Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

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'Q ,4 I '3:.,fWt,sA 'ff M 'Q f Sheff' ,ff l f , X. my ' -A ff nik- , fa X X f sf . - f ra:- V K X ,f 1 'X X of . ' f, Q '41 X' 1, eff , o , . W Aufgfkhfgysfwf ge g f' X f If 1 X , to Mkjlwacp K he Q Wm I w 50 - ' as . ,,,mSyM5,, Fteet whose mission was to retakefootholds ffaps held in North America. During operation, SANTA FE was onbf hrand new heavy ship present. EYER-PRESENT FOG ARE COMMONPLACE mission set the pace for all her many tasks to come. The Japanese were aware that a powerful ship had entered the fray, for the following day Tokyo Rose announced that HAttu was shelled by a battle- ship of the SANTA FE class. May and June were dreary months of patrol around Attu. U. S. troops landed on Attu Island May llth and this cruiser force was necessary to intercept any Jap counter-attack. As it turned out, submarine emergencies, depth-charged whales, and mail were the only diversions for this fogtbound bait force. Full beards became the fashion, and the chief topics of conversation were either that last liberty in Philly or what it would be like to see the sun again. W , ,,,,,,,.r-f AU! hands stand easy as the ship regains sfreening station around toaded troop transports after surfes.y'14t bombardment cj Kisha fsfand. 21

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run ,I i W Fiw-1 l s. . N. Q .f . 'xml A 3 'wsQ 'Q.iftllilll,lil,l'lill kl During July and August the patrol was shifted to Kiska to soften it up prior to invasion. Fourth of July fireworks were saved for Kiska on the 6th and a repeat performance was given the 22nd. While guarding the southwest approach to Kiska from a reported Nip cruiser and destroyer force, one of the battle wagons in the group had a possible surface contact. What followed is best left unsaid, except that radar was still in its infancy and was not too well understood by the Heet units. , By next morning this poem summed up the incident: Hush my children! Button your lip, And I'll tell you of the Battle of Sitkan Pip. It all began in the early morn, When Lava took his hugle and blew the horn, Then ffoe gave vent to his pent-up ire, Pulled on his pants and opened fre. He was quickly followed hy Lava and Cahle, Who poured it out for all they were ahle. At last, old Crystal with nothing to do, Added her voice with a salvo or two. Only Lyric, calm and serene, I Sat down on her dujf with not a pip on her screen. find so until morning with injnite care, Lava, dear Lava, found pips everywhere. At last came the sunrise a hlessing so sweet, So hush my dear children-please go to sleep. l Dog-Day, 15 August, found the SANTA FE and BRONSON covering the troops wading ashore at Gertrude l Cove. With disappointment, yet some relief, the crew received the word that the Iapshad somehow succeeded f in completely evacuating Kiska. After returning to Adak, the SANTA FE was de- tached to report to CinCPac at Pearl Harbor. - King1isher COSZUD rips of starboard wingfloat on Baker recovery and capsizes, leaving two very wet and lonebf aviators. Beards grown primarilyfor the laughs and a picture to send to the girlfriend were practicalbf standard equipmentfor all hands. Navy Regs says Verholen on the Van Dykes, hut in suchfog-hound waters most anything went. 23