Colahan (DD 658) - Naval Cruise Book

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Task Force 77 as seen from the distance. Carriers - battlewagons - cruisers and destroyers-that's what Task Force 77 was made of. Of the whole, the carriers were the most perma- nent part. The cruisers and battle- wagons were constantly on the go, leaving for shore bombardment at Chongjin-Wonsan-or some other point along the North Korean coast -returning only to refuel and re- plenish. Destroyers would leave to provide fire support for the front line - for shore bombardment - to pick up a downed pilot rescued off Wonsan. Other destroyers would leave with the heavies to screen theam against possible submarine at- tack while carrying out short bom- bardment assignments. lf you stayed with the task force, your main job was to screen the carriers against air or submarine attack. Eleven days after joining the task force we received our first outside assignment. Breaking out of the for- . .....,. ,. -.---,-.-.,,,:.-dw.-.r-, ,4-.-.-,:.,- ,:::::,p-:was341,31511-1-1-4+-1:-:-rs-'zfg'-22:2-'-23:51:35:215.241.112s1x1:as .:1aaizr:::- --'- N. f ,555 511:25945555aaa:aZ?5ZZf45ZgQy5:,y'261-12.3:sf3:wtf2?5m:ws2as-:-za:-Qx:::eg:-:-:Q .. . . !,Wff6m,, . .4 .A in , ,,.f,4,7,.! ,,,., ., .,,.,,.,., ..,. ,. ., f 5? ff gyffefawff , f rf xx sw f t Vf fifttt aff? ---e f , 5:55 1. f - Q ,A 0 'V' ,A-an-ts! -wf'-rz'fe:p2:1::::--. -'-'I-'11-2-'-::. ,i,.,. A friendly coming home. I ,WN J, ww wi Z if J ,-riff, wwf, gig 's is j Ng? ff f f , , f 4 ,- 1 f f ,pf f ,Say , 0 5 f y fy, 4 -eff Wf ,tw xfwwv., Q: . 0 2. Wy , , ffm 944 .f,4,5p,f4 ff f, 1, W5 , .4 . uwfsssaa-15-aw-V-.aaa-,M4.454 . 1-g1,'-,'-TNQ.: :gm .' f ' f E15653::z:?E:5:5EsE3t15E2? fg .qw -.-.yr .0 '2f211f1ff221f'w 354' .45-rv-Iggy 'af 5-g4.mef42,.,a, ,qmg?2g5' .f,:- egg, 'ffgrzrwr-rzr YE ,fha ,,g , X19 .w fljfxcffff f ff f 1 I' 1 4 9 J f A A f J f ' ff ' f 2 f 4 f I , f , , J f Wx f 31 JW f f' f ,f ,ZK 9511 C 4 wif fda, , 1 fan I Q ff ff , , f ,,, 4,1353 of Q , .f mation with the USS New Jersey we proceeded to Kansong, South Korea where we screened the New Jersey while a conference was held between Mr. Bohlen of the state department and the Generals Bradley and Ridg- way. The next day, October 2nd, we were relieved of our screening duties and ordered to take station on the Bombline - providing gun fi r e support for the front lines. Per or- ders on October the 9th we joined a British commonwealth task group made up of the heavy cruiser Belfast, the carrier HMAS Sydney and the destroyers HMS Concord, HMS Co- mus, HMCS Cayuga and USS Shields.. The next day the force pounded the Kojo area with coordi- nated air and surface bombardment from dawn till dusk. As soon as we -. , ....... , .,.,. , ,,.. , ..v-.-.-.- uv:-1-.--1-1-1 --'- :.:,-..1 .4.- .'-'. am:-V.-:. V: rf-sswsssz::1:fs1,1::,-::-1,:-:-:-zzz.:-:-1-ig-:-:H sf:Q.1i3555-..:,:a:i:-1-QQ.-1-:f:11:21:141:r:r1r::f,:::::gy.:-:-:--1-1::11:V.1s:Qz:-:,:,.,:,:,:Q5-1,5:if.--1-.,-.,:-ms:-11rw: zvffg: :. . .. - Y::.:v:-1-.-we,z.,.....,.,.4.,1.2.2.:.,.:.,.,.,.,.:.-.:.,,.,.,.,.,,,, .,.,., , .,...,,.,.:.,,.,..:.f .i.. , .... . -.-.,...- ,.,.,..... . -.'.- . ...,. V . -.t-. , 6 J 5 zz:afs:ss:5:et:e.:. X' .... --.Eg.'.5.f.'3:i:-.2.5:fr1:35:5'2:':':2:I:I:I:I:2g Eg,.g.,.:5:23:41--r-Q:'915-3-5-'Z-a...,1'57 E': I-'f 'f:f:-23 I V . Plane guard detail, manned and ready, SIF. completed our scheduled bombard- ment we returned to the Bomb- line . After two weeks of duty on the Bombline we were relieved and ordered back to Task Force 77 to rejoin DesDiv l72 prior to re- turning to Yokosuka. ln two weeks of round the clock firing we had ex- pended over 3000 rounds of five inch ammunition which resulted' in 400 enemy casualties, and the de- struction of 4 gun positions, 6 build- ings, 2 mortar positions and many supply piles and bunkers. Page Twenty-nine

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F X i l l Part of the shopping district in Yokosuka. l Church services can't always be held in , buildings. Page Twenty-eight i A reminder of days. gone by on the Navy base. Some of the gang from T, F, 77,

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On lifeguard station. Groceries, ammo, fuel, personnel and-mail. Delivered right to your quarterdeck, foc'sI or fantail by highline. All you have to do is have the manpower ready to take the lines in hand and pull it aboard. After our first trip with Task Force 77, fuel- ing and replenishing at sea became as natural as breathing. We did it Making the approach. early in the morning, we did it late at night, we did it in rain and we did it in snow. In fact, there were only a few times when weather conditions were so bad that we couldn't keep our appointments with our floating grocery stores and filling stations. Then again, there were times when the seas were so calm that we went alongside and tied up. Page Thirty Mail! Hell no-chow! Richardson and baggage homeward bound on emergency leave.