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KANSAS: hEF. WICHITA CITY LIBRARY
R WI CHIT A, KANSAS 940. 545 Part 63-8569 Un58 I I I
la-c(J � ru I c(J ' a , ..JJa • a >- t/J• •
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· ·hi1 volume i.r. re:xp elf J'llly dedic,a:te.d ,to tl::u: nien ory of the thfe �1, 1n,h,ers of the ,c ·e10 of Jhe U.S. S.. l ichit - 1 ·ho 1:ve· e kille ·n line of dut ·.
C ARLES FREDERICK GU·· T RQ,y HOGG Gunner s M�· .e Firt Cla �'i,. U '.. N·�R. . Died May . 3 19 1 5 FlJRMA · i-'R. · D1E.Rl ..· • KUG .ER Fireman Second Cla� s U. cc·,.N,.R. Died .August 17, 19 .- CA 4„The U ... Wichita underway off Kyushu. Japan, October. 1945. I Tt-lE \\'ICIIITA IS LAU CHED-L,/1: The Wichi1a :as �h e looked jus1 �fore �liss �l•r�ret A)·res of \X1ichil:a, Kansa,, (b,lou) \fflt a bc.,cdc crashinE( inco the bow of 1he a,) 's ne--·es1 (November. 1937) hea•')' cruiser, chri,1eninJ: i1 chc " ... \'\'ich11a." I,• Ir I ; R.- . . '.. in 'l.d■ '""· -- E or the mo-,t e11joy.1ble and satisr}'ing reatures of a 0 Job \\ ell done is found in ettling back and reflecting upon tl1at alcompli hment. 1·ho e ,vho ha, e . er, cd in the Wichita ha,c earned the right to reflect ,vith great priJe on thi. er, ice. In the follo,ving page is a brief but comprehensi, e pic torial '\\'ar history of our hip. It catches, I think, tl1c "smartne " anJ tl1e fighting -,pirit that ha ch.1raclc rizcd e,·cry mo, cment and action of the ~ ich1ta tl1roughout the ,, ar from Iceland to Japan. We deJicate thi , olume to all tl10 e fine Americ.1 n who by their sacri fi ces, by their loyalty, and by their detcrmin.1- tio,1 h.1,c m.idt the gloriou J-1i torr of our hip po· ibte J\{ay it -,erve a a reminder in the }Cars to come of our a oc1ation .1boa r HA<;. J. Rr •o, C,1pt.1i11. l. S'. \,11 ), Co111111"11,li11.f!.. I N ACTIVE duty in Iceland ,vhen the United States declared tl1at O a state of war existed witl1 Japan, tl1e heavy cruiser U.S. . Wichita, ,vas still ready to meet the enemy when peace came in Sep tember, 1945. Wl1en the Japanese surrendered, tl1e Wicl1ita, after r1early four years of .figl1ting \vas at Okina,;va, preparecl for any assign- 1nent. She had fought at Casablanca, tl1e Rerinell Islands, the Aleu tians, Truk, Hollandia, Palau, Satawan, Saipan, Guam, the Battle of the Pl1ilippine Sea, the Battle for Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. Sl1e l1ad sunk a Vichy cruiser and two destroyers at Casablanca, her guns had bombarded seven islands held by the Japs, her anti-aircraft battery l1ad knocked do,vn ten Jap £)lanes positively and l1ad credi:t for four "prob abfes"; her planes had rescued 13 American pilots an1d crewmen; sl1e l1ad to,ved a sister cruiser to safety after an aerial torpedo attack by tl1e Japs; and she had st1nk two Jap ships. The Wicl1ita was damaged onJy twice by tl1e enemy, once at Casa bla,nca, and once at Okinawa, despite tl1e fact tl1at st1icicle planes, l1ore batteries, opposing sl1ips, submarines, and small craft l1ad attempted to The \"{lichita at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, January, 1940. 1>ut her out of action. Tl1e story of tl1e Wichita 1>roperly begi11s October 28, 1935, ,vhe11 lier keel was laid at tl1e Philadelpl1ia Na,1y Yard. Laund1ed on No During the last tl1r,ee 1nontl1 of 1940, tl1e \X/icl1ita served a a train vember 16, 193 7, tl1e heavy cruiser wa commissioned Febrt1ary 16, ing ship for V-7 Midshi1)men on the Atlantic Coast. C1:ptain J. T. r 1939. Sl1e was the last cruiser to be built under the lin1itations im Alexander, U .. N., relie, ed Captain Thomson, December 27, as com !)Osed by tl1e London Treaty. manding officer. Soon after commis ioning, the Wichita made lier first cruise \vitl1 During the first tlllree months of 1941, tl1e Wid1ita participated in Ca[>tain T. A. Tl1omson, U.S.N., in command, to Houston, Texas, Beet maneuvers in the Caribbean and took part in practice ampl1ibious ,vl1,ere repre entati,,c of tl1e City of Wichita, Kan as, presented a s�l,,cr landings on Puerto Rico. In April, the Wicl1ita took part in the first 'iervice to tl1e shi1). nculrality 1>alrol conducted by tl1e avy, going to ,vitl1in 800 miles of In tl1e sumn1cr of 1939, tl1e Wichita made a shakedo,vn cruise to Treland, relurning to Brooklyn May 17. the Virgin Island , Cuba and Bal1ama. Later tl1at year sl1e joined tl1e Late in July, the \Xficl1ita made lier second neutrality 1>atrol, arrivi11g Atlantic Fleet and participated in maneuvers in the Caribbean. After at Reykjavik, Iceland, August 6. The sl1i1, relurnecl to the states August • • •.· :-. . - ~· • i I ' .' .. '~ ' - • runa,va> freighter at 11, al jardur, le land, during the " bi~ blo"." The . . . \1 a hin~ton lead the \1 ichita rrom a co Bay, faine, en route \\ hen .1 ,e\ ere ortll Atlantic ·torm f or<.:e l IL \\ ( 111'1 A ,, .1'> one of tl1c ftr,t United tatcs sll1ps or<.lc.rc . _. • 1 ··1 I r11 l I II I JI '\J. • I, i I U rll • . I 11 • 11 • rr , I fl l ,·, 1( -. . ' ·11 I I l 1: -•I I • • 111 f f1 r Ii,· ·i111 11 i IL tr i J i n I , I i I in I,· I r·I� c I I J n -11. · r ,i , 11 · rin1 u u m,. 'I 11 t1i n I _.r ,· J ,r,... -. "".I..,. • 11, Ii 11 !, , 11 -I IU. ,u 11, . - ·r I h ur . i J-i 1 1 • I ri 1n ,( i, h · ·• I r f I )1 · 1 I i n • I ' i1 t I I ' ' I ilc rn , i 1nit · •. nn II I I 111 r 111 I f 11 1 . • kc: f I r I I I • • • • 1 • . • - I - I hi ! 1, - I I ' . Iii r •• ti ·1, 11 • • 111 I ' I I • • ' ' u I - I I' I •J •, . I • • ,I I 1 11 ril ril • I r I r - I u • ,n • I I• i I al r 11 • I '. 11 I I un ii , u • • • • I r 111 I k • The ligh·thouse at oun1ea, New Caledonia. The Secretary of the avy and Adn1iral Nimitz were U.S. S. Chicago being towecl 'by U.S. S. Louisville. aboard at Havanna, Harbor, Efate. Captain F. S. Low, U. S. • Captain J. J. Mahoney, U.S . . , assumes comn1and. The stern coast of Attu . 8 ll~rJr'I D. A. pcncer . . ., a urned command on April 11, retie, ing <..ap- t.11n (ahone}. After complctinA her duties ,, ith the f a-,t carrier group • the ~ ich1t.1 ,, ..1, J,..,1gnc.tl to tl1e hrc. support group for the IJnd,ngs 1n the Marian.1, 111 June, 1911 111c \X' 1cl1it.1 homb,1r Rear dmiral R. C. ,ifTcn, t •.. N., and Captain f.ihonc, at a happy hour at .t\da". A 1=TER J~ ~, erhaul in the a, y Y_a r Purp/ L, anbcrra- e •-i carr and . h tO'' 's the on1mcnd . 1lC ar,on rec· . 'P•cnc • A l;TER the Mariana campaign the Wichita ,,,a again a igned to a dead in the ,vater a the re ult of a direct hit. Her rudder ,vas jammed I"\. fa. t carrier ta k force, operating against the Palau , Mindanao, and eaman hip of the l1ighe t order ,va called for on the part of the Vi aya, Celebe, Morotai, Luzon, Formo a, and the an ei hoto Wichita's officer and ere,,, to take the Canberra in to,v. De pite heavy group. During this period the hip's plane re cued ix pilots and four ea and ome 200 Japane e pl.1ne in tl1e ,•icinily, the to,v ,vas ecured a; r cre,vmen. On ptcmber 2 2, 1944, tl1e task group ,va attacked by and the Wicl1ita pull eel the Ca11berra from 80 mile off the hostile coa t . ix enemy aircraft. The Wichita accounted for t,vo kill and one prob of Formo a to afety, 175 mile· from the scene of the action. In all , able of the total of tl1ree hot down and t,vo damaged. tl1e Wichit.1 to,ved tl1e Canberra for 40 hour . For tl1c excellent hip On Octol1er 13, 1944, at du k, a killful ly executed torpedo attack l1 andling di played by the officer · and cre,v of the Wichita, 12 meda ls by the Japs resulted in the torpedoing of the hea,,y crui ser Canberra, and commendation , ere awarded. in company \\1itl1 the Wichita. A the attack developed, the Wichita hot do,vn one plane, being the fir t ship to open fire and alerting t}1e Tl1e preponderant majori ty of the cre,v aboard the \'{!ichita at tl1c ta k group. Even thougl1 tl1e enemy plane "'ere forced to attack the time the Canberra ,va to,ved look back on that experience a "the mo t formation from the quarter in tead of from the bo,v, the Ca nberra l,1y thrilling time" during the ,var. 10 11 IE Battle for Leytc ulf, tl1e late afternoon of O,tobcr 25, tl1e I Wicl1ita a ')i tc,l in tl1e sinking of a Jap l1gl1t ca rrier of tl,c h1tose cla s ,, hiel, J1ad been pre, iou l}' damaged by aircr.tft action. Later tl1at 11igl1t, the Wicl1it.1' gun put tl1e finisl11ng tou,hts into a Jap light crui ser, the W1cl1ita ha, ing been directed by the t.l k unit co1n1n,1 ndcr to ink tl,c sl1ip. At ca o,embcr 18, a hc.1,y ,il.,ration ,,as felt throughout tl1c sl11p. E>..imination re, cale The \\ 'itch helchc-. nine ( t,1kcn f r(> nl '. :. . 1c,hilc). 1\ fter 13 month a real \\Clcome home, at Terminal I land. stack. The plane had been carrying a bomb which exploded in the water abot1t 50 feet off the starboard bow. In spite of almost constant air attacks, tl1e heaviest ever experienced by the W ichita, day and night bombardment of the enemy ashore con I;AVING T~rminal Island February 28, 1945, carrying tl1e flag of tint1ed. W hen ammunition ran low, the ship would go to Kerama Rear Admiral F. J. Fahrion, U.S.N., Commander, Crt1iser Divisio11 Retto, a few 1niles west, and replenish tl1e supply or LSTs would bring Four, the Wichita held shore bombardment exercises in Hawaii and additional ammunition to the Wichita. tl1en joi11ed the fire support group for the Okinawa campaign at Ulithi on March 21. After covering a mine sweeping operation March 2 5, On April 7, the Wichita became the first heavy ship to enter Naka gusuku Wan, now named Buckner Bay. Going in before the mine tl1e Wichita started her bombardment of Okinawa March 26, a duty that was to continue for 67 days. sv.1eepi11g operations were completed, the Wichita was fired upo11 by a shore battery. Both main and secondary batteries of the ship opened On the morning of March 26, a Jap submarine periscope was up and after a few n1inutes silenced tl1e Japs but not before several sighted about 700 yards off the st arboard beam. A few moments shells landed close aboard the port side. later the wake of a torpedo was observed to be approaching the ship. Not u11til the Wichita had been at Okinawa for more tha11 a month An emergency right turn was exect1 ted and the torpedo crossed the bow were the Japs able to inflict any damage on the veteran cruiser. On the about 30 feet ahead of the ship. The torpedo made a sharp turn to 11ight of April 27, just before midnight, a fairly heavy underwater tl1e left and fallowed down the entire port side of tl1e ship. On tl1e shock was felt througl1ot1t the ship. At tl1e shore batteries were next day, dt1ri11g an enemy air attack, the Wichita shot down one of time .firing at the Wichita and one sl1ell was l1eard passi11g overhead. Tl1ere three planes destroyed. The Nevada and Biloxi were damaged by the attack. was no evidence of damage at the time. A diver who examined the l1ull at dawn the next day found a hole the size of a man's hand about On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, the Wichita covered the parade of five feet under the water line. A provision storeroom, where the ice invading Marines and soldiers, net1tralizing the· southern Hagushi crean1 mix was kept, v.ras flooded with ft1el oil and sea water. Although beaches of Okinawa with both main and secondary battery fire. Four no swimmers or floating objects were seen, tl1e damage may l1ave be~11 days later, while in company with several other ships which were round caused by a st1icide swimmer, a small caliber shell, or a mine. The ing tl1e soutl1ern tip of the island, shore batteries opened up on the damage was repaired two days later and failed to stop the Wichita Nevada, ahead of the Wichita. The fire was returned by tl1e Nevada, from shooting. Wichita, and other ships and the battery stopped firing. Steady bo1nbardment of caves, gt1n emplacements, and other enemy Just a few minutes before sunset April 6, a Jap "Zeke" st1ddenly i11stallatio11s continued. Late at 11ight May 3, enemy small craft were came out of the clouds on the port quarter. Flying a straight course pt1t into Buckner Bay from tl1e shore. The Wichita illuminated them at first, the plane winged over and began a 30 degree glide for the with star shells and fired five-inch and 40 1n1n. guns, sinki11g one and W ichita's bridge. The AA battery opened fire, knocking off the tail aiding amphibious craft in sinking several others. of the plane when the "Zeke" was about 100 yards astern. Tl1e wing On May 28, after more than two months of almost contint1aJ bom came off over the mai11mast and the engine exploded over number one bardment, during wl1ich the Wichita expended more than two million 12 1,ou11ds of ammun1t1on, tl1c l',cavr rru1-,cr left Ok1n,l\\'a for 14<:)tc, ar ri, ing tl1erc l\ia) :, l . During tl1c hr,t c,;, en ,, ce:ks of the Okin.1,,·a camp.lign, the Wrch1t.1 had f ulfille The \Xlichica' gun peak again. The ,ca\.\·al I at Okina,, a i bon,barded prior to the in, a ion. PRfl.l .l)f 1'() IN\' \ . l()N Turrc,., One and T,, ,, Jc, 1,m,c 10 .,,,f,cn up .tn} p,,,,ihlc nr,po,i1ic,n a-, 1hc \\ ' ilhi,.t lc,,cr, her area ,,( rc,1,c,n,ihili1) Ju,, hcf,,rt ,he anlJlhihi,,u-. c.r.1(1 1!<> in IC > ,he t,calh a, ()J-in,1,,,1. I 1·1· R P R I) I , OK I l\ ,\ \\' ,\ 1 ·, · I. I' Lc,adcc.l ,, i th -.,,l I I • -- I 8 K RO · R , 1\HO \ ' !- L I , loaded \\ith r FO R·r 1I OF J L\ ' OR F ' TFR !- , .,._ .,.,. i-,h, and the t(>< ket'i <;c t fire<; on the bc.1ch. ne o f the n<,, cl feature of Pa ific inva <; i<,n ,,·a the ll'IC o f rocket a an iniJ><>rtant part o f the tho rou~h treat• ment l;! i, en an} hea h ho en for a landinA. 1·he peciall) equipp d I. I am in frt,n, the ,at arn,r,da l) inA o ff h <, rc, rea hed their a-, -, i!,! ncd <, p< >t,, and then the rocket<; " ere t<>uched o ff. '"' t Okina\\ a, the r< ><.ket hi P" cau-,ed rag ing fire ,, here, er there ,, a <; a po ible helter f<>r opp<,,ing Jap . I TER OF Tl IF ~· IT H-v1her crui er , too, had their joh at Okina\\a. Bat1le hip and de trO}Cr<;, al o, ,,ere in on the part), and altoAether the fire upport ship extended in a 14-mile-Jong line do" n 1he " 'e. tern coast o f the i land. The> made up th 010,1 po\\erful naval bombardn1ent group in hi IOC)'· During the fir t e, en \\'eek of the can1paign1 the \Xfichita dre\\• firing a,,;ignment on mor da} than any of the other hip . '() CH (.,F, ~o I I NC,F The ~ ichita's guns did thi-; ju,;t HOT FF- PRFPARE 1'() [.,,\ I ' IJ O~E IR RAfT- p<>ttinµ t 17 PRfP \Rf TOT Kl ()~ ,\~l~ll.'\'ITION f,cr, fc,, da}, ,,hilc ,he\\ ichil,t ,, ,l, h 11& • - .-3 ,.,. . • -~ • • • // ,... . • • -.. .. • \ - ' • - • ,~ .. ' ' - ' ,r 4 !.j • ... - ....~ • 19 I J E !-Another "fir t" v.•a added to the ~• ichita' long li t when we became the fir t hea\')' hip to enter akagu uku ~ an, the large ba) on the ca tern idc of Okinav.a. 1nc n,ine wc~p v.ere till at W(>rk clearing the harbor when we entered. pper left: A mine exploded. Lou·t r left: Hidden in the center of Lhi area was a Jap hore batter) which the Wichita ilenced. Aboi:e: The ha,ard of mine v.eeping- a mine weep i blov.n up, inking a few minute later. LOOK Ol"l BFL()\\ FRL' IT ( ()1\ 11 :'\(, .\BOARI) l t/t. ,\ ntt full ,,f frc h fruit 1, ' " uni-! dt),, n I<> the dc<.k, "hale a ,,t>rk1ng part, , tand, h, t N t ' T ' T()P, T Hl- RFFl{l(..l-R,\l()R-l<,g/11: ,\ fter the <.,lrJ.!tl nee \,a unloaded, the \'\ Orkinµ part}, under the d1r ctit,n <>f a chief, )tart, it parade. In th1, in,tancc, the Ctlmn,odit) ,,a, Cl-!I.!'· dc,tined for the C ~· FL,\ ' H Rr l) ! K r\ l\l JKAZJ !-The Jap ui cide pil<, t'I o f ten came in o n the \\' ichita at Okina,, a. ,\, the ,un A I I • I • ' •, , , .. I ..4 / \· '· ..__... . ' ~ . . . . ·~\. . -.... ' . . t.:.-- ~ . . . . ' .. - FRIE DLIE ! A du k patrol of o r air ho, ers near readr t<> ta<.kle anr Jap plane that n1ight come in on uc;. Our 6i,thter did excellent " 'ork al Okina"' a, con,in~ out <>n t<> p aln10 t every tin,e ther contacted the enen,). ~;. 23 Ht\l L O FARE\;! ELL !-1\ f ter com111andinA the hip for 15 n1<>nth , aptain pen<.er '"a relieved br aptain Rend in J une, 1945, at LC) tC. L'PPtr left: " Foe handling and fighting hi h ip with courage, tenacit), and a hil!h de~ree of profe -,ional kill during the a ault upon and capture of O kina,-..·a," aptain pencer is a,-..•arded the Legion of ~lerit b> Vice Admiral \;I ' illiam Lee. Loi,•tr left: nder the helter of the ~un of Turret One, (,aptain Rend read-, hi order l.!iving him c<>mmand of the hip, as he re• lie,e Captain pencer. Abo,·e: The t\\O captain~ in pect the econ .... ' • . '!"'~ - .... I ' , - ,I • , ·- . • ~ ., • , • ,I I . .. 0 4 "' ~ I ,,_, .:::· • ,__ , . • I' , -- . • • - • - 0 lORE FlGHTl G- The neY.,S of the urrendcr <>f the Jap came \\ hile the hip wa at Okinawa. There wa no big celebration aboard the \X ichita, ju t man) audible, prolonged igh of relief that the war \\ a finallr O \ er. Here on1e of the crew take it ea r trctched out under a turret. " \ ' O CA 1'T (,ET OtJT 'O'J "-An actu ing fir,ger i p<>inte 27 " RN TO !"-~ ith the ~un ilenced, the ere" ' attcnti<>n and efT<>rt " ere directed t(> hol) toning the deck, painting the entire ,hip and in general gcttin~ ba<.k to a peacetime rou tine. Jn the Jo,\er ri~hL hand corner arc the mcn1bcr of the fir t contingent to be tran • ( erred for di char~c. There arc no Jong fa ce in the g roup. 28 • • ..-.- , .. - ~ .. • ~ I ,, t'·r: ~ .. , .. "" ...... •/' • • ...... • "' • - ,, I - • • - - - • • - - ~ --- • I --- ~1PHIBIO I.A DJ G-1\ ~· ichita rccrcacion parl)' 29 I. I l I I . 1: I, ' ! Ii " I i 11 1, 11 I II 'l I ' ' I I, I 1: ii I i. I I :1 11 ,, f II I " I ' I I ,, II n II 1- I ' ' 1 \ �•. \ ' • \. • , .. • f!. '" - t ' I - I, ,I h • I I • • ~ I ' l \\~... ) I l, '\ ti. ARLY in Se1)tember, Admiral Fahrion was given command of a the purpose of the mission and i11 cleaning tl1e dock area, everything E task groL1p whose mission was to evacuate an estimated 10,000 re was ready to take care of tl1e first evacuees. They arrived early on the covered Allied Military Person11el from Jap prison camps in Kyusl1u. morning of September 13, having been evact1ated from a camp on a Leaving BL1ck:11er Bay September 10, the Wichita, as the flagship, led a small island near the entrance to the harbor by amphibioL1s craft. All small task group, consisting of the U. S. Navy Hospital sl1ip Haven, of the other priso11ers were brot1gl1t to Nagasaki on the narrow gauged two destroyers, a seaplane tender and a destroyer transport to Nagasaki. Jap trains which pt1led in at the dock area. Becat1se this was the first United States force to reach this area, the sl1ip As eacl1 train arrived, tl1e ship's ten piece band greeted the new ar- went to General Quarters, manning all gL1ns, just before entering the long narrow harbor, early in the afternoon of September 11. The Wichita proceeded LIP the channel slowly, dodging hL1lls of ships sunk by bombing raids and passing shipyards and a few launched but not completed merchant ships. Several Japs, in nondescript fishing vessels, gazed impassively. From battle stations, the crew could see some midget subs in one partially ruined shipyard, and, looking toward the hills, the terraced agricultural plots, typical of Japan, were visible. Below the farming area, there were many clusters of closely grouped thatched ~ roofs, rising i11 steps from the water's edge. \ As tl1e Wichita " walked a tight rope" up the channel, more and more damaged buildings began to appear. Later it was learned that practically all of the damage in the whole area was caused by the atomic bomb. After tl1e ship moored to buoys, the Marine detachment was sent ashore to clear a three block square area. They were prepared for any eventuality but the landing was made without incident. After a day was spent in explaining to the local Japanese officials 33 rivals with "Hail, H ail, the Gang's All Here," "California, Here I about 45 minutes, sandwiches, ice cream and chocolate malted milk was Come," and other old favorites. Most of the ex-POWs had been in waiti11g for them. When they were through eating they were taken in Jap custody for three and a half years. Many had been captured im landing craft to the warsl1ips which left Nagasaki daily for Okinawa. mediately after war was declared. The stretcl1er cases, of which there Most of the Wichita's crew got a chance to talk with many of the were many, were taken off the trains first and brought to the hospital evacuees, while the sailors helped give out food a11d clothing or acted ship for immediate attention. Most of these men were living skeletons, as a reception committee. In all, 9,041 persons were evacuated. There suffering from starvation, wl1ile others were victims of Jap brutality were 1,512 Americans, most of them soldiers captured on Batan a11d or accidents in the mines where many had bee11 forced to work. Be Corregidor. The largest group, 3,662, was composed of Dutch and cause of the vast quantities of food dropped to them from B-29s since Javanese, taken when the Japs invaded Java; 2,667 British, and 1,060 tl1e Jap surrender, all of the prisoners had gained considerable weight. Australians were also evacuated. After the evacuees were given l1ot coffee and doughnuts, they filled Each officer and enlisted man on the Wichita was given an oppor ot1t data sheets, took hot showers with plenty of soap, and were sprayed tunity to see the damage caused by the atomic bomb. All were taken in from head to foot with the new disinfectant, DDT. N avy medical trucks on a tour of the area which was completely devastated. This officers tl1en examined them carefully to determine which men needed area, about four miles long and two miles wide, was practically leveled. treatment on the hospital ship. The next stop for the ex-POWs was All that was left was rubble and a few concrete walls. The vast Mitsu at the clothing issue room where they received a completely new out.fit. bisl1i Iron Works, nearly a mile long and four blocks wide, was a Then they were given Red Cross kits with soap, sl1aving gear, books, mass of twisted and tangled steel girders. In one block which formerly pipes, candy and other items. At the end of tl1e processi11g, which took housed a factory, only the seared lathes, drills and other machine tools were standing. A few families were still living in caves. Upon completing the evacuation of the former priso11ers-of-war, the Wichita was assigned to the naval forces supporting the occupation troops in Kyushu. She remained at Sasebo, the former large Jap naval base, as flagship for Admiral Fahrion, who was given command of --- -___ ... --- Task Force 55, until relieved by the U.S. S. Boston, November 5. The Wichita was then assigned to "magic carpet" duty, transporting military personnel eligible for discl1arge to the states. With a load of 788· enlisted and 141 officer passengers, the ship left Sasebo, Novem ber 8, for San Francisco. En route to the States, the Wichita "topped off" on fuel in Tokyo Bay, with Mt. Fujiyama the featt1re attraction of the visit. When the ship reached San Francisco November 24, the total mileage since co1n missio11ing approximated 300,000 miles. Of this total, 75,000 1niles had been travelled in the Atlantic and 210,000 in the Pacific during __J the war. 34 1\n The Jap piloc explain che rouce co 1 aAa aki. (The a pea in \\ ear he ha almt> c-completed merchant hip point her ho,, at the \X' i hita at ne, er mel an} t>ne ,, ho knew le .) .l aga aki. ------· The Cap ta,,,. . ~ ;~ in a~a ak1· t? riacbo r. CO\.l~l ' l)fR, Rl'l FR OIVJ 10 ' F()l Jl{- Hcar ,\dntiral Frank (,. Fah ri t>n, l . ·. 1 . , .ind hi-, -,tafT. The \,\ ic-hita \\a, ,\dn1iral Fahri<>n', fla~ ,hip fron, fcbruar> 28, 19--i5, until 1 <>' en1l>cr 5, 19 fc; . THF. LI. . 'A , , TAK E O ER NA(., AKI HARBOR- ~' ich che pocle \\ hice h,, pi cal hip l la"cn cied up co chc dock-,, chc 6r l ~roup of a,> hip~ praccitall> fall che nar row harbor. The ~· ichica•, h<,,,, pt,inl'i to,,ard che area ohliccratcd h> the at - I - Rf..,~ f 1)- 11,e fir,t ~r<>up <> f ex-Po~· ,,a taken f r,,n1 thi, pri on camp ,, hich v. a <>n a mall i land at the entrance t<> a~a aki 1J arb .. ,.o I. I. DE 11 0 fE OON, 10W"- C.aptain Rend talk with ,,nc of the ,tretcher ra e~ \\ ho i ,,·aiting for an examination and a cleaning up bcf<>re heinl! placed o n the Haven. On the oppo!litt: page. the candid camera pre ents glimp e o f 'iOnle of the recc>,ered n,ilitar} per onncl Ii tening t<> the band, !tho\\·ing their 'i<>uvenir'i, AettinA cc,ITee and doughnut , talking t<> the Jled r<> 'i girl'i, and recei, ing kit, <>f havinl! gear, cand}, ll<><>k,, and ,tatic.,ner) . Jl T O 'l 80~18 l) Jl) ALL Till The CL<> nd, an Ion•~ and t\\·c> mile \\•ide. Fatt<>ric , hc,me , and <>ther tructure~ ,, ert reduced to rubhle. ()ne c,f the \X ichita' i!!hl- eein1,t rartie, i, sho,,·'l. \X'l· l{E \\' E 1\ FE ! In t>rder t<> determine ,, hethcr there " ere an> X-radia ticln af ter-efTect, from the atomic homh, the \\' ichita' enior medical officer, omdr. J. J. 1 immes, . . ., made exhau ti,e te t in the bombed area. I Jere he i~ ho" n placin~ X-ra) film in and on the ~round. The result<; ho,, ed there " 'a no need to \\ o rrr. CO 'TRA T I AGA AKI- trip thr<>ugh variou part of the cit) re ealed both the old and lhe nc,v. pper le/I: T )'pical of the undamaged re idential area wa lhi gr<>up c> f hou e . Abo,·~: pared br the atomic bomb ,, a thi n,odern department tore. u/1: Rice field en roa h upon lhe narrc>w trip of pavement, u ed mo,;tl)' h>• pede trian and hor e . On the o ppo ite page are random vie,, in ide lhe cit)' and one view looking toward the ea from a hill idc. - / - - -~-- ; - N t\(,1\ 1\KI RF Ill ATJON- The liberty area at JaAasaki ~a, a n1id~et uhmarinc a cmhJ,. fa,tor,.. Abo, e: The chief had their o,vn nook for recrcati<,n and here the Pildre keep, a ~atchful ere on them. L pper ,igl,1: There \\ Cre .,c,cral aln1<,~t completed ~uh in the e,tahli,hment. Ri!!,l,t: The ere,, , .. ait, in line for the rati<>n t>f rcfre hment . A 180 R[C,ATI\ -,\f,er ct>n1plc,ing the c,acua,ion of rect>,ercd pri,t>ncr, from :\aga,aki, ,he \\ u:hi ta \\ ent lO a cbo. 1'hcrc, aftcr C<>n• ,idcrablc prac. tac.t, a ,erac, of cl1n1inati<>n ra,c "a~ helcl t<> determine the be t pulling h<>at ere\\ 1bc '"inning lX>at 1n the 6nal i ahout lO cro the tini h I inc. 1~11 [ \VJ •NER.":)-Tcam,, ork paid <>ff ft>r the l{ di, i,ion ,re,,, ,,hich ,,ept in ahead of all competition. LA T D I E- Abo,·e: ome of the f e"' remaining Jap plane are crapped b)' [arine. WAITI G FOR u~- 'pper rig/JI: Thi Jap coa t defen e mortar, fortunate!), didn't tire,upon u. PF. JAL l)CLJ ERY-Lotl'cr rig/JI: " e aim<> t l,!Ot our n1ail unexpected(), a the L T " •hich cn,ed a fleet po t t>ffi<.e at a elx> i bufTe1ed ahout durin1,t a t) phc> :;o 1. JKE t,\ R H~l ALLO\: BE T I I IT OF LL- olden Ga,e in Fortr-five, not Forl) •eight. ~1,. Fu ji)ama, in all i, p c1a ularne , \Va~ " 'ai1ing for 1he ~• i1ch The hip pa~ ed under 1he bridge O cond ahead <> f 1he time e ti v. hen a brief 1op v.•a made in T ok> o Bar for fuel. n1ated v. hen v.•e le(1 a ebo. B BBY O f3ltl A L)E- A beau1iful whi1e rach,, con1ple1e wilh GO I 1 0 T- The pa enger and n1en1her of the crew v.•ho '"'ere C1IRL and a ~ band circled 1he ~ ichila a he made her war eligible for di hargc \Vere unloaded immediatclr af,cr the hip 10 Pier 7. docked. - •.. LIFE ABOARD THE ICDITA WE 1) 11 ) 'T FIC,l-lT ALL T I JE T l~1E- and '"hen the ship's ~un~ \\Cr n' t h<,mbardin~ o r repelling air attack,, life on the ,hip " ·as not 100 hatl. The variou divi. ion,; had their o,\'n li,in~ ,pa e, (be. Joi, ) and the <>fficcr had the \\ardro<> m ( /~ft ). The hip' to re, the "~cdunk" tand, the cho" line, and the barber h<>p ( 11e:i:I pt1ge) kept u upplied '"'ith all es cntial item , fc>od, and haircut . ., ' ••• ' •• . . ,....- ~ .... , - - 'I • • • ! < .. I j .. • ' j'r I • ' ,; ,. .. , "' •. ~ :;3 11~ ~1 " H PP\ ' HO R"-~ · henc,cr there " 'a ufficient time, '"hi,h, unfo rtunatel), '"a n't t 11~~1 ' ,, " .,_. " !' ...... '.-l \ '1I ,.." ':....,.· ~. . . ' .• • .,, . . ... •·· . -:.·• _.,• ' . ... -. I'!· • ,, ,.;, .... -: ~ i; .. , . ,·::Ji:.... - .,.,, .. '\ , ....." . "' . .,, ) 1 ' • ' # .• . •• ~ ,i "'.. .. , , •.. '• ! , • . ' . t( •.• t\ LL E E r- Jn the lx>xing team' onl > match ,-"ith out ide con1 - petition, the ~ itch' lu!!ger came out c,cn again c a tean1 tlf cahee ( rom the heach at a ebo. There \\ ere ~,·o '\\•in • t'\\ o Jc> c , and t,\ o dra"' . The te,\ard mate · quartet ( lot, er rigl,1) ga, e out \\ ith on~ , with one of the fi~htcr , Oti ott, for aking the rin~ nl<>mentaril>• tc> join the inger . 55 l) JVI f fRVIC'l C)N T HI' F()RF(t\ T l F - Abo,e: J c"i,h ,en-ice, \\Cre c,,ncluc1ed '"hene,er there ,,·a!I a ,haplain <)f th.tt f.tith in the ,i,init) l pper left: Catholic n,a,, ,,a, held rc~ularl}, a, "ere Prc,,1e,1an1 ,er,icc,. l.otl'er left: ten c,f different faith, '" ,,r,hippc 11~10r1 " KI"- ot until the larine established their 1--:achhead at as:asaki did the ,hip ha,e a n1a cot. The> br<>ught back ,, ith them this puppr \\ho got hi ea le~ quick!} and made him elf at home, e, en in the mu,1l e of one of the eight-inch s:un . ~lr,~ l--11 Jf TAT ' ORK- T}pical <>f the ,aried E n 'LC RGEJtY - In the n1odernlr equipment on board i thi drill in the machine equipped operating r 58 Ol\1BAT K[PT ALFRT- Thank to radar, \\ e tould keep trat k of cnemr and fricndl> plane,;. Here part <>f th I ) Di, i- ion i at \\ ()rk, "''ilh the watch o ffi cer, J.ieut. ( jg) Robert chmidt, read> co give all the dope to tho e \\'ho needed it o er a public address S) stem and to other hip b) radio-phone . ... - -vur o, n diver ubmcrged whenever the exterior of lhe Kl G EP11JNE REIG UPREi.fE- And woe be unto the neophyte hull needed in pection. who had never been aero the Equator. They were forced to prove their right to member hip in the ancient o rder of the deep. TH F. l)EP1\RT~IENT HE O~Back rott•: l.t. mdr. ~ . H . Parker, . . .R., 1\ ssistant En~ineerini Officer; Lt. omdr. . I). G. Full r, . . .R., omn,unica ti<>n Offi er; Lieut. D. V. unninl!ham, Ch. ·, . •. .R., .haplain. Fro11/ ro,,•: Lt . Comdr. 0. . Foote, Jr., . . .R., Engineering Officer; Uln1dr. J. J. Timme , Jr. • ~1c, . . ., tedi al Officer ; <>mdr. C. H . Flen,in,::, . . .R., Fir t 1 icutcnant: 1 Lt. omdr. A bur} <> ,, ar THE EXF"'uTI E OFFJ ER-Lomdr. 1\ . G. Beckmann, . . ., assumed hi dutie la} 23, 1945, to\\·ard clo e of the Okinawa campaign. Former Executive Offi er,; were : on1dr. J . 8 . Renn, .. . , June, 1943, to la)', 1945 ; omdr. E.. I• . Goodwiin, o,ember, 1942, to June, 1913; Comdr. H. E. Orem, . . ., Februarr, 1942, to ovember, 1942; Comdr. 1-1. ~ • eed, . . ., June, 1941, co FebruaC}', 1942; Comdr. T. R. ooler, . . ., June, 19 lO, co June, 1941; Comdr. J. G. ltfoyer, . . ., February, 1939, to June, 1940. 60 PQ17 WA S A CO N VOY TO MURMANSK A R C T l C C I R C L E CASABL ANCA BOMBARDMENT 85 11 L~~ ⇒ 1 • .,, w d z w I- < 0 ....J I TOKYO I < SASE BO z c> 0 1,--N_A_G_A_S ('-K-1 I I < z c:i:::: w 1- z ~o'!f'~ I HONOLULU I KEY BOMBARDMENT ., COVERING CARRIERS DURING AIR STRIKES OPERATIONAL ENGAGEMENT FOREIGN PORTS !NOUMEA] 86