Worcester (CL 144) - Naval Cruise Book

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The tor of the Worse ter Unis BUILDING of the U.S.S. WORCESTER was authorized on May J i 13, 1942, through appro- pxrvratrcigns doliltained by 3 Q ar on rrves spon- CC, ,F sored by the city of Wor- ' 5? S X cester, Massachusetts. Ig Her keel was laid Janu- ary 29, 1945, by the New --H -414, f York Shipbuilding Cor- poration, Camden, New Jersey. She was launched February 4, 1947, being christened by Miss Gloria Sullivan, daughter of the Honorable Charles F. Jeff Sullivan, mayor of the city 'of Worcester, Mass. She was commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on June 26, 1948. Captain Thomas B. Dugan, U. S. Navy, as- sumed the frrst command of the U.S.S. Worcester. Notables who were present during the commis- sioning ceremonies were the Honorable Mark Andrews, Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, Honorable Charles F. Jeff Sullivan, mayor of Wor- cester, Mass., and Rear Admiral James Laurence Kauffman, Commandant of the FOURTH Naval District. The U.S.S. Worcester went to sea for the first time on September 15, 1948, when she proceeded to Norfolk, Va., where she loaded stores and am- munition in preparation for her initial shakedown cruise. From Norfolk, Va., she sailed to Boston, Mass., where she received her Silver Service from the city of Worcester, Mass. She then proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she underwent her shakedown cruise. During this cruise she visited Cristobal, Panama. She returned to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on December 13th, 1948, for overhaul. Upon the completion of her overhaul period she again sarled to Guantanamo Bay Cuba on May 12 1949 for refresher training During this refresher cruise Captain Ralph E Wilson U S Navy relieved Captain Dugan as Commanding Officer of the U S S Worcester During this cruise the U S S Worcester V1 rted the ports of Kingston amarca and San uan Puerto Rrco Upon completing her refresher training she re turned to Norfolk Va on uly 11 1949 and then proceeded to the Boston Naval Shipyard where she underwent a one week re trreted yard avarlabrlrty After leaving the Boston Naval Ship yard she went to Newport R 1 transrtrng the Cape Cod Canal enroute thus representing the largest ship ever to use this waterway A1 New port she embarked members of the U. S. Naval Reserve for a two weeks training cruise. During this cruise the Worcester visited New York City for a period of three days. Returning to Newport, R. I., the Naval Reservists were disembarked and the U.S.S. Worcester made preparations forfher frrst Mediterranean cruise. On September 6, 1949, the Mighty Woo Qas she became known as by her crewj, sortied from Newport, R. I., and joined Task Force EIGHTY- NINE enroute to Gibraltar. Arriving at Gibral- tar on September 16 she relieved the U.S.S.' Fargo QCL-1065 and became part of the SIXTH Task Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Forrest P. Sherman. During this cruise she was assigned a new task as a diplomatic representa- tive of the United States Government in the Mediterranean. ' On December 1, 1949, the U.S.S. Worcester was detached from duty with the SIXTH Task Fleet and proceeded independently to the United States,, arriving at Norfolk, Va., on December 10th. On January 8, 1950, U. S. Naval Reservists were once again embarked and on January 9th, the U.S.S. Worcester again went to sea on a two weeks training cruise. This cruise brought her to the Caribbean again where she visited the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the second time. On February llth, she departed Philadelphia enroute for Norfolk, Va., to provision the ship for Operation PORTREX. Operation POR- TREX was a joint Army, Navy, and Air Force maneuver. The name PORTREX is the short title for Puerto Rican Training Exercises. This operation consisted of the bombarding, bombing, and capturing of Vieques Island in the Caribbean Sea. Due to the shortage of her type vessels the U.S.S. VVOTCCSICI' performed the duties of three cruisers during this operation Immediately up-on detachment from Operation PORTREX the U S S Worcester Joined the SECOND Fleet and participated in Operation CARIBEX FIFTY under Commander SECOND Fleet Upon com pletron of CARIBEX FIFFI Y the Worcester re turned to Norfolk Va on March 24th and on March 27th she sailed for New port R I From Nflarch 28 to Aprrl 19 slre operated out of Neu port partrcrpatrng rn Cruiser Drxrsron FOUR conrpetrtrve exercises Apr 11 20111 found the U S S Worcester rn the Philadelphia Nasal Shipyard once again thrs time for lrberty and recreation lor hcr ollrcers and crew pr ror lo sailing to the Mcdrtcrr rncan lor lrcr second tour of duty urth the SIX I H lrlccl which this book rs covering 7 1 ' ' , , . M. . - . . . , . . - - ' . . - 7 , 1 I I I g V 1 ... 5' ' , y -f ' u A v- Q 7 - J , J 7 ' ' . , . - A ., .. ,c ' S .. 'cl . 7' . . . T - - 7 , , A C , ., J , 1 .., L ' ' N R 'L-In 1 ' . c C I . 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