Guam (CB 2) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 23 text:

fx 9 S ll I T 0 R ,,h-,iss , ji ,.,., ,,..1,,, if Up to 1 October 1945. On February 2, 1942, in the ways of the New York Ship- building Corporation, Camden, N. J., the keel of the battle cruiser USS GUAM was laid-the second ship in the history of the United States Navy to bear that name. Less than two years later, on November 21, 1943, the GUAM was launched into the Delaware. The ship's sponsor on that occasion was Mrs. George Johnson McMillin, wife of the former Governor of Guam, Captain George Johnson McMillin, USN. At the time of the GUAM'S christening, Captain McMillin was a prisoner of the Japanese on Formosa. Sixteen years separated the launchings of the two U. S. Navy ships to share the name GUAM. The first USS GUAM was a gunboat with an overall length of 159 feet, five inches, a beam of 27 feet one inch and a displacement of 370 tons. The second USS GUAM QCB-21, the second battle cruiser in the history of the U. S. Fleet, was de- scribed as the American version of the pocket battleshipf' With an overall length of 808 feet, six inches, an extreme breadth of 89 feet, six inches and a displacement D. W. L. of 31,940 tons, she exceeds in length and tonnage many present-day battleships. The original GUAM had a firing power which included two, three-inch, 23 caliber guns and eight 30 caliber machine guns. Her ship's complement consisted of five ofiicers, six chief petty officers and 38 enlisted men. The armament of the battle cruiser GUAM consists of nine 12-inch, 50 caliber guns in three triple mounts, 12 five-inch, 38 caliber guns in six twin mounts, 14 forty-millimeter quadruple mounts and 34 twenty-millimeter gun mounts. Her ship's complement consists of approximately 125 officers and 2000 enlisted men, including a detachment of 80 marines. The first GUAM, re-christened the USS WAKE, was captured by the Japanese at Shanghai on December 7, 1941. The new GUAM, as was her sister ship USS ALASKA, is named for U. S. territory or dependency, the largest and most populous island of the Marianas group, the island destined to become Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz,s head- quarters a few months following its re-capture from the Japanese in World War II. Captain Leland P. Lovette, USN, was the GUAM,S first and at this writing only commanding officer. Prior to assum- ing command, Captain Lovctte served as Director of Navy Public Relations in Washington. lle was detached from that post June 27, 1944, subsequently reporting to take command of the GUAM a few weeks before her commissioning. From the carrier USS LEXINGTON, came Commander Louis Everett Gunther, USN, to assume duties as the GUAM'S first Executive Officer. A large percentage of the GUAM'S crew was organized at the Naval Training Center, New- port, R. 1., beginning July 11, 1944 -more than two months before boarding the ship. Other officers and crew members were billeted in the Welsbach Barracks, Gloucester City, N. J., awaiting transfer of the GUAM from her New York Shipbuilding berth to the Philadelphia Navy Yard several miles down the Delaware. Before dawn September 15, the officers and men of the crew stationed at Welsbach Bar- racks, boarded the GUAM. At 0700, the ship cast off and was towed down the Delaware to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Meanwhile, in Newport, the GUAM7s draft of men had entrained for Philadelphia at 1600 on September 14. A severe storm which crippled rail traffic caused this draft of men to report aboard ship 16 hours behind schedule at 2100 on September 15. 1 Qx Commander L. E. GUNTIIER, USN

Page 22 text:

G f-- Q b l. Q . ,in , 'f N nv, I .i ., 1 . .A A I I ,NM M ,, ,, .4 ,,,.,A I i ' Y' sq x .5 , gunna 1 .I ..'. 'Q '4' 'ha 1' ' -:: 4 1 I 'Qi ,gg i 191

Page 24 text:

5 5 E 1 5 5 A E F D I P s E i .