Picking (DD 685) - Naval Cruise Book

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-1-----iQ FUQIVVR RECONNAI :KEGG ,SS4'V0e p K5-RSA X uvnPHoTo , 0 , f -4' 1 lip Hfj, ' :,PQ?ig!f?id5fl?2f1 lx cab I - n i J we f - f' f' F ':1---- 6 . Q I J 2' Avo 32a cfo POSTMASTER. SAN rmwcnsco. cAnEonNm August 12, 1953 TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE U.3.3. PICKING: On the 30th of July 1953, I was rescued from the Sea of Japan by your ship after having been shot down off the coast of Soviet Russia by a MIG-15 jet fighter. I could never adequately express the feeling of 'relief which overwhelmed me when I was taken out of the eeag I feel a debt of gratitude to all of you for par- ticipating in the search for survivors, and for the comradeship and hospitality extended me following my rescue. The entire day spent aboard, prior to my transfer to the U.S.S. Princeton, was one which will remain with me always as a vivid memoryg I cannot speak too highly of the efficiency and dispatch with which you attended my needs and wants while I was aboard the U.S.S. Picking. With the deepest personal humility, I should like once again to thank all hands for the aid and assistance they so selflessly rendered me. Sincerely, .322Q?E:1:.4tffl.e . ROCHE Captain, USAF HEADQUARTERS FEAF BOMBER COMMAND PROVISIONAL APO 828 WJM1 A SEP ns Q SUBJECT: Appreciation for Services TO: Commanding Officer USS Picking IDD 6852 cfo Fleet Post Office San Francisco, California 1. This command is indebted to you and your command for prominent participation in the search for survivors of the UniigdrStnte3 Air Force RB-50 aircraft lost through enemy action over the Sea of Japan on 29 July 1953. 2. We are particularly indebted to you for the rescue of the co- pilot Captain John E Roche and for the excell t .i officer while aboard the use Picking. en care 8 Ven this 3. Please convey to each member of your ship ur - t - for their contributions in connection with this opeiutigivnes thanks ' R HA . CMUECHAEL Brigadier General, USAF Commander Shortly after the armistice was signed, reports were received of a downed US Aircraft midway be- tween Russia and Canada. In company with the Tobruk, an Australian destroyer, we raced north to begin an extensive search and rescue operation which al- ternately involved scores of air- craft, dozens of ships and hun- dreds of men. After arriving at the scene and following a search pattern for nearly ten hours we finally sighted the lone .

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'IAN an DV We cooperated with the USMC, ROKMC, and HMAS TOBRUK in the evacuation of Yang Do and the clemoli- Z tion of bunkers and built up areas to t prevent further use by a belligerent K power .... 3

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' 551.-'r..7am '-..,,::au'fQi-xfi!!l5i':':',-113-1Qyyliigigg Q-' Pi'if?5'i-Q 'Isl'C71555I: I'TI'efh4'5.'gf f'5fA'W5 'r v . 5 - f ' - . -. ,V .tf:Jt-,.?- -R Arn- A' - 1- ----f 1- -2-I--1-' fs: Q-. ,J 5 'g1.v -- at ?U'VlVO' Captain .lohn E. Roche USAF, Co- pilot of the downed RB-50 Air- craft. No trace of the rest of the sixteen men crew was found al- though the search was continued for several hours before being called off as hopeless. We were immediately detached from the area and raced south to meet Task Force 77 where we trans- ferred Captain Roche to the USS Princeton to be flown in to a base in Japan. .1 twfwx in I i li i in im 1-s. ,,,,,,,,,, --,cvc,,,,,,-.,.,- - - 4' ---f ew -frf f .. - -- 1 ffrf- 1: 'i'rfTTrTfTf'f 1 . Ar WY' -' 1 ,wfvf ' 'A 135- -.stgyirg . It 1i it-1---K -at 1 1- -lu' t -s -,, . - F - - 4'