Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 33 text:

5-inch firing Ad practice to starboard, while C 553 R and Engineering critics contemplate results. More service rounds were fred hy ships in simulated practices than in actual hattle. Blurred right gun of 40 MM mount shows fring and recoil action is almost too fast for camera to catch. Men in foreground operate director sight which actually brings guns to hear. 'I High capacity shells from homharding ships strike enemy defense installations on Wake Island. One salvo falls -short and hits water near protecting coral reef. 7apanese freighter-transport is resting on bottom of the shallow lagoon inside atoll. 29

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if h me-Y - ry Hymn 'nl . 55 MU, ,,,,,,,,:m .f-- .'.-n.u.1.a1.1.m.. . - ,. . L n...LLmF.- '- ,, ,, W N, f . 4 ff W' ,f ,v ' ,ez W e. ez l Fueled on 15th, SAVNTA FE begins run in to Tfzrawez and Makin at 26 knolx. Tlzefrsf .ftrike on Tzzrzzwzz wax to be lzzznzehea' zz! 0330, I8 Sept. INITIAL STRIKES OF CARRIER FORCES EORETOLD EVENTS TO FQLLOW y N PEARL HARBOR, 2 September 19-13, Rear Admiral DuBose shifted his Hag from the BIRMINGHAM to the SANTA FE, and CruDiv I3 became a reality. This division, composed of the SANTA FE, BIRMING- HAM, MOBILE-and later BILOXI-was destined to see much action with new fast carrier groups being formed. With the LEXINGTGN, BELLEAU WOOD and PRINCETON, CruDiv I3 started on its first of many task force missions on Il September. On I7 September after several days of intensive drills, Task Force I5 started its high speed run toward Tarawa, a little island in the Gilberts near the Equator. Early next morning all hands were at GQ watching the red and green lights of the planes of the first strike as they assembled over the formation. All morning long the strikes took off. By mid-afternoon, the planes had returned to their carriers and the Group began to retire from the area. At dusk, the SANTA FE had many new shellbacks, but no laps to her credit. The 28 first carrier raid had been a success and she went back to Pearl Harbor to await orders. VVake Island, symbol for American courage, was to be blasted by American forces for the first time since the laps had overpowered her gallant defenders. The cruisers were on station at noon of 5 October to begin shelling the buildings and emplacements. Planes from the ESSEX, YORKTOWN, BELLEAU IYGOD, and INDEPEND- ENCE bombed the V-shaped atoll while CruDiv I3 and the NASHVILLE bombarded. After an hour this small spitiof sand, so isolated from the world, was an inferno of raging explosions and fires. The -Iaps knew that the Navy 'had not forgotten the men who had fought and died sokvaliantly on VVake. The following day the planes bombed again for good measure. That evening the SANTA FE headed back to Honolulu.

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' ...fi z:ez'f'lf.4:fs4sa1n.r-'sn' Return fre from coast defense guns on Wake Island is irregular, but airbf accurate. Avoiding maneuvers have to be made twice during intensive bombardment. Spotting plane's wing shows up in right hand corner. Constant spots sent to guns insure greatest accuracy. Pall of smoke rises over Wakefrom burning oil dum s and buildin s . . P Z - .fit 0410 the order is received cease fre and commence retirement . Built up from the centuries' accumulated remnants of marine slzell lie, an atoll consists cj a belt of coral req surrounding central lagoon. Anti-submarine screen formed by destroyers in the van, heavy ships prepare to go 30 alongside navy tanker fcenterj for all-important fuel oil.