Richmond (CL 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 +1 HE chief naval base for the area of North- ern Honshu and the island of Hokkaido was located on the shores of Mutsu Bay at Ominato. Here the japanese naval leaders puz- zled over the problems of protecting their sea Hsheries in the Kuriles and covering their mer- chant fleets and coastal carriers from American air, surface and undersea strikes. Restricted to Japanese as Well as foreigners, no one except the enemy's armed forces had seen the Ominato Naval Reservation until American sea dogs under Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher arrived there in September of 1945 to accept the base's surrender. Scattered thru the Wooded slopes of Kama- buse Yama, that puffed its shoulders behind che base area, were numerous gun emplacements to defend the naval reservation. Similar emplace- ments were located on the narrow-waisted plain before the mountain. Thru binoculars an alert observer could see trucks and cars hidden among the trees along the shore to protect them from aerial observation. Despite the importance of the base to the enemy, its extent and facilities Weredecidedly inferior to even advanced bases of our own. The buildings had a slap-dab, temporary appearance, their glassless windows gazed blankly at the World around them, and the roads running to and from the area were mere dirt tracks. Even a quick glance made one wonder how such a poorly equipped people could challenge a nation so richly provided with the mechanical drive and the engineering skill of our own country.

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' ' K t 'f9 :l 1 'J l - 3 31. + 2 l TO NCRTHERN NAVAL BASE s Q America is big and so are Americans. Lieut. Cmdr. Rule consults with Japanese I I 1 IE X lX 4 517 5. iN l x 0 1 if l23 5 3 pilot While boatswain mates Burbage and r, Worley look on. ,AQ L i as Bandy-legged Jap chief signalman gives Word to the home folks that the Americans are coming. 4 My i 575 ,, Unhappy and sullen-faced, they bowed gs to the officer sent to escort them to the Rich- 5 11'l01'ld,S bridge. And then, closely guarded, , the three little men, whose leaders' big ideas fl had blown up in their faces, trotted off to the 53 pilot house. ls 5 i 9 l i 5 Yes, it's too late. Three unhappy 3, Nips consult KaWai's Watch dur- ing the trip into Ominato. v -F I3 5 '54 4 S. 3 'S V Y-Y ,V , ...N 7, ,, MJ Z, , ,, -A-K-Mw3:ailf,e. 1 V gg . ,, ,v----mx ,. ., , -iuvwlrf

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Benten Shima light, north of Ominato, guards entrance to Mutsu Wan. E i F E l l 4, i J r Two Fletcher class cans at anchor off Ominato. y V Kamabuse Yama framed by the Ricf91n01zcl's guns. Ominato Naval Base lies at its foot. 'I 4 4 Looking across Jap military encamp- ment toward the Naval Base. Ships are Japanese.