Walke (DD 723) - Naval Cruise Book

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Typhoon Mary was on our welcoming committee to Task Force 77, and we rode out its worst effects the first night with the task force. Next day, 4 September 1952, after ref fueling, we departed with the U.S.S. HELENA QCA 75l for an eight-day patrol and bombardment assign- ment, for which we received special mention from the HELENA for our smart- ness and efficiency while carrying out our assigned duties. On 15 September, while conducting harassing and interdiction firing on enemy positions south of Songjin, we received our first fire from the enemy. Those of us who were not on condition watches were iolted out of our bunks by the IMC shouting SHORE BATTERY FIRE! ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS! An estimated 50 rounds of enemy shells were fired at the WALKE while every mount that could be brought to bear poured our answer into the enemy positions. Following the brief but hot engagement we continued on H and I firing all through the day. At sunset the enemy struck again, and scored a non-damaging straddle on her first salvol For the next thirty-nine minutes we were in a continuous gun duel with the enemy. Safe guidance prayers from back home were most assuredly answered in that brief time, because the laws of chance were defeated when the straight shooting enemy splashed us with salt water and a few small air burst fragments from the estimated 400 rounds fired at the WALKE, but failed to make a single hitl The skillful shiphandling of the Skipper and his I Quartermaster helmsman iDaViS, QM3cl was the material reason for the ship and crew coming OUT of the battle unscathed. It is a thirty-nine minutes that will long be remembered aboard the WALKE . . . when the Cease firing! gong silenced her guns, the crew knew it had a skipper that could handle his ship in the faee of the death and the skipper knew he had a crew that could fight! I Interspersed with our duty with h Task Force 77 were two more S ore bombardment assignments, but no fire was returned on either engagement . . .

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