Saint Paul (CA 73) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 15 text:

' ' ' defame 4,7 me ass sam U.S.S. SAINT PAUL is one of eight BALTIMORE class heavy cruisers. Her main battery consists of nine eight-inch guns in three turrets. A secondary battery of twelve five-inch dual purpose guns, in pairs, and a light anti-aircraft battery of ten three-inch twin mounts compose the remaining armament. 4 The keel was laid for SAINT PAUL on 3 February, 1943, after being ordered from the Bethlehem Steel Company in September, 1940. She displaces 17,660 tons, is 673 feet in length and has a beam of 71 feet. Her top speed is approximately 32 knots I'Ier launching on 16 September, 1944, at Quincy, Massachusetts, was the beginning of SAINT PAUL's career. After being christened by Mrs. John A. McDonough, wife of the mayor of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, she was hrst commanded by Captain EH. Heimburg, USN, of Marinett, Wisconsin. From 17 February, 1945, to S December, 1945, this second fully commissioned ship of the fleet to bear the name of SAINT PAUL was under the command of Captain Von Irleimburg. Following a shakedown cruise to the Caribbean, SAINT PAUL left Boston for the Pacific on 15 May, 1945, where she has operated continuously. The final salvo of the last major Naval unit on the islands of Japan was fired by SAINT PAUL on 9 August, 1945. On 26 August, 1945, ' she steamed into Sagami Bay at battle stations, caused by a cessation of hostilities, to take part in the preparatory functions for the surrender of the Imperial japanese Navy. Irler brief but active World War II career was climaxed when she entered Tokyo Bay to participate in surrender ceremonies. At the outbreak of the Korean conflict, SAINT PAUL was ready. The midshipmen aboard for a training cruise were disembarked and she was on her way again to the western Pacific. As flagship of Cruiser Division ONE, her hrst assignment in the Korean War was in the Formosa Straits as part of Admiral T.II. I.linford's Formosa Patrol. Entering the Korean fray two months later, the cruiser operated with Task Force 77 prior to giving the Republic of Korea Capital Division's drive to Chongjin gunhre support. Irler round-the-clock bombardment, despite heavy weather, provided a smooth advance for the ROK. Steaming into Wonsan with the Chinese Red's assault in December SAINT PAUL commenced bombardment of key road junctions and targets on the out- skirts of the city. While Navy ships evacuated U.N. personnel and equipment from the city. SAINT PAUL provided protection. After this operation, the cruiser gave aid with other United Nations ships in the evacuation of I-Iungnan. Without the support of SAINT PAUL and other cruisers, the I-lungnan evacuation, compared with another Dunkirk, could not have been possible. For twelve days and nights she and companion ships held the Reds While the amphibious forces were pulling a landing in reverse . Christmas eve, 1950, SAINT PAUL withdrew from the blazing waterfront of Irlungnan, the last U.N. ship to leave the harbor. In january, 1951, SAINT PAUL again went into actiong this time covering thc re-entry of U.N. forces into Inchon. Shore batteries from enemy held Wolmi Island, scene of the previous September's amphibious landing, took the cruiser under fire on several occasions, but SAINT PAUL, with the help of other U.N. ships, silenced the batteries before any damage could be done to the ships. SAINT PAUL continued to furnish gunfire support on the west coast during February and March until U.N. troops drove their way North of the Ilan River. During this period the ship operated 62 days without going into port. Late in March, SAINT PAUL returned to the east coast of Korea to blast enemy transportation routes and communications in the vicinity of lfVonsan, Songjin. and Chongjin. At WVonsan, she drew heavy gunfire from gun emplacements located on the peninsula of Kalma Gak No hits were sustained by the cruiser, although she was straddled by high explosive projectiles. Later, as flagship of a task force commanded by Rear Admiral R.H, I-Iillenketer, she participated in a commando raid which in British Royal Marines blasted a section of the main North'South rail line on the east coast of North Korea. SAINT PAUL had been in Korean waters for over 9 months when she returned to her home port of Long Beach in May 1951. In traveling 34,441 miles she had hred a total of 27,616 rounds of eight and hve- inch ammunition against the Communist forces in Korea. Several days later SAINT PAUL entered San Francisco Naval Shipyard for a complete overhaul. The overhaul included replacing 40 MM anti-aircraft batteries with three-inch anti-aircraft guns, and replacing all the eight-inch gun barrels which had been worn smooth. On 5 November 1951, SAINT PAUL commenced her second Korean combat cruise. She arrived in the Far East late in November and fired her first salvo into the Wonsan area early in the morning of 27 November. During the following week SAINT PAUL moved north along the east coast, bombarding such strategic points as I-Iungnan, Songjin and Chongjin. During December SAINT PAUL divided her time engaging in bombard- ment activities, both on the bombline and up and down the coast of North Korea, and serving as anti-aircraft escort to the fast carrier Task Force 77. SAINT PAUL spent Christmas Day 1951, on the bombline giving gunfire support to the U.N. front line troops. SAINT PAUL laid down an intensified shore bombardment screen to occupy the Reds so that they wouldn't spoil Allied frontline activities. SAINT PAUL returned to a Long Beach pier on 24 june, 1952, to begin a period of repairs, rest, and recreation for the crew after eight months in the Far East. Since her departure from Long Beach the previous November, SAINT PAUL had traveled more than 60,000 miles and fired more than 16,000 rounds of ammunition on Communist targets. SAINT PAUL departed from the U.S. on 28 February 1953, enroute to fast carrier Task Force 77 via Pearl Harbor, T.H., and Yokosuka, japan. First action of this cruise came on April Fools Day when SAINT PAUL made a gunstrike on the vital rail supply lines near Songjin, in North Korea. Spending a week with Task Force 77 off Korea's east coast, SAINT PAUL went to the British Crown Colony of I-long Kong, where her crew took a weekls rest and saw the port. During the last half of April and the months of May and june, SAINT PAUL steamed along North Korea's East coast, providing direct gunfire support for Republic of Korea troops on the front lines, bombarding Red bunkers, supply installations, gun positions, troop concentrations and supply lines. SAINT PAUL entered the blockaded Wonsan several times to fire on coastal defense guns, drawing Hre from shore batteries nearly each time she entered the harbor. In june SAINT PAUL participated in the Anchor Hill battle which lasted for two months, with ROK and Communist troops fighting for the heights. SAINT PAUL, and other units of the United Nations Fleet, fired high explosive shells into the mountain 24 hours a day. During this period SAINT PAUL's helicopter and medical department were busy, rescuing several Air Force and Task Force 77 pilots who were forced to ditch their planes into the ocean. Injuries of the downed pilots, wounded ROK soldiers engaged in activities in North Korea, and sailors from U.S. destroyers, U.S.S. IRWIN and ROWAN, who had been wounded when their ships were hit by enemy shore batteries in Wonsan harbor, Were treated by the cruiser's medical department. SAINT PAULIs only direct hit of the Korean Conflict came on 11 July, from Red shore batteries in Wonsan. The hit, on a three-inch anti-aircraft mount, was one of approximately 50 rounds fired by Communist guns at the cruiser that day. No personnel casualties were sustained. On 27 july SAINT PAUL conducted her last gunstrike of the Korean Conflict. Approximately two minutes before Lieutenant General William K. Ilarrison signed the first truce document SAINT PAUL hred the final shell from a United Nations naval unit. . After the armistice signing SAINT PAUL returned to Yokosuka, japan, lor several days before beginning a two week operating period with Task Force 773 patrolling off the east coast of Korea. SAINT PAUL then started home to Long Beach. completing six and a months and a 50,000 mile journey. Two months in Long Beach and then a three and a half month periodic over- haul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard followed. War formed only a small part of the SAINT's 1954 tour in the Far East. SAINT PAUL made good will calls on several of the smaller, seldomfvisited ports in Japan. In Beppu, Toyama, Hakodate, Kure, Hiroshima, and Yokohama

Page 14 text:

,QL 14 , ,., ,wg . 1- , .3 af- Aw i Q ' A .Ir . fa sa f 4.1113 ,, Q H, f -fagsiiii 1 4?'fTqf.E ,J . iff: ' ' ii . '-f'1- Q' , . . , .A - fs 'lf . 3:5 -. .- :UP-i 1- . , ' - -1. -L, ' Rfsff -',1:.1-1v-:a',- -' fx, , ' ' ' .H .. ,Q 5 ' r 1 , -- QS:-tfv . ,V 2 V. ' 1 fu 714-'LA L f 'fa-. . 13559, si!-V ' ffl Qkeffflkfff Cer! -Q? - 4' 'iff' ' W., -43362. - V ,S 5 'KL ,,, - - .wif sf , , ..,V,, ,X ,.,, V , , A ff! - H 2f Q'?i., ..1 ,, ',u'. ,.-r- ' ,VAS 52 ' 11- J , 1 ,I ' 'fs 'F' - -- V.-. wif., 'r . Mr Ns. , 1+-M45 H 't- 1 1 ' .: fg:,-1-Q' 'yflfll ' -' ,ngvfl A ' ' 1 ,sf I - 1 W, 1, Rv KE' .Lv :- .-1 Q qs .x Hsi- I s me 11, ,sn

Page 16 text:

,, 4 , Q,-3 my I M? x 'N , . , - 0 any f A V , -I K F 5 1.1. . fu, 1 K 17. mr-1,5 -A ,if 553551 mf ,Q 1 N ,-f.-an A 1: , , jf-Q, 1 . 1:,a.annwwHemN,g,am ' 3- , ' 0 191' Af-1 -, 14.10, I - f fl' 1 2 . . ,s ' 'F' -' . ., 15- ' 3' . I 7 'z' . ' , W Ari .K :gf I- Aw. 1 Au. ,: Jwt ' I .fa -W K fgjzffi - AN' nl. w nf v 1.-KL., ' 1-Q , f.,3-A.. , Q, I Q oy. AX :fi I s ,D C 1 A A., in 0. 5 f- ' V t ug., , W A P5 f. ' 4. 3 l 1 2 ,.,Q, N , ' - ,Z ,lj -.. 'F if 4, v ag ,.1'-'.uwQ.:- 1 lk M!