Saint Paul (CA 73) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 16 text:

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

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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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'gf . lag skg fc. ,, In poeTry somewhere QT says a sailor For mosT SAINT PAUL sailors The L parTies did noT make leavlrg The 5: hi ern' , . A halT-year is noT Training The crew SDSU 5 CVC: TTS Cc: i , and C'6Ci'i'M 'AG , .,- blt :iOl'. A'KyiWSY ,-. rfl Ti:T6Tl.il. f -FN. f' e1,Se'Ti ex i T, us. Tre pre- venTed us Trom SP3-HCT? V'-3' 'Tee 5' Tyne even Wwe in The UnfTed Stakes. Some 'fffie 55' TT M Aww SCTP' CThers would have TC D6 0733663 'lie ' C'i'5C'lVi9 when They reTurred, Cn The and 'Q ish ceic e We af' boaTK The poignam zienei QT Tarewe were 2 ' 'iii CTC- Ture oT The sailor 5 I , if' , ,f f I ,1 Q wi J Z Tyr, MTC. Anchor Aweighl i .iz if , Q , A T as if T'i'5'Wf5hi ?.l?3li Messers, Widner, Caldwell, Cox, and Frederick make music while LTJ6 Orrock gargles. QQ ,iff ligsiiigf lf i Lfjs! If 'D LasT BoaT. Tiizjffi . . . . Q, Ag The ship weighed anchor on May 4, iT had been elmo? nfne years since she had TirsT reporTed Tor duTy in 'he PacITic, She had sTeamed a loT oT miles since Then- mere Than any oTher cruiser in commission, And she had :een mosT oT The Far PaciTic, We had no inkling whaT The TuTure held in sTore. The ship had been reTiTTed To serve as Tlaqship Tor The SevenTh FleeT Commander, buT none oT us knew whaT eTTecT This would have on our operaTions. The SAINT had already seen Two wars and we did noT relish The ThoughT oT a Third. STill, There was a qreaT deal oT clamor Trom Peipino and Moscow which did noT bode well Tor The world, and as SevenTh l3leeT Tlaqship we knew ThaT we were bound To be implicaTed.