Helena (CA 75) - Naval Cruise Book

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My ship has inherited a tradition of outstanding service and gallant fighting handed down through the years by her forerunners a gunboat and a light cruiser The first Helena a 1 400 ton gunboat was built in 1894 in Newport News Virginia so you see our history started over 55 years ago Her participation in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Campaign highlighted th1rty years of distinguished retired in 1932 The se ond Helena a light cruiser wasn t built until 1939 and was damaged at Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941 After several months in dry dock she returned to trade blows with the Japanese Fle t in the South Pacific where she earned the title the iightin est ship The Japanese really claimed a pr17e when a submarine sank her in the Battle of Kula Culf in 1943 As a result of her brilliant action against the enemy the Secretary of the Navy posthumously awarded her the Navy Unit Commendation You can probably remember when the citizens of Helena Montana conducted a bond 9 K I 1, .I A l o ' i , , ' H ' ' , 4 . a , , , ' 9 A 4 N . A o u '. . 5- x ' 0 0 0 Q , v Q ' u K Q . ga ' service with 'the Navy. Her career was ended as an active fighting ship when-she was rs V O lx , D I , . V 9 2 Q I , y a . , V g 4 . S . . , . V V A . U Q . , . ,, ' ' 4 . . Y V 4 . . V T ' o 0 g ' . G s ' Q Q ' ., ' - b A . . , V I , , , V selling campaign throughout the State, They were so successful that the Navy Department decided a heavy cruiser under construction in the Quincy Ship Yard should once again carry the name of their capital city. ' The new heavy cruiser, of the Baltimore class, was commissioned in 1945 and almost immediately began preparing for a round-the-world cruise. The Helena visited all the important ports 'of Europe and the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and then sailed for various portsin Asia, principally China and Japan, where she operated with other ships of the 'Pacific Fleet for several months. Uponibeing relieved, the ship steered a true course east for Long Beach, California, and a welcome yard overhaul. She operated between the Orient and the 'United States fornseveral years on training and reserve cruises. When war broke out on the Korean peninsula in 1950, the Helena headed for her first taste of battle. Since then she has made three trips to the Combat Zone, totaling nineteen months, and fired over 25,000 rounds of major calibre ammunition at enemy targets. We all feel our ship has done a darn good job. Now we are on our way home and the morale is at an all time high -as each day brings us nearer to the U. S. and the ones we love.

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This is mywskipper Captain Walter L Dyer keeping h1S eye on things from the bridge He took command of the Helena last January and through a period of intensive training Dyer commanded the Cole the Niblack the Sigourney Destroyer Division 44 Destroyer Squadrons 15and 22 West Coast Sonar Training Squadron and the Fleet Sonar School at San Diego He really knows his business and our record of damage to the enemy shows it All of us are proud of our skipper . . . , . 0 , . . , U , . prepared us for a successful tour of Korean service. Before coming to the Helena, Captain , . , . , I I U , , . . . This is the Executive Officer of the U. S. S. Helena, Commander George L. Conkey. He is second in command and carries out the commanding oHicer's poli- cies. The Exec servedon the U. S. S. Ma- S ryland, U. S. S. Tracy, and U-S.'iS. Trenton before taking command of the U. s. s. E15- more. . ' y Q ' T He was later assigned to the Naval Academy as an instructor of Navigation for two years and then attended the Armed Forces Staff College. 4 Called back to sea duty, he commanded the destroyer U. S-S. Rogers for over two years. A Upon being' relieved of that command he proceeded to the University of Southern California as the Executive Officer of the Naval Reserve Training Corps for two years.