Manchester (CL 83) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 36 text:

FROM: COMMANDER TASK FORCE 77 TO: MANCHESTER YOUR PERFORMANCE OF DUTY HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING X WE SAY GOODBY TO YOU WITH KEEN REGRET While the Allies pushed deep into Korea ' s North and the last battles seemed to be in sight, the Manchester was embarking on a new assignment. The last we saw of Task Force 77 was its boss, Rear Admiral E. C. Ewen, when he came aboard in Sasebo to say goodby and — Well Done. In his short talk to us on the fantail, he spoke for the carrier boys when he added: You were our insurance, and you did a hell of a good job . . . Admiral Ewen poses with Storekeeper Dan Smith lor a hometown picture. They both hail from Portsmouth, N. J.

Page 35 text:

Before we knew it, October 9th was upon us and we resumed our operations with TF 77. The Man- chester ' s duties were the same as before in the force, but this time we were off Wonsan on the east coast where UN troops were victoriously streaming north. They needed air support to keep the North Koreans in retreat, and we gave it to them. ime old earners doing the same great job. y The mine threat we had heard about was now a reality. Mr. Fitz-Patrick was dotting his navigation charts with small red position points where mines had been reported. Pictures of yawning holes in victims Mansfield and Brush made us think twice.

Page 37 text:

On the 27th of June, 1950, President Truman had made the decision: The attack upon Korea makes it plain that Communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use invasion and war ... In these circumstances the occu- pation of Formosa by communist forces would be a direct threat to the security of the Pacific area and to the U. S. forces performing their lawful and necessary functions in that area. Accordingly, I have ordered- the Seventh Fleet to prevent any attack on Formosa. As a corollary of this action I am calling upon the Chinese government on For- mosa to cease all air and sea operations against the mainland. The Seventh Fleet will see that this is done . . .