Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

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ORMOSA-not much bigger than West Virginia, a beautiful island in the Western Pacific, if you can see past the squalor of the small villages, but thousands of miles from California and even more than seven hundred miles from- Yokosuka. Not much to quibble over, you might think at first, but for at least two big reasons you'd be wrong. The first, which is simply a matter of what some people call geopolitics, is Formosa's loca- tion, and the second, a part of the fabric of spirit and determination which is one of the strongest remaining supports of Chiang Kai-Shek's govern- ment, is the fact that Taiwan is the last outpost of Free China. Chiang can retreat no further. It's as simple as that. You may read of world politics, ideological war- fare, and mutual defense of common principles, but they all mean the same thing. They add up to simply stated but infinitely complicated problems which makes it necessary for thousands of Americans every year to come to the Far East. The interests of the United States extend now throughout the world, and wherever they are not safe there must be a Navy ready to fight for them. The location of Formosa is a vexing matter of concern to Americans, and not just because so many of us do not like the fact it is so far from home. The island is about half way around the world from the United States, right between the two strongest free nations in Asia, Japan and the Philippines. That it remains friendly to us and to

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EDITORS Robert E. Morris I N R E V I E w Galen Cockel Tom W. Mitchell When all the pages had been printed they were transported to the bindery. The large printed sheets were folded to make pages, trimed evenly around the edges, gathered into the correct order, sewn and bound into the covers which had previously been given a coat of clear vinyl plastic. The completed books, after another inspection, were inserted into their individual cases, crated and then, the day before the ROCHESTER left Yokosuka for the return trip to Long Beach, delivered on board. The pro- cess of turning an accumulation of ideas into a finished, durable printed book was completed. The job of editing In Review was performed by three people, LTJG Robert E. Morris, LTJG Galen Gockel and Tom W. Mitchell. Most of the articles were written by Mr. Morris and Mr. Gockel. Layout was by Mitchell. LTJG J. C. Swilley contributed the article on Japan, LTJG C. E. Natter and ENS J. B. Dawson gave much aid in the preparation of the article on the Engineering Department. LTJG W. A. Jacobson wrote the article on the ET's. The black-and-white photo- graphs appearing in this book are in the main the work of Thomas J. Giddens and Tom Mitchell. A-ssisting Giddens in much of the lab work were Ray Cheely and Seymour Husserl. Ship's journalist John W. Mullin also helped out with photography as did Cooper, PH1, of the Seventh Fleet Staff, who is responsible for the cover photograph. Up in Tokyo the ship's re- presentative at the printing company was Tom Mitchell. Working under him was the book's interpreter, Mr. Masa- toshi Ueyama, upon whose efforts much of the success of this book is due. In addition to his function as a translator he also retyped copy, checked engravings, pasted up layout sheets and acted as general trouble shooter when anything went wrong. The representa- tive of DAI NIPPON Printing Company, at the time the con- tract was first drawn up and also in later negotiations was Mr. Koichi Yamada of the Business Department of DAI NIPPON. His assistant Mr. Juzo Sonehara handled the actual de- tails of coordination between type-setters, engravers, print- ers and other sections of the DAI NIPPON establishment. Art work, especially the draw- ings appearing in the Ship is a Small Town section, are the creation of Mr. Snsnmn Miya- zaki, consulting artist for DAI NIPPON. The editors of In Review sincerely hope that you will enjoy having this book as much as we have enjoyed preparing it for you. Firri-i FAR EAST CRUISE U.S.S. ROCHESTER FEBRUARY-AUGUST 1955 WHY WE CAME A short study in geo-politics gives emphasis to the reasons that have made necessary the concentration of American Sea Power in the Western Pacific. Ltig Robert E. Morris's article concerns the mission of the Rochester while she is a component of the Seventh Fleet. Highlights of the last ten years of history in the Far East from the files of Pacific Stars and Stripes. COMMAND Thumbnail biographies of the Commanding Officer and the Executive Officer and a composite photograph of the Rochest- er's Senior Officers. The Rochester was the flagship of Vice Admiral Alfred M. Pride, Commander of the Seventh Fleet. FORMOSA An intimate look at the island stronghold of Chiang Kai-Shek, written by Ltig Galen Gockel and including three pages of color photographs. The crew of the Rochester is treated to a Chinese show on the fantail. A BOOT COMES ABOARD Over one third of the crew of the Rochester were iust out of boot camp when the ship left Long Beach. In Review fol- lows one of them during the process A visit to the young republic iust ten years after the liberation of Manila. 46 BOATSWAIN MATE'S DAY It starts at dawn, continues till dusk, for the oldest rating in the Navy. 49 COMMUNICATIONS Getting the Word takes many forms on a modern man-o-war. 54 How a Rochester father learns of the birth of his new daughter half a world away. 56 THE BIC PUNCH The reason for being of the Rochester lies in her guns. 58 SEA COINC MARINES The Marines add color to ceremonial oc- casions. 62 LAND OF THE RISING SUN Ltig L.C. Swilley's brief observations on Japan- the gaudiest bazaar since Baghdad -are supplemented with three pages in full color. 64 SAILORS FOR A DAY The Rochester plays host to 57 Boy Scouts. 7l A SHIP IS A SMALL TOWN A maior combatant vessel in today's Navy takes with it all the necessities, as well as some of the luxuries, found in the average small town. As the author points out, the main things still lacking are women. 73 of orientation. CETTINC UNDERWAY Men ,from every division on the ship make up the Special Sea Detail which is responsible for getting the Rochester safely in and out of port. WHAT MAKES THE ROCH CO How the Engineers use Steam to propel the Rochester wherever she is ordered. The iobs of the five divisions in the Engine- ering Department and the functions of Damage Control. Two pages in color photographed by Tom Giddens. 34 COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER In a dimly lit compartment close to the bottom of the ship, CIC keeps an unending radar vigil. PARADISE IN TECHNICOLOR 24 A WEEK IN HONCKONC A brief description by Tom Mitchell of the fabulous port which the Rochester visited in June. Rochester sailors go on a shopping spree. 84 81 28 AS You WERE X In Review presents o miscellaneous collection of color and black-and-white photographs. 87 OTHER DEPARTMENTS Quartermasters act as OOD secretaries, drivers, as well as clock setters and chart keepers. 39 Electronic Technicians combine skill and training to keep radar and radio equip- ment in commission. 44 40 Corpsmen aid ship's doctor and dentist in looking after the crew's health needs. 45 Rochester and Seventh Fleet Staff talent get together to put on the ship's first Hawaii, America's iewel in the Pacific, as Smoker in Keelung 48 seen through the cameras of Rochester DIVISIONS C eW'membef5 on IIbe'lY- ' 42 Pictures of the divisions which make up the THE PHILIPPINES complement of the U. S. S. Rochester. 93 The following members of the crew have color transparencies reproduced in In Review: R. E. Turner, R. C. McPherson, J. S. Smith, Vodjanski, B. J. Dobbs, L. F. Cheely, LTJG R. M. Jentsch, LTJG G. Gockel, ENS V. J. Hansen, ENS R. Nielson and LTJG J. E. Lucas. Prize winners from the ship photo PHOTO CREDITS contest are all included. Other color photographs are the work of staff photographers Giddens and Mitchell and 7th Fleet photographer Cooper. Through the courtesy of Mr. E. C. Powles, manager of the Shrirolab in Tokyo, his color transparency of Hongkong harbor is reproduced on page 81. The black and white photo- graphs on page 6, the map on page 7 and photographs on pages 64, 66, 67 and bottom of page 70 were obtained from the files of Stars and Stripes through the courtesy of Mr. Richard Larsh, Feature Editor of that publication.

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,. ,L V, ,, ,,,. them means that vital sea and air lanes stay open. If Formosa falls the com- munists will have a base situated di- rectly between their strongest Asiatic enemies. From Keelung, Kaoshiung, . A V . and Taipei communist planes and ships could harass trade routes which now keep Free Asia strong. From Formosa an enemy could pincer Japan with two claws-the one, northern Korea, and the other, the un- attractive island where we spent so much time in the spring of 1955. From Formosa he could threaten lines of supply which strengthen all of south- east Asia-Indochina, Thailand, Burma. From Formosa he could look west to the mainland, confident that it is just a matter of time-and not much of that-until he has all of Asia. Q He could turn and look north to Japan, south to the Philippines, west to the mainland, and eventually east to Okinawa, only three hundred miles away and vulnerable. Okinawa, the last prize catch of World War Two, is the free world's most important small island base in the Western Pacific. Formosa's location is one of its biggest defenses. From Okinawa-and the communists know this-the mainland is an hour's jet-ride away. With For- mosa in his hands he would be prepared to do something about the situation which must give him such concern. But turn it around a minute. Look at the situation from a positive point of view. Look at it the way the com- munist leaders on the mainland see it today. Formosa stands seventy five miles from the fortresses of China, a FULL I-IONORS are rendered to Vice Admiral Pride as he returns from a conference in Taipeh. The quarterdeck was kept busy with the constant How of arriving and departing oiiicials who had business with the Admiral and members of his staff. The port city of Keelung looks like this from o nearbzf hilltop. Mist and rain were the usual oocurwnce during shi7o's stay in Formosa. In Threatened Pacific Waters, tlwe Seventh Fleet Stands Ready to Carry Out American Foreign Policy poised stronghold from which the com- munists can be attacked at any time. Chiang's troops await only the word that now is the time to return to the s. ' Q 1 . 1 'ir b X M N -r- w 1Nx , homeland, and the communists know lg I I fi: fi'v ' 0 I I' this. To protect themselves they must ,q,,,,,,.e, EP ' t ' keep armies and air wings close by. They must keep elaborate lines func- tioning to supply those armies and planes. How much more he would rather have his strength in a position to force the issue in southeast Asia or Korea. He must feel frustrated as he watches his enemy's supply lines flow- ing unhindered while his sea ports are bottled up, his interior lines of com- munication lying open to attack. From Formosa the free world looks on him at close range and sees his movements, his build-up positions of strength, his plans. It is not surprising that he has X.. L-:uni 'Bl announced he must take the island. And that's where Free China enters the picture. To millions of Chinese on the mainland Chiang's promises to keep up the fight, to return to the mainland, are the principal source of hope. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 3Q1lll' r NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTRY in downtown Taipeh is the focal point of Nationalist ' ' ---ig !.1--.---l-- - A --ti-n..n..4L1.Q4-L war effort. Here ardent leaders constantly plan for the push back to the mainland.