St Louis (CL 49) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 14 text:

Captain Griggs, message to the ofhcers and Crew of the 4'Lucky Louf' as she completes her Wartime cruise. All who have served aboard the 'Lucky Lou, are our ship- mates in every sense of the Word. We have lived together, fought together and died together. Our operations have brought us over the far Hung waters of the Pacific. And now that we have seen the setting of the Rising Sun, the gLucky Lou' is about to settle down to a well earned rest. To all hands I wish to extend a sincere and cordial cvvell donei. In commemoration ol' our cruise aboard the 'Lucky Lou,' each member of our ship's company will receive a copy ol' this album. ln the years to come, may it serve as a happy sou- venir and a reminder of our association aboard the U. S. S. St. Louis. I Wish to extend at this time my sincere thanks to all Officers and Crew who have served with me aboard the 'Lucky Lou., May our ship always be the 'Lucky Lou,' lucky in the officers and men who mould her destinyf' I. B. GRIGGS, Cczpzfain, U. S. Navy, Commanding. et ' Z 'Z 1'3 'H112-I- ' ffllfzzaxm, 'WW

Page 13 text:

was participating in the initial bombardment of the island. It was here at Okinawa that the St. Louis remained for sixty-one days, establishing a new naval record, for a single ship in a single oper- ation. For the Lucky Loun hurled more than 27,000 rounds of ammunition at the Nips during this time. Nor were these just ran- dom shots either, for on more than one occasion, both the Army and Navy authorities commended the St. Louis for the accuracy of her gun Ere. One Army officer who later came aboard the St. Louis, stated that 'gif anyone put a dime anyplace on Okinawa, the 'Lucky Lou, would hit it. Although she escaped unscathed from this oper- ation, it was not without a few brushes with Lady Luck. On the morning of her arrival at Okinawa, one torpedo streaked across her bow, and seconds later another went harmlessly by her stern. Nor had the Kamikazes forgotten the g'Lucky Lou. But this time the Nips were the unlucky ones. For .it was while at Okinawa that the St. Louis increased her total of lap planes to twelve, for which she is officially credited. Although one Kamikaze splashed off her star- board bow, it was the only enemy plane that even came close to her. At Okinawa, the luck of the Lucky Lou was not to be denied. For his skill and leadership in guiding the St. Louis through this vigor- ous and dangerous campaign, Captain I. B. Griggs, USN, her commanding officer, has received the Silver Star and the Legion of Merit. Iust prior to the setting of the Rising Sun on August 15, 1945, the St. Louis had been engaged in a vast mine sweeping operation of the East China Sea with units of the Seventh Fleet. This duty later en- abled her to proceed to the far flung reaches of the Pacific, even up the treacherous, current Hlled waters of the Wangpoo River to Shanghai, China, itself. After covering the Allied occupation of that city, the Lucky Loui' was then dispatched to lead the first Ameri- can-Chinese amphibious operation to F ormosa. Here the command- ing officer of the Lucky Lou received the surrender of that famous Iapanese citadel. Stealthily passing through the numerous mine fields outside this harbor, the St. Louis led the first American war- ships to enterthese waters in twenty-five years. Formosa was the last of the Lucky Louis wartime operations. For upon the completion of this mission, she was detached from fur- ther service in the Pacific. But upon her arrival at Guam on her way to the West Coast, these orders were cancelled, and the St. Louis was assigned further duty with the Magic Carpet Fleet. Since receiving this assignment, the Lucky Lou has returned many hundreds of veterans from the various theaters of war. She has sailed from San Francisco to the Russell Islands, Guadalcanal, Espirito Santo, and Samoa. Upon her arrival on the West Coast on Ianuary 23rd she will have completed her second Magic Carpet trip to Guam, covering a distance of more than 75,000 miles since she left Long Beach, Cali- fornia, on February 23, 1945. Within a few days after debarking her last passengers, the Lucky Lou will sail on February 7, 1946, for Philadelphia on the East Coast. Upon her arrival there she will take her well earned rest in a reserve status with the Atlantic Fleet. 1 Thus ends the saga of the Lady known as Lou--the Lucky Lou. May her luck never run out. And may she always be lucky in the Officers and Crew who mould her destiny. .-'.-f--..,.-...-.....-.u::'.- - f f 'L.A...-.....-L.--..-.... .. - t::::.-,.. . . -..... 5 -X -- , . , X Vv .,.. .... Q

Page 15 text:

HEADS OF DEPARTAMENTS Standing, left to right COMMANDER H. I. ISLEV-PETERSEN, Engz'nee1'z'ng Ojieer LT. CIVIDR. L. F. TETER, USNR, Senior Medical Ofieer LT. CMDR. F. E. CLARK, USN, N6ZU1.g'6lZ07' LT. CMDR. E. P. BONNER, USN, Gunnery Officer LT. CMDR. E. L. CGNANT, USN, First Lieutenant LT. CMDR. A. W. MANN, USN, Supply Ojieer LT. E. L. HOULIHAN, USNR, Communierzzions OWC67' . I. Y,.,:, .,,.,..,,f. .-xv., , A . aww - - CAPTAIN I. B. GRIGGS, USN Conafnandzng Ojfeer COMMANDER A. I. SMITH, USN Executive Ojfeer