Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 68 text:

W,-.,,.,...,.--.,.-... . H+..- ,4,,-Mr, A ,.,,, ,,., ...,. ,-,-..,,..,,.. E ..A....,....:.- .. . -e s f 1 s f N SEABEE BUILT BASE ENABLES COM- SERON 10 TO PROVIDE INDISPEN- SABLE BEANS AND BULLETS , X, Q, R an eq, xv ,J ,5 sq Q- I cf Yfh-W NF img ,f-ff' N .,.L.l,.Z5g5 1iQ'fQ:'T'g5Q:z:ii'l 5 XQ5:k1?.q.551iJ'::35'L'! h3 '7ZL7 Eniwetok Atoll, westernmost Marshall Island, provides excellent, natural anchorage-SANTA FE in foreground. Recreation parties disemharking at Runit Isle will spend their hriey' reprieve from ship's routine drinking heer, swimming, hall-playing. Small, narrow spits qt coral sand like E niwetok, which geographers jokingly call land, are only ports qt entry during jifteen, weary months. Tent cities that border coral-laid aifyfeld are hot and peaceful, out crew agrees cooler, more hazardous shiphoard duty is hetter. New hattleships, leavyweights M the fleet, helie ofensive power as they peacefully ride at anchor in calm lagoon W' Eniwetok.

Page 67 text:

Gyro direetor control: lwin 40 MM 'J fring al drone. JTH reveille an hour before sunrise for the daily dawn-alert general quarters, the SANTA FE sailor began a full working day. Travelling with the fast carrier task groups on battle missions meant any of a hundred necessary tasks: firing anti-aircraft sleeve practices, fueling ship every few days, receiving operation plans and oflicial mail via destroyers, standing Condition III readiness watches, taking part in special training exercises, launching and recovering Gooney Birds , or perhaps rigging a towing spar for surface firing practice. Anything might happen. Yet this was all in addition to normal compartment cleaning, maintenance work and training programs set forth by his own ship's Plan of The Day. Wihatever can be said about the sailor's choice of billet, it certainly was far removed from the daily duties expected of the soldier or marine ashore. Division eoneernedn fupperj waxtes no time reeeiving U.S. mailfrorn destroyer GM71H67'i.f males Caaovej guide fargo net of ammunition lo proper place on deck. Witlz carrier lask force in eirenlarfnelingformation, dexlroyer BRONSON rome: alongside port quarler of SANTA FE fo tran yer mail. 1 sz t

Page 69 text:

Q ,, is sg, ffft'7 Five milesfrom Yap-held Babeftlzmzp, LASSENfurnis1zes ammo in Kossol Passage, Pafau. Nearest U.S. troops are at Pelelzigffty miles south. RUNNING INTERFERENCE AGAINST PHILIPPINES IS 3RD FLEETIS ROLE NVASION of the defended islands of Peleliu and Anguar and neutralization of nearby Jap installations on Babelthuap and Koror was the primary mission of the Heet that sortied from Eniwetok on 30 August. The Palau Campaign, necessary preliminary to the liberation of the Philippines, was to result in the SANTA FE's ninth battle star. The SANTA FE, with the cruisers BIRMINGHAIVI, MOBILE, and RENO, the carriers LANGLEY, ESSEX, PRINCETON and LEXINGTON, and the destroyers CASSIN YOUNG, KNAPP, CALLAGHAN, COGS- VVELL, INGERSOLL, PRITCHETT, PRESTON, MOR- RISON, LAYNS, PORTERFIELD, IRVVIN and CAPER- TON comprised Task Group 38.3 under the command of Rear Admiral Sherman in the ESSEX. This, with two similar carrier groups, made up Task Force 38 under the command ofVice Admiral Mitscher in the LEXINGTON. After gunnery exercises and the Ancient Order of the Deep ceremonies were held, the Third Fleet, commanded by Admiral Halsey in the NEW JERSEY, launched air strikes against the Palau Islands September 6th and 7th. On the 9th an enemy convoy of about 40 small cargo ships was sighted and attacked by the carrier aircraft on their first sweeps over Mindanao Island. The SANTA FE, BIRMINGHAM, LONGSHAVV, PRITCHETT, LAYVS and MORRISON were detached to attack the 22 remaining ships which attempted to take cover in Bislig Bay and Hinatuan Bay north of Sanco Point on Min- 65