Wisconsin (BB 64) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 14 text:

1, 1 , gg 3 I f 4 I N 1 fi -E ,Q '41 .4 Q M 1 . 1 Ei . W 'iw H a 'I 1 5 ., 'Y , fi ff a K1 ii .Q is ,. 1 1 2 F gf as if lb 4 1 i I 3 Pg, L, i f ., Y wa ww .u':.:f ' L LL X V-, g xi if wrwfum Q' f.,w 'r f+f,A4. n ,. I wif? I ' . . . ' n ' mu- ' 1 1 w X T .X wif ,X frwlfg K , ,jexf ' 31ff'?, f 9 , f .W RHP 4

Page 13 text:

' 'cz gfdalazq HISTORY OF USS WISCONSIN IBB-641 USS WISCONSIN was launched on 7 December 1943, third of the powerful IOWA-class battleships. After her shakedawn cruise to Trinidad, British West Indies, the WISCONSIN set course on 24 September 1944 for the Pacific war zone. WISCONSIN earned five battle stars and the Asiatic-Pacific area service ribbon for participating in: Leyte-Luzon operations and attacks, Luzon operation, Formosa, China and Nansei Shoto at- tacks, Fifth Fleet raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto assault and occupation operations at Iwo Jima, Okinawa Gunto operation, and Third Fleet operations against Japan in July and August 1945. As part of the occupation force, WISCONSIN dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay on 5 September 1945. She had been continuously at sea for 66 days, had steamed 105,831 miles since her com- missioning, and had participated in every Pacific naval operation since joining the fleet. Following overhaul, WISCONSIN sailed to Caribbean and South American ports, returning to Norfolk on 2 December 1946. In 1947 the ship was mainly devoted to U. S. Naval Reserve training cruises. On 25 October 1951 WISCONSIN sailed for the Far East. As flagship for Commander Seventh Fleet, she lent heavy gunfire support to United Nations forces off the eastern coast of North Korea. tte Her ribbons American Theatre Asiatic-Pacific Theatre I5 Battle Starsl Philippine-Liberation I2 Battle Starsl World War Il Victory Navy Occupation Uapanesel National Defense Korean Service I1 Battle Starl United Nations While striking 'transportation facilities in the Sonpn Chaho area on 15 March 1952, WISCONSIN received a direct hit from on enemy shore battery-her first hit in two wars. The ship sustained only light damage. Following five months of action in Korean waters she re- turned to the East Coast and shortly after departed for another midshipman training cruise on 9 June 1952, visiting Greenock, Scotland, Brest France, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On 25 August 1952, WISCONSIN again departed Norfolk to participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercise, Operation Main- brace starting at Greenock, Scotland and ending at Oslo, Norway. WISCONSIN departed for the Far East 9 December 1953. En route she stopped at Balboa, Canal Zone and on 12 October re- lieved the USS NEW JERSEY as flagship of the Seventh Fleet. In the following months WISCONSIN visited Kobe, Sasebo, Yokosuka, Otaru and Nagasaki, Japan and spent Christmas in Hong Kong, B.C.C. She was relieved in April 1954. On 11 July 1955 she took part in Midshipmen Cruise Baker visiting Edinburgh, Scotland, Copenhagen, Denmark and Guan- tanamo Bay, Cuba. The ship immediately proceeded to the New York Naval Shipyard for major overhaul, Upon completion of the overhaul period, she iourneyed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 23 Janulary 1956 to operate from there on her shakedown rcuise which! was combined with Operation Springboard. On this cruise WISCONSIN visited Tampico, Mexico, Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Cartagena, Columbia. The ship re- turned to Norfolk, Va. 31 March 1956 for local operations.

Page 15 text:

xdca aiamddq,