Shannon (DM 25) - Naval Cruise Book

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xx ii, so I jk ,K ,K if ,K 7' it llllllkllllllllmmmiv C Af t . Y Y , l, f 5,1 I X . K ff ,.,wwwlllllwwwwlillii ,ffl , , V s T e Q K iluitmuilimullwlllmuuillnmmulumumu1llllilllilllillxiltwillilulinfillilwtltili--1ur fi I ll-Q i i x 1 ff- -. f t mission against' the enemy, equipped her that life might be as g'f.,,,-f 4 7 comfortable as is possible aboard a can, and filled her tanks with SX X f f fuel that life blood might flow through her veins. During the next two months, each man had a part in preparing the ship for her coming tasks. To celebrate the ship's completion and the crew's departure, a real Maine clambake was held. Beer, lobsters, beer, clams, beer, roast corn, and beer headed the beer of fare . An orchestra hired at the last minute, when the party was forced indoors by rain, and uninterrupted singing around the piano provided the entertainment. ' The next day the Shannon, with a rousing send-off of band music and the well-wishing cheers of townspeople and workers, left on her maiden voyage-a four-hour trip to Boston. -i-l-- W'hile the nucleus crew worked with the ship and en- joyed Maine's hospitality, the balance crew assembled in Norfolk. There through unforgettable weeks in the quonset huts, men, most of whom were new to Navy life, were ex- posed to a training program, their shipmates and officers. Under the able tutelage of the Executive Officer, the crew was formed and organized and each man was readied to do his part aboard the Shannon. Each day the crew was broken into groups for assigned studies at machinist mates, signal, sonar attack teacher and other schools. Other training took them to the boat shed for seamanship, one of the swimming pools for tests and water safety classes, the mock five-inch battery for gun drills or the athletic Held for calisthenics. Captain's inspection was held on the parade grounds every Saturday, Special groups, such as radarmen, attended training classes at other schools along the Liberty was granted frequently, but Norfolk lived up to its reputation of inadequate facilities, probably due to the burden imposed by the great number of service personnel in the area. Many sought refuge in Virginia Beach, but found the situation little better. VVith a sigh of relief, the crew bid Norfolk goodbye and en- trained for Boston, August 29, There they were quartered in the Fargo Building while waiting for the ship to arrive from Bath. The final move took them aboard their wartime home the morning of the commissioning, September Sth. There were, it seemed, a million things to do and practically no time in which to do them. Time was precious-every warship had a fighting job to do. For the most part the men did not mind the work, since much of it was new and interesting. Wlien it was done for the day, good liberty was available. Most of the crew liked Boston and found entertainment plentiful. A ship's party was held September 23rd at Convention Hall, Plenty of refreshments- both solid and liquid-plenty of girls and plenty of dancing were enough to make any sailor happy. Perhaps this party was not as boisterous as the Bath clam bake, but everyone enjoyed himself. ---i--- The next three weeks were spent in fitting out the ship, training, and indulging in those last few days of liberty before going to war. Ammunition, stores, and odds and ends of equipment were loaded aboard. New equipment was added and many alterations made. Tests had to be run and adjustments East Coast. effected. 4 e fe- ig Q 1 1 ,ii ' 4.7-12-T K ii 7773 . T ' ' sET fl for for' : I X 1 , U 'YALE A fx ff .VI n df'if': n ii Q L it ' Q- f If ' i - - ' e ' I .. I T ' ' ' ' C ff l Q-' 1 lag li' wif .'?'i ,Nag 1 : if F r U V K , f f f Or 'D 2 A i isvhf, ', .,..a..h, , .Alai I Y r U r i I' t f 3:41, ,Dx A X I -O. 24 - s 4-A-sf- . r r -. , if ,-, - .ff'-mesa 'fs-M , . - f r-. - ,.f :5l, we ff 'f's1'-f:fm:fv.:.'f-'. '- Fifa ?f'vr'f4 3':'i4 , 41127 -.pjffwfiikf g,,f-,s,e,j ..2 'q.'. Q Q ----'rf D P'-5,Q.......,, ' ,,,.. - I ' 'Him it - --iQ ' ' ii, w aa - 6 1 'Y 7 - 's K ,-k,.- fx fic '- -i-tvs.. ... . -5 - '49-Ss.Ll'eY --5N s --df? is 5 'wg' u -a- , .. X ka - 5' f!z J -0-,QA A f - On September 28, the Shannon began its first period of sea duty as she got underway for Bermuda and the drudgery of shakedown. The trip was uneventful and we arrived in good time, September 30. Upon entering Bermuda Harbor we re- ported to the Shakedown Group Commander and new duties began. Three weeks were spent in and around Bermuda operating on a schedule crowded with exercises and drills that included anti-submarine exercises with tame su.bs, anti-aircraft track- ing drills and firing runs with friendly planes as targets, tactical maneuvers in company with other ships on shakedown, mock shore bombardment runs with all the accompanying problems, signal drills, fighter direction exercises, battle and damage control problems, Fire and rescue drills, plane rescue drills, radar exercises, radio drills, and main battery bring exercises. There were drills for every department, every gang, and every man. During one of the exercises, an enemy submarine was re- ported some fifty miles south of Bermuda. All the destroyers and destroyer-type ships in the immediate area were sent to aid in the hunt for that sub, but through a lack of early co- ordination of the attack, he got away. Only a day after this first alarm, an enemy sub was sighted by a plane about one hundred miles northwest ofthe islands. The Shannon was immediately sent, in company with several other ships, to assist in the attack. But contact was never made. On several of our short stays in the harbor the crew was given liberty ashore. Most of the men headed for Hamilton, the largest city in the islands. Entertainment facilities were limited, but there was plenty of sightseeing and shopping to be done. Bermuda is unusually picturesque with its rolling hills, narrow, winding roads, beautiful beaches, colorful homes, horses, buggies, bicycles, and interesting people. The other highlight of liberty was the shops and their goods for sale. lmported English woolens were the largest item of purchase nith Planters Punch a close second! 33

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LAUNCHING , s, - : 5 1391: A - X 1f:.r1:.. 1645, JUNE 24,1944 , se DOWN TO THE SEA! Official US. Navy Plmfografvlz The keel of a then unnamed Sumner class destroyer was laid in January, 1944, at the Bath lron Wforks, Bath, Maine. For six long months, work progressed at top speed, day and night, through all kinds of weather until, on june 24, 19-l-1, a ship stood poised and ready for her baptismal plunge into the waters of the Kennebec River. On that sunny afternoon, as the men and women who built this trim hull number 238 looked on, the sponsor christened the ship in honor of her husband, the late Col, Harold Douglas Shannon, USMC. After the USS Shannon CDD 7371 had been launched, she was moored alongside the dock, Where her superstructure and armament were to be added and her fittings installed, The Shannon's destiny, however, was soon changed when her designation became light-minelaycr-DM 25. That meant a change in armament and complement, and most important of all, a change in prospective duty. SPONSOR, MRS. HAROLD D. SHANNON Uff1't'1't1l t'..S'. .X'trr'y l'lmlnff1'11l1l1 9. ,gf-. In Juibrtlie -first of the nucleus crew arrived. Each 1112111 b1'0USl1f Wlth lmn doubts and questions, for all had heard that their-ship was now a minelayer, not the destroyer theylhad anticipated. lint soon they agreed that their ship was still H tm -can-a destroyer that had .been chosen for a special m1ss1O11 which should in time attord much excitement. ,Of 3111109 Cflual importance, were their doubts about Buathi F1-11959, ll0WCver, were soon dispelled lor the men were FCCGNU WIU1 019011 211'1ns and lound a town ready to show them 501119 of the best liberty available anywhere. U ,A day 3ftCl' the crew's arrival, their critical eyes scoured the Shannon as she lay alongside the doch- at the time only a hull. 11121111 deck, and partial superstructure. Yard workers. both Wen and Wfmllcnz scrambled about the Silil3 '-i7lll'llillg'- Xwiiiillg- flvetmg' C0VQ '9' Hwilltl the Shannon the graceful lines and potency.0f hcl' Class- TINY flfldvd guns that she might sting, welded filme tI'Z1CiiS that she might carry out her deadly and highly specialized 32 ti

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Upon eotnpletton -it i' the L'Xet't'lsL' l'l'lil 'l- several inspeetiotts ill were ntade lllillililllllll ll, ' f' ing the l'k'iltlllll'SS HI il C3 X, the Shannon for eoni, t 'i' 122' bat duty. XYe lYllS5Wl l ir, witlt a high score and ,lt if flying colors, t he highlight being the receipt of the Navy lf for the excellent ' U N , score tallied by our U l-illlll L gunners in Mount Three. Two days before our scheduled departure, we were given special orders and detached to carry them out. lf or a day and a half We steamed at thirty knots to overtake a large convoy bound for the States and deliver war .ballots. During the trip we made our full power run and tests on emergency maneu- vers, such as the time required to back down full from lull ahead. Witli our mission completed, we steamed leisurely into Hampton Roads and on to the Mine Depot at Yorktown, Yir- ginia, where we were royally welcomed by the local ranking officers and a band. VVe loaded mines the next day and lett for the last phase of our Shakedown. Near Bloodsworth Island in Chesapeake Hay and along the Atlantic Coast of Virginia we conducted day and night mining exercises and bombardment operations. yVhen these had been completed, We returned to Yorktown for another, and this time, a full load of mines and proceeded out to sea to look for tr .vformf The plan was to conduct a structural test of the mine tracks and gear. For four days we steamed off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in an area that was soon nick-named Shannon Square. llut not a breath of wind could be found. hveryone was certain Across the Continental Divide-Cucaracha Reach, Panama Canal THROUGH THE BIG DITCHH Z On November 27 the Shannon moored at Cristobal, Canal one. Half the crew was granted liberty which was spent there and tn Colon, the older section of the port, The next day, during our transit of the Canal, the traditional field day was held, taking advantage of the fresh water to wash down and flush out the ship. But everyone took time out to see the sights and wonders the Big Ditch offers. 'AS we moved through the various lakes and locks, Ens. SISVQ-i't?CH, who had lived in Panama four years, and the EXCCUtIVC'Off1CCF drew attention to the points of interest and, via the sh1p's pu.blic address system, described the scenes and gavesome of the history of the country and the Canal. ln the evening we anchored in the harbor at Balboa, where libertv was granted the next morning. ' The Shannon was in the Pacific! At noon we left for San Pedro, California, this time with only the New York Nevada, 'md Smith Except for '1 short mission of reconnaissance, the trip was uneventful We u rtved tn los Angeles Harbor December 9 For two days we had liberty in l ong Beach I os Angeles md Hollywood, giving us a chance to see the land of movie sttrs visit their homes that tlio-ve four dats were the eahnest in the histor- W ' of . llattetas sltrttll-1. y Cave XX1- eould wait no longer for that tickle femme Moth Nature, as our .tyadalnlny had already been scheduled Af er unloading our tnines at Yorktown, we put into Norfolk Nter lard, l'--rtr-.tnotttli ' avy llutiniq the ayailahility period, front November 8 to 20 half the crew at at tinn' was eixen four days leave. Most oif the inen were aldt' In visit their hontes while tht: less fortunate visited cities alone the roast. WESTWARD TO WAR tin Novetnher ll the Shannon got underway in company with the New York tllll .4-ll, Nevarla tlil336j, Tuscaloosa awmrl, 1t.,t,t-it n. satin. ttinzai, ami Lmtt tDD703J eil- route to l':tn:tnta on the lirst leg cull our voyage tg the fm-lward areas of the l'aeilie, 'lihis tiine as we passed eontrary Cape Hatteras we en- eountered one of the worst storms the Shannon has ever seen, A-Xt its lteithltt. contact was made on an unidentified ship, which the Shannon was ordered to investigate. To effect this We had to run broadside to the sea and took the worst it had to offer. lfor ahnost half an hour the ship rolled in the neighborhood of fifty degrees tand that ain't cradle-likel. On the fourth day out one of the Tuscaloosa's planes was badly tlaniaeed while being recovered after a routine flight. Since the Shannon was on plane guard duty, we had to rescue the pilot and radioinan and sink the plane, whiclt had capsized. That gave us an interesting' and exciting few minutes. Although officially the Zjrd, Thanksgiving was celebrated on boardthe Shannon November 23. lts observation had been delayed until the weather calmed down enough for everyone to enjoy the turkey. The date did not matter for this was a real meal and would have been enjoyed at anytime. Bauer and Fraser in Miraflores Locks ' FOV the HCM Clglll flklvs we conducted shore bombardment and anti-aircraft exercises otl' San Clemente Island, wllllf escorting battleships in a refresher training progfalll- On December 19 and 20 the Shannon was moored.at the repatrbasc at San Diego, undergoing last tninute retlalf? 2114 provisioning. During this time everyone enjoyed his last liberty in the States and made his last 'phone calls home. At 1600 December 20 the Shannon turned her stern to-lHH,d and headed west for tlte rttn to Pearl lrlarbor. Evefl' Salloks heart and mind was far from the sea and war. Lumps rose-In malllt' llll'02llS as the United States and last physical ties wltll home tllS?1Dpeared in the tnist and distance. n , But nostalgia and loneliness soon gave wav to anticlpalfon Olf the excttetnent and adventure that lziy ahead.iVVe were getting coser to tnetnbershtp on the first team, XVe were F935 and at last off to Wm-U YV?-Iltatl left in company with the 'llll0lll2lS E. Fraser tDM243 alll 'UTY F- lmlwl' fluhlzfll, The next dav we rendezvouse Wllll the ,General R if C'1ll'tu time lgoj and General E L- t ins tl A l l7l for nu tuo t plt tstnt tonyoy duty esC0f no shllllolflq Of lllelll ntnst to llono u ul nstmas Day tl lVVllktl warm bright uid clear on an en must of blut tl I Ct 1-iqtma cerful 1 pt ssl ul l lx M Running of A I hom idt wis held on the b09-lf C Owul ln l lllltlt tttrkty ind hun dint it . , f . c - . , 1 - ' - 1 -1 ' , . . , Ch 2 , K - ,, , , dless . ' .4 ' J . ' j ' t - . . , . ' .. i 1 - , A . . 'V Y 1' - . 'nc' Q f s . E OCQHI1' It yy: I- , , ,I ' . x . S 85 and sunny California. A few men were fortunate enough to A yvell MTC, Jqllcflfol 'l lmlwl' Ol Smlors aww from deg? ' ' f ' l lt'Cl SCVVIQC . ' - ft 1 ' ' -' full - Y - K, . '- ' ' A It 1' ter. s 34 , F545 c