Arnold J Isbell (DD 869) - Naval Cruise Book

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The destroyer USS ARNOLD J. ISBELL (DD-869) is the first ship of the United States Navy to bear this name. She is one of the destroyers conceived late in World War II, but born too late to participate in the Pacific fighting that ended in 1945. Destroyer 869, the ISBELL. was commissioned Jan- uary 5. 1946. She was built by Bethlehem Steel Com- pany at Staten Island, New York. After a shakedowr cruise out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the 390 foot de stroyer joined the fleet, training with Submarine Forces, Atlantic, which operated out of New York. In 1947 the year-old tincan started for San Diego, which was assigned as her new home. It wasn ' t until May 1947 that the ISBELL ventured away from the shores of the I ' nited States. That month she made her first tour of the Orient and visited the ports of Tsingtao, Shanghai. Hong Kong. Chinwongto. Hulo Tao. Tokyo, Okinawa. Yokosuka. Guam and Pearl Harbor. On the ISBELL ' s second Far East trip she again visited ports in China but this time the trip was official business and the ISBELL got to know the meaning of war and her duties as she stood off Shanghai while Chinese Communists took over that city. Later ihc ship mi) efl into Tsingtao and evacuated the American Consul General and his famiK as the Communists captured that [xirt. The ISBELL is be- lieved to have been the lasl Atnerican man-of-war l(i visit Tsingtao. During this cruise of the Western Pacific, the ISBELL visited other ports w-ith such memorable names as Manila. Subic Ba . llnilo. Cuba. Jolo. Zanboanga. In- chon and Sasebo. SHIP ' S HISTORY At the beginning of the Korean ' ar. DD-869 was moored in Pearl Harbor as part of a Naval Reserve Midshipman Cruise. November 6. 1950. the ISBELL left the L ' nited States for her first taste of battle. During the Korean War she took part in British Commando raids, escorted troop transports bringing the 15th . rmy Division to the Japanese Island of Hokkaido and newly released Nationalist prisoners from Korea to Keelung, Formosa: and bombarded the East Coast of North Korea, hitting such targets as enemy troops, highways and railroads at Songjin. Chongjin. and Wonsan. She also acted as standby rescue and communications ship at Pusan. Korea, as that city was burned. During the sixth tour of WESTPAC the ISBELL as- sisted in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands. The successful rescue of a pilot from a downed Navy Patrol plane highlighted the seventh tour of the Far East. Visi till .ki« Ew Feti ftil tbel niari 11 of Co: m. mi

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1 South Pacific and For East Cruise of the i CRUISE BOOK STAFF ADVISOR ..- Ensign Gearld R. Mead EDITOR James K. Faircloth, PN2 ASSISTANT EDITOR Joe Nicola, SOS TYPIST Robert Koch, SN

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I Visits to American Samoa. New Zealand and the Ad- Rertw % miralties provided most of the interest for the eighth tour which ended March 21. 1957. During the ISBELL ' s home tour from March 25 un- til October 25, 1957. she took part in a Fleet Reserve Association Memorial Day cruise, a Pacific Training Exercise, visited Portland. Oregon, for that city ' s Rose Festival, and Seattle. Washington, for their Sea Fair. While participating in the Pacific Training Exercise, the ISBELL operated with the Navy ' s first atomic sub- marine, NAUTILUS. When Commander E. R. Zumwalt. USN, was relieved of command of the ISBELL by Commander R. L. Porter, L SN. July 13. 1957. in San Diego. Rear Admiral Chester C. Wood, USN, COMCRUDESPAC, was on hand to pre- sent a plaque for Battle Efficiency to the officers and crew. In earning this award, the ISBELL had risen from lower depths of division competition to capture every available award possible for a destroyer to earn. She wore the large red engineering E on her after stack, the green anti-submarine E on the bridge, along with white E ' s for operations and over-all battle efficiency, and white E ' s on each of her five inch mounts and directors. Supply also earned their E for efficiency in 1957. and was awarded a plaque by CO.MCRUDESPAC later in the year. An 18-day nonstop voyage from San Diego to Bris- bane. Australia, initiated the ISBELL ' s ninth Far East Cruise. Manus Island, Guam. Subic Bay, Hong Kong, Koashiung. Buckner Bay. Yokosuka. Sasebo. Kobe. Mid- way and Pearl Harbor were other ports visited. The ISBELL returned to San Diego April 23. 1958.