Saratoga (CV 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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I B E l by tanamg ig p anes aboard as welt as her own--many long after dark One week later, in the dangerous waters off the Solomons another sub- margt Ie fired a salvo of torpedoes at the urzsuo I ting Sara Une h1t the star- boar 4 or I 1, rter with a dull exploslon and caused extensive damage to the engi- neering system and electrical circuits lt was tust after sunrise- the men had left thelr general quarters statrons F or- tunately no one was kllled but the shlp was crlppled badly and she soon lay dead ln the water whlle eng1neers worked frantlcally below decks trylng to reparr the damage The crulser Mmneapolls came along- slde and proceeded to tow The Old Lady untll power was re-establlshed Next day a tug took over the task and towed her toward the Tonga lslands For several days Sara lay at anchor ln Tongatabu s Nukualofa Harbor where flotatlon compartments were flooded to grve her a port llst Wlth the starboard srde elevated 1t was possrble to make a complete lnspectlon of under- water hull damage After temporary re- palrs had been made she returned to Pearl Harbor Navy Yard SARA WITH A 9V2 DEGREE LIST AT TONGATABIU fsgjgta I , A 355136 .r.. i Y,jQ ' Eg'XfA ,Lt j f ' nf Q, A -5 WHILE REPAIRING DAMAGE FROM TORPEDO HIT I I I I I I ' I I 1 I I I I I I ' I EMS , I I I I . - 0 I . I I I QYX 'Y :s,9c I , , 'T N ,W I l I ' I h an he va L I Il I ll I I I . . , , I X X X X X X X X XX XX XX X X Iv Y

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' 'T' ' 'ihjzg . , ' . : Onyxxx - - 4 SOUTH OF CAPE ESPERANCE, GU ADALCANAL, 7 NOVEMBER I942

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W My Until Sara's men poured ashore on liberty at Tongatabu, the islands were unspoiled by the traffic of commerce. But the shrewd native traders soon learned the value of U. S. currency. Presently it was one dollah or five dollah for every sort of Polynesian gim-crack. One sailor, coveting an especially handsome string of native beads, produced an old pipe which he offered in exchange CAmerican cur- rency had soon been exhausted at the exorbitant prices being askedl. This pipe belonged to the president of the United States, said the Yankee trader. A few days later, when the ship was on the way back to Pearl, another Sara- man produced the same pipe and ex- claimed, This pipe belonged to the King of Tongatabul CAnd speaking of royalty: the native queen had taken to ifflf .- IQ -1' -st 'Qi,'gT ' I ,M N 51 ' T .- A r . ' - T ft r ii. . the hills, with all the island beauties in tow, when the ship stood into the har- borl. While in the Navy Yard, Captain De- Witt C. Ramsey was advanced to Bear Admiral, but retained his flag aboard. Captain Gerald P. Bogan became the new skipper. Slightly over a month was required in the Yard and in November she was once more ordered to return to the South Pacific. Enroute Sara stopped at Nandi, Vita Levu lsland in the Pijis, for several days before continuing to the Solomons. ln Nandi, the light cruiser San luan re- ported for duty with her. Early in December, Sara reached Noumea, New Caledonia, headquar- ters of Admiral l-lalsey, and the air group was temporarily detached for a few days' duty at Tontouta air strip. During the next six months, she pa- trolled the waters of the Southwest Pa- cific, keeping open the supply line to Australia. Por several months, she was the only serviceable carrier we had left. Intermittent attacks were launched against Munda airfield, Kolombangara lsland, and the lndispensable Reefs. Most of these strikes were diversionary missions to cripple Iapanese installa- tions and prevent any attack in force on our newly-won South Pacific bases. While operating in and out of the har- bor at Noumea, Sara and the San Iuan established recreation ashore. Ducos Cove was levelled, scrapped, and re- named the Sara-Iuan Beach Park. Ath- letic fields were built and clubs were erected for the officers and men. Excel- lent barbecue pits provided the locale for many a division steak fry or beer bust that rivalled peacetime picnics in the states. ln May, l943, Sara was joined by l-l.M.S. Victorious-first British carrier to arrive in the Pacific theater.-This pleas- ant association was continued through lune and Iuly with an impressive array of battleships, cruisers and destroyers supplementing the two carriers in pa- trol operations in enemy territory. When the Victorious left for a British port in late Iuly, Sara left Noumea and proceeded to Espiritu Santo, via Efate. Air Group Twelve replaced Air Group Three, and Captain Henry M. Mullinix, who had been promoted to Bear Ad- miral, was relieved of command by Captain lohn H. Cassady.