Shannon (DM 25) - Naval Cruise Book

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CAPTAIN WILLIAM GORDON BEECHER, JR.. Um Xyilliillll fiurclou Ilccrlu-1' IDCLIZIII his fxctive and interesting Naval cznn-1-V Q11 Hill. Ho hm wrvcd Ill a variety of duties ailuut and zlshmw-, inclucling muncrqur, commands, which hgwc takm-11 him to tlu- fum' m'm'mrrs ui the Carth. 1-ig was burn january IU, NH4, in Hfillhnore, Md. After graduating from high 5cImnl, he stuchecl in the Baltimore Polytcclmiq Instituu- until hc znccm,-pu-cl an appointment to tl1c'Nz1v: 1l .'XcucIvmy. Midslxipmzm l:L't'Cl1LTl'.I'l21I'iiCi1lZltCfl in variogs Academy organizations :md znctn-vamp, pnrtlculafly muslc clubs. He was C0!11l11iSSiUllL'fI IQIISIHII 111 ,Iqng-,.l02:1, and was graduated with the ClC.Q,'l'l'l' of Iincln,-lm' 01 Science. TWO wal-5 11111-r, hu and Min Carvilla Brian were married in Baltimore. A clznughlcr, X irg inia, was born to them in 1927, and Ll son, Gordon Loc, in 1932. Ensign Becclmurk first tour uf rluty was aboard the Texas CBB 35J, from which hc was transfcrrccl tolthe Arizona CBB 393. His next ships wa-rc the destroyer Kidder and the l1ig'h-speed minclaycr Roper, the Hcctksganker Neches and the converted .DME M ontgomcry and Slcard. From 193.2 to 1935, he was an instructor at the Academy. His first command was thc dcstroyer-minelayer Pruitt, in which he served three years. Lieut. Beecher was assigned to the Navy Department, VVashiugton, D. C., in 19.38, as Deputy Director of Public Relations. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1940 and ordered to command of the Flusser CDD 3685. Serving with thc Pacific Fleet, the Flusser was at her Pearl , Harbor base when the Japanese attacked December 7, 1941. Commander Beecher returned to the States in 1942 as Deputy Director of Public Relations, and was. promoted, luly 20, 1943, to Captgin. In the summer of 1944, Captain Beecher was ordered tg copmgand Mine Division 7. He brpke F115 pennant Ill the Robert H. Smxfh QDM 235 at her commissioning, August 4, 1944. Wfhile NIIUDIV X was m Pearl Harbor Dl'C1J3.l'1Hg 1Ol' the Iwo Inna operatlon, Captain Beecher shifted his pennant from the Smith to the Shannon. ' . Q ' In the Iwo Jima operation he often served as a Task Group or Task Umt commander, or OTC of groups of slugs 111 Qompllxuentary, movements. He led the minesweeping operations that preceeded landings at Kerama Retto and Okinawa and other actloqs 11? the campaign. Captain Beecher was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal for outstanding leadership and meritorious servlce lll those commands. May 10, 1945, he was relieved as ComiuDiv 7 by Captain Henry Farrow to assume command, a few days later, of Destroyer Squad- ron 53, then a part of the famed Task Force 38, which he led in attacks on the home islands of Japan. DesRon 53 returned to California early in 1946. Captain Beecher reported to the Third Naval District as Director of Public Inform- ation, and later was ordered to the office of the Secretary of the Navy, Navy Department, XVashington, D. C. . One of Captain Slim BCCCIICIJS greatest loves is music. He often performs on the piano and guitar but has gained most of his musxcal prominence as a composer. Two of his best-known popular works are Song of Old Hawaii' and 4'Nimitz and Halsey and Me . His lesser- known, but no less entertaining compositions include many songs about ships, divisions. and squadrons with which he -has been associated. CAPTAIN HENRY FARROW. usN It is quite natural that Henry F3I'I'OXX S interests, from h1S early childhood days, led him to a love of ships and the sea, and eventually into a Naval career. He was born April 24, 1904- in the bustling seaport city of Mobile, Ala., where he grew UP 111 a seafaring environment. Wfhile in high school he worked in the Mobile Shipyards and shortly after graduation, shipped on a tramp steamer. Farrow received an appointment to the Naval Academy. alld in June 1922, was sworn into the Navy as a Plebe. In 1926, E11Sig'11 F211'1'0w was graduated with a degree. He was 3.SSlgU' ed to the USS California QBB 443, and later was transferred to the four-stacker Robert Smith. which took part.1p the Second Nicaraguan Campaign during' the 1927 upr1Sll1g3 n In 1928, 110 beg?-ll a two-and-a-half years tour with th? ZWIQ' t1o11 unit 011 board the battleship New Mexico. Following his promotion to Lieutenant Qjgb in February, 1951 he traveled t0 China fQr two years duty as Gunnery Oflicer aboard the de- stroyer Edsall. He spent a few months at the Naval BHS9, Cffwlfey P. T., before rcturningg to the Naval .-Xcademyi for? post graduate course in general line duties. He was retamed IH napohs another txxo ymr: ae a marine Lllgilletfillg imtru - eut 1111-1 ow xx cnt hunk to sm m l9gl aboard the TUG 93 CCA 375 21 I'11st I xgutunmt and Xsbxstant Damage C Omccr Dl1lll1g, the txxo VL us met before the war he G on bo ud thc Rwlph Tmlbot QDD a90j fu Pxecutxve Office Cl Ins 1110111011011 lmlvlu 1 10-P It Commander Fai' vs Ich he took to Panama for tfallllllg, aftel which the squadl Q11 Wag qplll IT I I I nlmlxqmmd thi in Nt x 'ml ' of In M Mmm lorpedo B L Cm cc tm P I' umella ere he Wqs made Area Commander of PT B t I L s unclu Ins comm md on l tmker for m No 0:1 S am PT opc1at101 'll lmflortantly to the success of ODCIHUOIIS at Tulagl New GCO1r1ld li v Us Sqlalldmn Om! Ind thmuhhout tht Loral ma and con ship iid lgeltgzirlglls service clurmg these opelatlons Iarnow Wm DI011125125'11.1i?v60ii11lSll:1iIIElIillllfllwll mil gxxbmsl 'Jn Ttltsgnglggxg lea d I- uouu ull It IN mpalgffand the Eirgmiufcgf tigfbvilyjjvsl5111SSU21tl1Eii31:g:fdg Tsllxtgkx ijiraxlmich hLl:o1En11uulfcl tlnoug,h hakndmfvm She 1:12 iw' was promoted to Laptaln March 20 194w R l U 1 S-01 Q ll IH ltll ut a ncond Q1 ver tal' dlmeg of Commander Mme Dlwslon Seven QaDtZ1:?VfQElE3Vl1E'EH1 tiflcfzgxssl Mwv IIO 1945 lu moxul xlmnd thm Shannon to aQSl1m ed mmesweepmg ODCFHUOIIQ m the Fwst Chma Sm thc Yellow Sc 1 on m lu Iuwumlu of tht 0k 1W' cmmmlgn and Com 1 surrender of Japan Captain V3.1 row as CFC 523 and 9911101 mmccl rtttmsf In tht Rmb Nl N lk' ut 1 I O' three months after M' tions around northern and westeln Kyushu 'TSUQhlI'l1'1 Strait 'md Qcm11ll3'11:CiJo:T1tm Rmb um dulcud ln tht mmuweepmg Captain Farrow returned wlth his DIVISION to thu Qtitcs Decu I 19 mms I mlmst M Nun dx Xlhed xusels and was ordered to duty on the staff of the Comm'1ndmt Sth Nui' I3lSllll?L1qIX?xhlli3LiNUu1c he M is uhuld In Ldmam Vx N Wythe' 4 UN I lll1N xxluu he Inu mth lm mte and daughiiffa 51 An f I L N , X , ctof Li , 4' - A, W - - V U. - - .CB- , ,K . . n . look K S 4 'J' x J 2 , 5 - OH' tl'Ol , . -' ,- - , ,Z .. 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COMMISSIONING - SEPTEMBER 8, 1944 The Shannon looked new and shiny, and very proud as she lay alongside the dock in the Navy Yard, Boston, on September S, 1944. Having just arrived from the building yard in Bath, Me., she was the scene of much last-minute bustle and preparation. The balance crew came aboard. The ship was given a final touch of spit and polish to make her appearance commensurate with the occasion. At 1500, the officers and crew. uniformed in immaculate whites, fell in on the fantail. An audience of families and friends lined the dock. Captain R. C. Grady, USN CRet.j the Captain of the Yard, Mrs. H. D. Shannon, the ship's sponsor, and the Commissioning Party were piped over the side. The Commanding Officer then reported to the Captain of the Yard that all was in readiness for the Commissioning ceremony. Captain Grady directed that the ship be placed in commission. All hands faced about and saluted as the band played the National Anthem. The National Ensign was hoisted on the flag staff and the Commission Pennant broken at the forepeak. Commander Foster read his orders and assumed command. He then ordered that the first watch be set. Lieut. B. A. Grehan stepped forward and, upon receiving the long-glass, assumed his post as Officer of the Deck. Ensign J. H. Noyes was Junior Officer of the Watch. Captain Grady addressed the crew briefly, complimenting all hands on the fine ship of which they were so fortunate to be a part, and charging every man to maintain the pride and the glory of the name she bears, to faithfully perform any and all duties assigned, and to fight her courageously unto final victory. The Commanding Officer then delivered a congratulatory mes- sage from the Secretary of the Navy, and concluded with the following address: Officers and men of the Shannon: A few minutes ago this vessel was merely an intricate mass of metal and wires. Although she was designed with all the ingenuity available to the Navy Department and built with superb skill and care by the Bath Iron VVorks, she was not yet alive. Her life's blood started singing through her veins as the band played the National An- them, the Colors were hoisted, and the Commission Pen- nant was broken at the mast. At that moment the USS Shannon became the newest ship in commission in the Navy. At that moment you became her officers and crew -her life's blood, for a ship, no matter how well designed or constructed can be no better than the men who man and fight her. VVe are starting out with a nucleus of 'oldtimers', some of whom have seen many years of service in many theatres, and the remainder of you are new to the ways of the sea. You have all completed a period of intensive training and thus have a background for developing the ship's com- pany into a fighting unit, a unit of which you and I and the whole country will be proud if we all pull together with our best efforts toward the common end of combat efficiency. The term combat efficiency covers a large num- ber of fields-the gunnery department defeats the enemy with all available weapons-the 'black gang' provides power and the speed to get us there and keep us where we can dish it out-the communicators provide us, and other ships and units, with vital information which may mean victory or defeat-the repair parties keep us afloat and make repairs to minimize the damage sustained. It has been the subject of many discussions as to which department was the most important. .Let us not argue about it, but accept the fact that all departments are vitally im- portant and interdependent. It is pulling together in har- mony with all we have that produces results. And it is only by preparation through drill and hard work that we can obtain the desired proficiency and team work. Knowl- edge is essential, for 'through knowledge comes sea power'. Know your job-and that of the next man, too. To the old timers I say that, It is your job to impart your knowledge to the new men, but that is not enough-you must con- stantly strive to improve your own knowledge. I am count- ing on you to lead the way by instruction and example'. To the new men I say, 'Learn your job and do it cheer- fully, but you must also prepare yourself to step into the shoes of an oldtimer and be a leader yourself when the time comes'. To all of you I say, 'I am proud to command this fine ship and I am proud to be your commander'. May we all work together to make the USS Shannon a credit to the U. S. Navy and to the name she so proudly bears. The chaplain delivered the invocation, committing and dedicat- ing the Shannon to the Service of God and Country and the Rights of Mankind, and asking Godspeed in her performance of duty. The Shannon was in commission-the newest and proudest ship in the United States Navy. 5

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MINE DIVISION SEVEN The twelve ships of Mine Squadron Three were con- verted in the summer and early fall of 1944, while still being built, from Sumner Class destroyers to light mine layers. Several DM's of the Breese Class. converted from VVorld VVar I four-stack destroyers, were in the active fieet at the time, but future operations called for more DM's with higher speed, a greater capacity mine load, and more fire power-ships which could, in a quick dash under cover of darkness, lay mines in enemy waters and get away before being discovered, or, if discovered, would have enough fire power to protect themselves. Plans for these ships also contemplated their being used to lay drifting mines in the path of an enemy fleet, par- ticularly in a major fleet engagement and in restricted waters. The new DM's were desgned so that in addition to their specialized duties, they would be capable of fulfilling all functions of a destroyer, except torpedo attack. Ships of this type therefore, are actually more versatile than conventional destroyers. MinRon Three was made up of three divisions of four ships each: Min Div 7 DM 23 Robert H. Smith tex-DD 7355 DM 24 Thomas E. Fraser tex-DD736j DM 25 Shannon tex-DD 7375 DM 26 Harry F. Bauer tex-DD738j Min Div 8 DM 27 Adams tex-DD 739D DM 28 Tolman tex-DD 7405 DM 29 Henry A. VViley tex-DD 7495 DM 30 Shea tex-DD 750D Min Div 9 DM 31 J. VVilliam Ditter tex-DD 751D DM 32 Lindsey tex-DD 7713 DM 33 Gwin tex-DD 7725 DM 34 Aaron VVard tex-DD 7735 The squadron commander Calso Commander MinDiv 91 was Captain A. M. Townsend, USN, in the Gwin. Captain H. J. Armstrong, USN, in the VViley, command- ed MinDiv 8. MinDiv 7, when first formed, was commanded by Captain VV. Gordon Beecher, USN, with the Smith as his fiagship. Wliile in Pearl Harbor in January, 1945, he shifted his pennant to the Shannon, where it remained until long after the division's return to the States, in 1946. Vtlhen Captain Beecher was given command of Destoyer Squadron 53, in june, 1945, he was relieved as Con1inDiv 7 by Captain Henry Farrow, USN, former skipper of the Smith. Captain Farrow was relieved in December, 1945, by Captain VVilliam N. VVylie, USN, former submarine skipper and holder of the Navy Cross. Owing to the nature of the operations in which we took part, the whole squadron or the division seldom operated as a unit, although, at one time or another during the war, each ship in the squadron operated with every other ship in some capacity and for varied periods of time. The Shannon was in company with ships in Min- Div 7 and with the Wiley more than any others. The ships in MinDiv 7 suffered less damage and fewer casualties than those of the other two divisions, and, by the same token, saw more action because they, with the exception of the Bauer, did not have to be returned to rear areas for repairs. The Bauer's damage was only superficial, but required the attention of more complete repair facilities than were available in the forward areas. Of the other eight ships only the VViley was not dam- aged. This might be attributed to luck or skill but was most likely a combination of both. During the frequent air actions encountered, the batteries of the Division were neither inactive nor inaccurate, accounting for a total of forty-two enemy planes. The Smith shot down eight, the Fraser seven, the Shannon ten plus two destroyed on the ground, and the Bauer fifteen. After the division returned to the States and to the Atlantic Fleet, administrative organization was rear- ranged. MinDiv 7 became MinDiv 2, and the Shea join- ed the division in place of the Smith. Although the original designation and membership of the Division was changed, it lost neither its identity nor its reputation. That, along with the impressive war record of the Squadron as a whole, will live on in the annals oftthe Navy and of History. r'.' '. fi Z iff Q' 'Vi' .J 2' ' 7 'fi'f' ' f ! 'f'f' I I 1, rv' , Alb... H, f fy ,,',, - ,-.1 - 1.0, :I f IJ.-, - J A .H -sf f eff waaaafffmfd f ' , ' I - ' 1 . ig--,.-'f -J fx 1.v ' 751 'Q'MQf,:, f , . Q --' X 'iv nu, 4,345 '- f -Aff gl f' P ,334-A++ 1.-Q 5,1 fi 'V f get 1 :mf f - L fr X. e,4.a-12 ,--lE'. 'Ti C i is -s.e- 7 f- ..- . f ,ig-sexi, .-'vv' by I-LA' Ayr , -- I lf -F? ' -...I - UI! U' - ji f . 3 --g,,f.a- + , 5 N- .. ' 'Wav - Q f-:fg,,gg' Rs,- Q A .I 'E .pf fi -Y HV .- 4 - 14, 1 I., ' - TrQ:A,,aH,.3, i:s - 7 i 14- I - 1' ,f ,. - 1-4-2' 4- ee: ' f 4 , T,i4g.f 1 if gg - 4- f .:T' 1 3 - ns- -Q 7