Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

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. . . . Her History Q...- l T.. 2 The Uss ROCHESTER was built at Quincy, Massa- '5 mai chusetts and was launched on August 28, 1945, the first Navy ship to be launched after 'VP' day. She was sponsored by Mrs. M. Herbert Eisenhart, wife of the President of Bausch and Lomb Optical ' Company of Rochester, New York. Commissioned December 20, 1946, she reported to the Atlantic Fleet for duty and spent the next year training Naval Reserve personnel along the Atlantic Coast. During 1948, she operated in the Mediterranean as the flagship of the Commander SIXTH Fleet. The following year was spent along the U.S. Atlan- tic Coast from Panama to Labrador. ln January 1950, the ROCHESTER proceeded through the Panama Canal and went on to the Western Pacific to become the flagship of Com- mander SEVENTH Fleet and to take a routine part in the Occupation of Japan. When the on-set of the Korean conflict came in June 1950, she proceeded at once with the SEVENTH Fleet for operations off Korea and later participated in nearly every major naval engagement against the North Koreans. She was present at the initial landings at Pohang Do, and has seen action at lnchon, Changjon, Koio, Wonsan, Hungnam and Songiin. The ROCHESTER participated in seven major combat operations during the Korean conflict. These operations were: , ' ' ' Y ' as '. , , -. - F, . ' ., Ml' 'A . deff , - '.f:,,,gL A J ,,, .mmf North Korean Aggression June November 1950 lnchon Landing 13 17 September 1950 Communist China Aggression November 1950 January 1951 U.N. Summer-Fall Offensive November 1951 Second Korean Winter November 1951 April 1952 Korean Defense, Summer-Fall November 1952 Third Korean Winter December 1952 March 1953 After an extensive overhaul and underway training period in the latter half of 1953, the ROCHESTER departed from the United States on January 5, 1954, for routine West- ern Pacific duty. Before reporting, however, she made a series of informal goodwill visits in Southeast Asia with stops at Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, and Saigon. On February 26, 1954, the ROCHESTER arrived at Yokosuka, Japan and commenced operations with the SEVENTH Fleet. During her participation in Operation Flaghoist at lwo Jima, in March, word was received of her selection as flagship of the SEVENTH Fleet, to succeed the battleship WISCONSIN. After some rapid alterations, the ROCHESTER officially broke the three star flag of Vice Admiral A. M. Pride, USN, on April 1, 1954. During her two months as flagship, she paid visits to Yokohama, Osaka, and Hong Kong. The transfer of the SEvENTH Fleet Flag to the Uss SAINT PAUL on May 28th marked the end of her Far Eastern Cruise and the ROCHESTER returned to the United States on June 14, 1954.

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About Our Ship .... The Rocussrz-:R is a cruiser of the Om-:con Cirv class. She dis- places 17,000 tons, is 673 feet long and 70 feet wide. Her sister ships are the 0m-:con Cirv and the ALBANY. All three ships of this class are distinguished by having only one stack in place of the usual two. Her armament consists of nine eight-inch turret cannons, twelve five-inch guns, and 20 three-inch guns. She has four screws and can make speeds in excess of thir- ty knots. Her fuel supply, if she runs at average speeds, is ade- quate to take her over 10,000 miles. The Rocussrsn is a floating home away from home to some 1200 men and seventy- five officers. Her wartime complement, slightly higher, is 1448 men and 82 officers. Thus, on an average peace-time day, over 3500 meals are prepared in her galleys. From top to bottom the ship might be compared to a ten-story building, with plenty of basement room to store precious fuel and water. But no ten-story building can be divided so adequately into so many watertight compartments so quickly. Her men do every kind of job you can think of. There are cooks, barbers, soda jerks, cobblers, retail clerks, laundrymen, pressers, bakers, printers, postal clerks, and pho- tographers. There are teletype men to copy the world news as well as official ship's traffic, there are men to keep the ship clean and painted. There are men who make the fresh water we use, men who look after the guns and men who chart our course and tell us where we are. The Rocnssrl-:R has operated in both major oceans. Since the outbreak of the Korean War she has seen action in every major engagement of that conflict. 0n her campaign ribbon she wears seven battle stars. This cruise she took us 23,510 miles from Long Beach to Long Beach, via Pearl Harbor, Manila, the equator, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon, Yokosuka, Yokohama, Chinhae, Sasebo, 0saka, and Hong Kong. As flagship for Commander SEVENTH Fleet, she has played host to a wide variety of important guests. Her reputation throughout southeast Asia is unexcelledg in many ports she is what the people think of when they hear the words 'United States. The Room-:srsn completed her fourth Far East tour after five and a half months away from home. A distinguished ship, with a distinguished record and crew, she can be proud of what she has accomplished and confident of what she will accomplish in the future.

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