Roanoke (CL 145) - Naval Cruise Book

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0922, 29 May: Mustered the crew t f o quarters or getting underway. 0945, 29 Moy: Underwo f P I the pier y or ear Harbor. . .Commenced maneuvering to clear

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I-IISTOTQY Age is a nehuious thing measured in days, months and years. Whether carried weii or pooriy, age invoives memories of the past, however distant. Thus we attempt to record in these pages some of the age of a fighting ship at a time when we were her voice, in order that the memories will not he dimmed hy the passage of years. This Cruise Booiz wiii reiate the history of six months, hut first delves hriefiy into that which has gone hetore. Born of the need for additionai fighting ships of the line, the construction of a new iight cruiser was authorized hy Congress in Iune ot1934. Then for eieven years pians were drawn, ship huiiders worized and eventually a war was fought. Finally, in June ot1947, Miss Julia Ann Henehry, daugh- ter ot the Mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, christened the USS ROANOKE CCL-1455. Qur ship siid down the ways of the New Yoriz Ship Building Company in Camden, New Jersey, and made the short trip to Philadelphia for outtitting at the Naval Shipyard. Almost two years iater, on April 4, 1949, she was dedicated hy the new Secretary of Defense, Louis Iohnson, in his first puhiic appearance as a Cahinet memher. She was Hthe last word in her ciassnp she was now in her element, never again was she to he unattended. The ROANCKE spent her tiedgiing years as a memher of the greatest peacetime Navy ever known, operating in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Carihhean areas. Gradually the fine edge of preparedness was molded and she moved to surpass her oider sisters of the line. For three years the ROANCKE placed second in the Atlantic Fleet hattie efficiency competi- tion, and finally in 1955 the most coveted prize, first piace, came ahoard. But the changing worid situation had created the need for readjustment of the major fleet units. In the fail of 1955 the Panama Canal was transit- ted, the hiue water of the Atiantic was shai-zen from her plates and the chaiienge was Hung to the ships of the Pacific Fleet--'an an-out assault was launched for the first ranizing in the wide Pacific. Thus came to pass a few months of overhaul at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, and weeks of training oft the western coast of the United States. When the preparation was complete, this maiden cruise to the orient hegany the age was ours.