Newport News (CA 148) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 9 text:

over 700' long higher than a 12 story building she weighs almost 20,000 tons her powerful engines develop 120,000 h.p. she can make speeds in excess of 30 knots l her guns - nine 8 rapid fire, twelve 5 dual purpose and twenty four 3 ' aa rapid fire give her tremendous striking power she's one ot the newest heavy cruisers in the navy. she's a great ship and we're proud of her

Page 8 text:

Q a 5 4 I A 3 1 J 1 4 7 3. '4 , I 3 1 i 5 1 k S X 1, V . 4 , - .,,'.-.,::h- vi, . ,, t 1 F U Y N , ,,,, .,.........n,,...T-,.N. .....,., ,..,f.4..A ...., M ,.,.., .,.,4qf,.,. ,, .ff:,,Y.Q f.,,:1 ff x BMW. f

Page 10 text:

Zion QZ-UZ? O F F A I C E Captain E. K. Van Swearingen . The Bible of the U. S. Navy, as the Bluejackets' Manual is sometimes called, defines a captain as one who, represents the ship, speaks for it and is accountable for it, he is responsible for the operation and fighting efficiency of his ship, he is responsible for all members of his crew and all their acts. . . . . On June 3, 1953, Capt. E. K. Van Swearingen accepted these responsibilities when he re- lieved Capt. Walter H. Price to become the sixth commanding officer of the USS NEWPORT NEWS. lt was the Captain's fifth command. , . Stationed at Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of Dec. 7, 1941, LCDR Van SwearingeI1,'PU ' ticipated in the defense of Pearl Harbor, the attempted relief of Wake Island, the first raid of the Marshall Islands, and in 1942, the landing on Guadalcanal. Later in 1942 he assumed his first command, the USS HENLEY. , The following year commanding the USS IZARD IDD-5891 he participated in ca.mpalgnS against the Gilbert Islands, the Marshalls, Truk, Hollandia and the Solomons and Marianas ls- lands. After his promotion to captain in 1945 he commanded the APA's SUMTER and MONRO- VIA respectively. After a tour of duty as Progress Officer at the U. S. Naval Gun Factory and TAD as con- sultant for the gunnery department at the Naval Academy, Captain Van Swearingen was ordered to the Naval Amphibious Training Center, Little Creek, as Officer-In-Charge of the Naval Gun- fire Support School. , In 1949 he returned to sea as Commander Destroyer Squadron Six operating in the Atldnlle and Mediterranean areas. Prior to taking command of the USS NEWPORT NEWS, he was GS- signed to the Bureau of Personnel, first as OIC, Enlisted Performance Branch and then as Direc- tor of Personnel Research. A ' Born June 15, 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri, he entered the Naval Academy 18 years later- Graduated and commissioned June 1927, Ensign Van Swearingen served as anti-aircraft offleel' and aircraft spotter aboard the battleships USS NEW YORK and USS COLORADO. On M07 29' 1930, LTJG Van Swearingen married the former Miss Eleanor Maria Chamberlain. While std- tioned at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, he qualified as a lighter than air aviator- In 1934 he served as assistant tactics and gunnery officer aboard the USS MACO.N Unhl the ship was lost in February, 1935. After a tour of duty aboard the USS MANLEY which waS then in the Special Service Squadron in Panama, Lieutenant Van Swearingen served as Gunnery Officer and later Executive Officer aboard the USS BAGLEY until 1941. Captain Van Swearingen has been awarded the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Combel V , the American Defense Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Seven Stars, the American Theatre Medal, the World War ll Victory Medal and the European Occupation Medel- .3 5 1 i I 3.-ai