Saint Paul (CA 73) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 15 text:

Caplain Riclcells was born near Springlield, Missouri in l906. I-le allnlended schools in Missouri and Kansas and in l924 enlisled in The Navy as a seaman. A year laler he allended 'rhe preparalory school lor lhe Uniled Slales Naval Academy in San Diego, I-le received an appoinl- menl as a midshipman and gradualed from Annapolis in l929 as an Ensign. Aller graduarion he reporled lo The carrier LEXINGTON anfl, laler, Jrhe balnlleship CALI- FORNIA for duly. Aliler several years ol sea duly, Caplain Rickelrls re- porled 'ro lhe Naval Air Slalion, Pensacola, Florida, lor Ilighl lraining. In I932, he was desiqnaled a naval avialor and served in various scouring, Iighrer, and palrol plane squadrons unlil I936 when he was lorced lo disccnrinue his career in naval avialion clue lo de?ecrive vision, Caplain Riclcells was serving on board lhe balrleship WEST VIRGINIA when she was wink in lhe Japanese al- Iaclf on Pearl Harbor. l'le immeciiimlely reporled lo lhe MARYLAND lor duly. lhroughoul mosl ol Vxforld War ll he served as Operahons and Planning officer on lhe slall ol lhe Fillh Amphibious Force. I-le served in Jrhal capacily during lhe larawa, Einewelolc, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Olcinawa campaigns. Al lhe Warls end, having served al sea conlinuously since IQ38, Caplain Riclcells reporled lo Washinglon, D, C. lo serve on lhe Special Operalions Review Board al 'rhe Army and Navy Slrall College. I-le allended and served al lhe Naval War College, Newporl, Rhode Island from June, l946 unlil May, l949. Aller leaving 'rhe War College he commanded lhe AKA ALSFIAIN and served as Opera- Tions officer on lhe slall of lrhe Commander, Amphibious Forces, Allanlric. I'le reporled lo SAINT PAUL in Oclober, l954. For his worlc during World War ll, Caplain Riclcells was awarded rhe Legion ol lvleril and a leller ol commendalion from rhe Commander-in-Chiel, Pacific Fleer. l'le wears lhe Pacific 'lhealer Ribbon wilh seven slars. lf PTAI CLAUDE V. HIIIHETT5, US I N -f-- r MM ffff

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IIAPTI-ll CHARLES W. PARKER, U N CapTain Parker commanded SAINT PAUL Trom July I953 To OcTober l954. During ThaT period The ship par- TicipaTed in The final phases oT The Korean War. Eollowing The Korean armisTice SAINT PAUL reTurned To The UniTed STaTes Tor exTensive overhaul in The PugeT Sound Naval Shipyard, BremerTon, WashingTon. Prior To her reTurn again To The Ear EasT, The ship was subiecTed To an inTen- sive program oT Training, indocTrinaTion, and operaTional readiness inspecTion. Upon compleTion, she reTurned To The WesTern PaciTic on 4 Ivlay I954. CapTain Parker was re- lieved in Sasebo, Japan by CapTain RickeTTs and proceeded To his new command as Commander oT The EIeeT Training Group, San Diego. CapTain Parker was born in New York CiTy in AugusT. l905. He aTTended schools in Niles, Chio and Severna Park, Maryland and was appoinTed as a midshipman To The UniTed STaTes Naval Academy in I923. T-le graduaTed from The Academy in I927 as an Ensign and reporTed To The USS WYOMING Tor his TirsT Tour oT duTy as a iunior oTTicer. A Tew years laTer he was TransTerred To The cruiser DENVER. During World War II, CapTain Parker commanded The desTroyer COWELL. I-le was awarded The Silver STar Tor going alongside The Torpedoed I-IQUSTON during a nighT air aTTack and rescuing 350 oTTicers and men. As Com- mander oT DesTroyer Squadron Three, CapTain Parker was The TirsT screen commander in Task Eorce 77 during The Korean War. Prior To reporTing To SAINT PAUL, he served as Naval ATTache and ATTache Tor Air aT The Plague, NeTherlands and Brussels, Belgium. Besides The Silver STar, he wears The Bronze STar Tor The shooTing down oT Two Japanese aircraTT in World War II, The Legion oT MeriT Tor supporT in The lnchon invasion, and CommendaTion ribbons Tor The TirsT aTTack on The island oT Truk, The BaTTle oT The Philippine Sea, and gunsTrikes along The easT coasT OT Korea,

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1 ,af fe ,, Ks! i The Union Jack-symbol of a ship al res+. . il f .. Capfain and Mrs. Parker cu? 'fhe firs'r piece of cake af 'fhe going-away par'l'y. In Long Beach iusl belore our day ,ol deparlure lor Weslpac, fhe ship had a brief Jrwo weelfs respile eller monfhs of drills, shools, inspeciions, and examinalions. As The ship lay quielly alongside lhe pier in Long Beach ship- yard, families were packed up, lasl minule arrangemenls in allofmenrs and budgels were made aller wilely prod- ding, and 'rhe ship had a going-away parly ai lhe Willon Holel. For fwo nighls SAINT PAUL sailors lramped rhrough fhe holel lobby wilh wives or girl friends on iheir arms bound for lhe Hparly upsiairsf' Some of lhe more mercenary souls had visions oi free beer, bul sailors on 'rhe whole are no? usually inleresled in beer. Q WJ Jia jg? A l-lmmmmm . . . Wha+'ll i'r be? Board, Schnupp, Thompson, Rudowski, Norman, WaHers and friends. iisc s , X33 ws ii 9 H Y D A 3 i ,i