Rochester (CA 124) - Naval Cruise Book

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use ii ri til I1 dd nr' N' ji ji Qi rf' sv V' QW' M s F' n nf' f' ,Ji F' I' :fp uf' if Table of Contents.. .USS Rochester. . .Western Pacific Cruise 19 6 Command .... Captain and Executive Officer Admiral and Chief of Staff. The Cruise , , , A listing of the ports and the significant happenings in each. Long Beach Hawaii .... Ship's Party and other festivities. Administrative Inspection. A tourists paradise. Japan , , , Yokosukamliamiliar to many and our repair facility in this area. Random views of the people and places that make Japan both interesting and mysterious to the Western eye. Taiwan , , , Keelung-Our home port away from home. The people and their hospitality to us. President Chiang Kai-Shek reviews the armed forces of Nationalist China on Double Ten day. y Hgng Kgng Britain's Crown Colony on the edge of Red China. The sights of the city which we saw while buying no squeak shoes , suits, watches, and French perfume. Tiger Balm Gardens . . . built on a fortune made from oriental Hadacol. Philippines, Twice we thought we were making this trip but operational needs forced cancellation. QOur deadlines with the printers meant that the cruise book included this trip before the last cancellation. Here is what we would have seen-Edd Okinawa , , The Rochester visits our island bastion. Features ,,,,, Task Force Operations. The Seventh Fleet StoryMA Brief History. 45 Typhoons-A story of our rough weather and what caused it. 47 Church Call-The Ship's Chaplain and his job. 52 Plane lncidenteThe Seventh Fleet plays a key role. 53 Guests of the Secretary of the NavyeWe host a group of distinguished civilians to Pearl Harbor. 56 Ships Departments ......... Gunnery 60 and their divisions OperatiOnS 74 Engineering 78 Supply 82 Navigation 86 Medical and Dental 87 Administration 89 Seventh Fleet Departments . . . DiviSi0n PiCrureS 91 Roster of Ships Company .... Ofiicers 96 Enlisted Men 97 cruise Book staff iii if S Editor. John R. Bradley, Captain, USMC Assistants. Ltfjgj Jacobson Lttjgj Owens Ens Smith MfSgt. R.R. Jacobus, USMC SfSgt. J.R. Barnett, USMC CPL. E.R. Binning USMC The wholehearted cooperation of the publishers, Daito Art Printing Co., ltd. of Tokyo, japan is sincerely appreciated. Especially helpful were Mr. Minoru Hanazaki, President, Mr, I.. Ohara our advisor, and Mr. Masayoshi Seike and Mr. Shinohara of the editorial department. Credit is due for long hours of uncomplaining work to all of these and others not named who aided in the production of the book. Many members of the ships company not named here also aided with suggestions and assistance in obtaining materials. To all of these people who made this book possible the editor expresses his sincere appreciation.

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WELFARE A D RECREATIO ACTI ITIE 0 BOARD THE .S.S. ROCHE TER Welfare and Recreation means many things to those of us who have service experience either afioat or ashore. First in coming to our attention are things such as movies, sporting events, and so forth, that somebody always seems to sponser. On the Rochester, ithese 'activities are the result of the work and attention 'of many people from the captain on down. Two organized groups of representatives Qf all departments and divisions on thegshipipresent their views arid Each agreement on programs to beffollowed: 'The jdirect representatives of the crew are the Enlisteil Welfare andfiRecreation Corrrinittee, where the desires of the crew are first made known afier discussion. This group prepares 'its recommendations to bQforwarded to the Welfare and Recreation Council by the ships Special Services officer who sits in on Welfareff and Recreation Committee meetings as an ex-officio member. The Welfare and Recreation Council is composed of ship's ofiicers, and here too representation is on a departmental basis and includes the Chaplain. In the Council the suggestions of the enlisted Committee are given careful consideration and comparison is made with the projected plans for the year and the available funds. Funds for Welfare and Recreation activities come from our ship's store and soda fountain and this is the only regular source. The success of our ship's store as a business then determines how much money will be available for crew's recreation expense. The money we expect to earn, based on past experiences, is allocated into general categories such as athletics, movies, magazines, religious expense, and so forth, at the beginning of each year It is within these financial limits that plans are laid for the coming year. On board the Rochester this year there have been more Welfare and Recreation sponsored activities than many realize. A brief resume of some of the things that have been done will help to tell the Welfare and Recreation story. In the Naval Ship- yard at San Francisco the most successful project was a bowling league with as much divisional basketball being played as facilities would allow. Spring sports ran into our Underway Training period and the preparations for the coming cruise. As a result they were pretty much limited to individual sports and a few challenge softball games with the ship's team playing the teams of the other cruisers in the division. Our team played well and came in second in this series of games. During this period our ship's Hobby Shop came into being with the guidance of Mr. Citron, the ship's radio electrician. This activity has proven to be popular on the cruise and has furnished a lot of recreation for members of the crew. The big events immediately prior to our departure were all of the entertainment that the Padre managed to secure for us in the form of fantail shows, a movie premiere, and last but best- our fine ship's party. The ship's party was the first of its kind the Rochester has had in some time and was well received by all hands and all of the effort put into it was appreciated. Photographs of these events will be found in this volume. A full seasonal athletic program has been carried on in the Far East with the usual problems with weather and facilities. The biggest sporting event was two league divisional softball league with Ensign Fitpatrick as manager. Plans are underway to continue this program in the future. This brief account of only a few of the many activities does not present a full picture of Welfare and Recreation but it does point out some of the significant features of our organization and some of the things that have been accomplished by it this past year. Another activity of the Welirre and Recreation council is this cruise book. In publishing this book it is hoped to provide a permenant souvenir of the 1956 Cruise as another XVelEare and Recreation service. fliope that you enjoy it.-Edd

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COMMANDING OFFICER U.S.S. ROCHESTER xg 22 .ff ., ff 4 CAPTAIN KENNETH M. GENTRY Born October 21, 1907, in St. johns, Kansas. V 1 5 Attended University of Missouri 1925-263 Appointed to the US. Naval Academy in 1926 Commissioned Ensign in June 1930. Early sea duty: OIVIAIIA, the Hrst ROCIIIESTISR. 1933-1935 Aboard gunboat OAIIU, Yangtze River Patrol. 1935-1936 Blakeley. 1936-1938 P.G. School. 1938-1942 Staff, Battleship Division '1'1n'ee. 1942-1943 Commanding Oflicer, USS KING in Aleutians. -A 1943-1944 Commanding Officer, USS 'lxllli S1l1.1.lVANS in Task lforce 58, Central llicilii' 1944-1947 Electronic Countermeasures OPNAV. 1945 Communications-Iilectronics Ollivirr, joint Task lfoive l, Operation L'ROSSRO.XllS. 1947-1949 Chief of Staff, Cruiser Division 12. 1949-1952 lilectronic C011I11t5l'l11l?Zl5111'L'S Coorclinsltor, Navy lhipgirlim-iii. 1952-1953 Commanding Ofliifer, USS ROCIQX-VA1.1, 11112-X 23111. 1953-1955 Chic-1' of Stall, Connnzmclvi' Ainpliilmious illrgiininp Connnginil .Xtlqinliu lflei-1. 1956, Assumed coininand of thi- USS RlJC1ll'fS'll1'flQ on lll Alzinimry.