Soley (DD 707) - Naval Cruise Book

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I TUR In December of 1945 Soley was ordered to Yokosuka, Japan, for duty with the occupation forces. In February 1946 she started home - and fourteen months later was decommissioned inChar- Ieston, S.C. On January 5, 1949, the Chief of Naval Op- erations ordered Soley to be reactivated as a test case based on simulated war conditions. Twenty- four days later she had a captain, a crew, and was back in the fleet. Her greatest honor duty was in representing the United States at the funeral of King Gustavus V of Sweden in November 1950. She entered Stockholm carrying Commander in Chief, U. S. Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, RADM Walter F. Boone, USN, part of his staff, the Marine Guard and a Navy band. Next there was Korea. On May l5, 1952 -a day not unknown to many of her present crew- Soley got underway for Yokosuka, Japan. When Task Force 77 launched big strikes against North Korean hydro-electricplants in late June of 1952, Soley was there. And on July 1, in company with the cruiser Helena, she moved up to the Bomb- Iine for shore bombardment su port of our troops. Herfirst shot in action was firedaon the 2nd of July against a supply area near Kosong, Korea. In a few short days she fired 876 rounds from her mflln battery and before the action was over provided shore bombardment support from Hungnam to Cheio. On August 5, 1952, while with Task Force 95, Soley sighted foursampans with white flags waving, thirty-one North Koreans were taken aboard. In the next four da s thirty more persons joined this number. In micflOctober of 1952 Soley departed for home. Her next log entries begin on January 4, 1954 and formthe story which this book attempts to tell.

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SHIP' Aurhoritier wil! my tho! Soiey is o 692 class, shorfholl, dmtioyvr - which means in non-techni- c:oI terms me I1 Ihingn on vhot the ship stretches out in the won-i 376Ier-1, bulge: AI feet or her beam, weigh: in of 2,700 tom, hon o bundoy punch of six 5 inch guns, six 3 inch guns and five Iorpedoes, ond thot her engines con If ick up 60,000 horsepower. Bm 10 ihv tinccm :.oiIor who mons hershe is rnore1I1oniu:i1o:,c-1 UI amiigiicz in JANFS FIGHT- ING SHIPS. She in cz hirriory ondc Yrodiiion. Tho! Irodifion con be I-.nown by Innowingfhe men in her crew, for it in olive in eoch one offhem. AndherI1i:Jory, the hiznoiy of o good ship, conbe Ifnown through the :ihip':, log. U. 5. 5. fnoley wot, huili by the FederoI Ship- building ond Ury Doc I1 Company, Keofny, New Jersey , named for rhif, rmi,rn1:y'u Ii's1 Aasisfoni Sec- retory of the Navy, Ihe Honorable .Iomes RusseII Sfdluy, cmd IoUnr3Iwd on I-vpirgnrliez 8, I944. On I'oIwruory IE, I945 -.Iw reporfvd of N0rIOIIi Ior her Ilia? dufy Ll'i'iIIJlIfY1f'HIf fry nerve by frtlining rccruiiu I0 Imcurrw Iingon aoilorf-. The ship WGS COnerrr1C'r'1fIf'd for Ihr' 0-u'II1-nt iuh 1-INC' CIICI, Gnd IIS WOIIIW vvC1',r'rr0vpfII-Y php rnqjny fiQI0y-IIUIDQCI sailors ?Iwc11mC1rmPcI Ihr- iIri'.troyrr-. thu! IOLQQIII C19 Okinowv Und in IIw Imvr I'nHIv-. ww IIN' IQOCI 'O IOIKYO- SUII-y Iw r',r-II -.1-vrm'r'I rIt iIIm'rI Im action WITCI7 on Iunr- 79, I'r 1I'I1 -,hr wus relieved os lroining ship, ZIV' -,milf-fI Im The I uriIig IIWEOIYE. Orirwufri Irurrm IIr1IIrr x1, C., r1m'mI fone, to bun M990- JUPUVI CHIIIIIIIUIPQI, IIHI iruIf7y !.Ii'Om0CI OH Gnd was QIVNIG '- Yiwu HMI 09 I--i.vauif- Island in the EOSIBIP CUHT'I5f1u'., IUI' IvrqC,I1Uvi1f'frI rfcvrying ouHheisIof1CI5 U f'f0fIl'Y , iI'r cIISf!1rnu-ru-vw' UMA IIN? S-GIIIVTQ up ofa rmIoIc11y grfvvrrrrrimri Igyipr nh? CQOHIPCI Jop0v10S'v chmgr-LIwifI-rrrhr-1iIivs,9frLwujulein A?0II IO' W' Iriola.

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To all llllllllri - Each of us on the Soley has been given one ul the most pleasant challenges a man may encounter during his liletime - to be one ofa small crew to steam a ship around the won ld. Steel and steam are exploited to accomplish this but to the man an the helm, tothe mantending boiler burners, to the men scanning the ro- dar scope belongs the true credit. It is onthe nerves and mind and sinews ofthe tincan sailor that his ship is brought across the world's great seas. Having met and overcome this challenge is o deed al which each one of us should be iustly proud. And for you men with year, gl Cruises showing through your hashmarlcs additional credit is due lor your efforts during the pasteight months in helping to shape the less experienced man to the tasks of the sea. CQCIWMMANIYIYNIIZZ CYTICIR