. At 1528 the .Quincy anchored in berth Cf'7O, Tokyo Kaiwan, off Yokosuka, japan. Again binoculars and rangefinders were broken out. This time, in contrast to the serene, domestic appearance presented in the Sagami Wan Area, the destruction wrought by the bombings of American planes was plainly visible. On some of the still standing roofs and walls of the buildf ings lining the shore, liberated Allied prisf oners of war had painted the signs of 5 cheers for U. S. Navy and Army, York town, Thanks, and Nice Going -all grim reminders that many of the days prior to August 15 had not been very pleasant for thousands of Americans whom the laps had made prisoners.