Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

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113' , im Al 1 my Mix .ITE W In Ulzthz anchorage wzth praclzcally entzre 3rd Fleet zn bafkgroand BIRMINGHAM comes alongszde to por! or tranifer of CruDzv 13 5 ag P the United States fails to maintain a Naval Base at Ul1th1 Atoll and neglects to erect a statue of a salty sailor on its historic Mog Mog there will be many Blue1ackets from the SANTA FE and the rest of the Pacific Fleet who will contend that the war in the Pacific was never really won. For few aboard the SANTA FE realized on the afternoon of 2 October 1944, as the ship steamed into Ulithi for the first time, that during the next six months Ulithi would be the ship's major advance operat- ing base and her only source of ashore recreation. Hostile Yap was only 75 miles to the south- west. SOO miles away U. S. Marines were fighting a bitter battle for Palau. Seven times beginning Oc- tober sixth the SANTA EE sortied from inside this island's expansive coral reef for major operations against the Japanese. The eighth and final departure on the evening of 27 March 1945 from the Tropical Paradise with Beerl' Ulfthf filo!! natives are Jmrdy .7VIf'rrane.rian rare. ULITHI IS SRD FLEET LIBERTY PORT REPAIR BASE SUPPLY DEPOT was for the States In between these dates are many never to be forgotten episodes Early on the morning of 20 November apanese midget subs made one way trips into the harbor to torpedo and sink the Heet tanker MISSISSINEVVA A SANTA FE aviator and his radioman became heroes by taking a Hgooney bird to the rescue of survivors. On 24 December this indispensable lady steamed into Ulithi again only to find her supposed-to-be holiday gift mx addressed to another ship. The day after Christmas the crew watched sistership MOBILE pull out and head for the States to take 'four scheduled yard period. The only one more operation pseudo-opti- mism was now out-in-the-open pessimism. But the iron-clad ship and crew continued to hang together and bring aboard at Ulithi the beans and bullets and bolts to shatter all , . x - yn J I .. - fleet without overhauln records. 81

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DESTROYERS HULL MONAGHAN SPENCE ARE UNFORTUNATE VIC- TIMS OF SUDDEN TROPICAL STORM Sea streams up thru hawsepzpes and sends white salt spray flying as SANTA FE headsforfueling rendezvous of Luzon. INGERSOLL pitches over heavy swell and bow is thrown clear of water. SANTA FE rides out storm with onb minor breakage, but 3 Cl7L's, Typhoon made up without warning, caught 3rd Fleet directb' in path. Wz'th wind and sea increasing hourbf, ships yaw considerabbf and promise to part hoses, forcing cancellation of fueling operation. 6 DD's and 2 DE's must return to Ulithi and repair storm damage. After winds reach 80-90 knot mark, ship takes52O roll to starboard. Storm center passes at 1430, I8 Dec., and barometer begins to rise. Next three days are spent searching for survivors tj capsized DD's. 80

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