Denver (CL 58) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Denver was launched at Camden, Nciv Jersey on April 4, 1942 46

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Rcar-Aiimiral R. B. Carney f Rear Admiral R. P. Brisfof Rent- Admiral A. M. Bledsoe Story of Our Captains CAPTAIN R. B. CARNEY put the Denver in commission and guided her through the Consolidation of the Southern Solomons and running the Slot. He was detached on 24 July 1943 and became Chief of Staff to Admiral Halsey with the rank of Rear Admiral. Captain Carney vas re- placed by Captain R. P. Briscoe who took the ship through the battle of Empress Augusta Bay and was in command when the Dniver received her torpedo hit. On Feb- ruary 22, 1944, Captain Briscoe was re- lieved by Capt. A. M. Bledsoe. Captain Briscoe attained the rank of Rear Admiral and became ComPhibGroup 14. Captain Bledsoe brought the ship through all the battles of the second cruise including the Philippine landings until April 6, 1945, when Capt. T. F. Darden took command through tne Balikpapan bombardment and brought the ship safely home to the States again. Captain Bledsoe was advanced in rank to Rear Admiral and became ComCru- Div.l {5

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ACTION REPORT-U.S.S. DENVER THERE is plenty of reason for men of the Diiu ' ir to be proud of their ship, and they are proud of her, and not a little bit thankful for her luck. For the Daivcr ' s story does not quite cover three years, yet in that time she is credited with the destruction or assist of 7 Japanese warships and 14 Japanese aircraft and has participated in 14 shore bombardments, most of which covered amphibious landings. On the other side of the ledger, she has had her share of hits and near misses, having had 3 Nip eight- inch projectiles pass completely through her without exploding, but getting hit by an aerial torpedo within the next ten days in November, 1943. She had one Kamikaze crash close aboard in October, 1944, holing her starboard side and causing minor flood- ing. Her topside men have -watched lots of bombs fall, and her below decks personnel have heard the explosions. But for all this, she has let the Japs take only 20 of her men and less than that number wounded. Except for a brief training cruise through the fog banks of Chesapeake Bay after she w as commissioned in October, 1942, the Denvar ' s story is one of the Pacific War, and commences after her arrival at Noumea, New Caledonia, on February 5, 1943. The con- solidation of the Southern Solomons was beginning, with emphasis on disrupting the enemy ' s Tokyo Express rims to airstrips and bivouacs at Munda and Kolombangara. She joined Admiral A. S. Merrill ' s task force of cruisers and destroyers, which by force of circumstances then existing in the Solomons was a small and ever-changing organization. On the nights of March 5 and 6 the Den- ver drew first blood. With a group assigned to bombard Kolombangara the Denver was approaching the harbor, her guns loaded with High Capacity projectiles for shore bom- bardment. Rounding a point of land, her radar operators picked up two targets through the darkness lying dead in the water. As all hands were at GQ, it was but a mat- ter of seconds before the first salvo was streaking through the night towards the targets. The H.C. projectiles caused great explosions topside and evidently cleared off all personnel, for not a shot was fired in return. The Denver is officially credited with the sinking of two destroyers, but the men in the directors and the control stations feel certain that the tripod masts illuminated by the tremendous explosions could belong only to Jap cruisers. However, they were not given long to discuss the matter, for the vessels were both beneath the waves in less than ten minutes. Thereafter, bombardment operations in the Solomons became routine to the extent that they were a complement to I. r training activities. On the nights of June 30-July 1, 1943, the Denver participated in a mine laying and bombardment operation, the purpose of which -was to mine the southern outlets of the enemy ' s base at Bum and to destroy his air facilities in this sector preliminary to the New Georgia assault on July 1. This raid was made in a rainstorm so thick it was impossible to see your hand in front of your face. At Ballale, on this strike against an airstrip, was conducted the first blind spot- ting operation participated in by the Denver, {7