December, 1950

The USS SAINT PAUL experienced many fine and excellent experiences over the course of her elegant career. But perhaps no more fitting roles than the ones she performed during December, 1950 in the harbor of Hungnam, North Korea.

MacArthur had made a brilliant landing at Inchon and UN forces were steadily advancing northward. The war might be concluded by Thanksgiving, Christmas for certain. The USS SAINT PAUL was now an integral part of Task Force 77 and was providing day and night firing support along the coast. Targets of opportunity were readily available with little or no restrictions. Roads, railroads, bridges and tunnels were prime shooting.

UN forces had advanced to within 100 miles or so from the Yalu River which separates Korea from China and Russia. But UN troops were spread very thinly across all of North Korea in this advancement. The ship participated in clearing and preparing Wonsan for occupation by the Marines. But Chou-En-Lai and the Chinese had other ideas. In late October the Marines encountered fierce combat with Korean and Chinese troops south of Wonsan. In early November, Chinese forces attacked Marines near the Chosin Reservoir in a midnight, bugle-blowing, drum-beating screaming fierce attack.

Add to all of this, the Korean weather had turned brutal. Ice, snow, winds and temperatures 25-30 degrees below zero covered land and sea. Shipmates struggled to keep decks free of ice and snow. Sailors were cold, but one can only imagine the toll on Army and Marine combat forces fighting in the hills. And the Chinese were even lesser outfitted.

In spite of the weather, the continued Chinese attacks were brutal and intense. It has since been estimated that over 250,000 Chinese troops attacked across the Yalu River. Maintaining support and replenishing supplies to our forces became nearly impossible. Retreat was the only possibility, and even that was precarious due to the weather and Chinese control of exit roads from the reservoir. The orders were given to “advance in a different direction” for evacuation at the Hungnam Harbor.

The USS SAINT PAUL had blasted the port of Wonsan and had now moved into Hungnam Harbor along with numerous other warships and transport ships to assist in evacuation of troops and refuges. There was even a hospital ship, the USS CONSTELLATION, present.

From December 10th to the 24th, the USS SAINT PAUL fired eight-inch and five-inch rounds continuously over the heads of retreating troops into the advancing Chinese. At times it was necessary to have an ammo barge tied alongside the ship to replenish our ammunition. We would fire from one side while taking on ammo from the other side. On December 22, the ammunition ship, USS RYDER, came alongside to replenish us, but she had no eight-inch rounds. CA-73 had shot off over 3,000 eight-inchers that week alone and our supply was dangerously low. We did resupply five-inch rounds.

Naval gunfire and rocket fire continued as barges and “M-boats” continuously passed by carrying both dead and evacuated personnel. There were 105,000 US and ROK troops and 91,000 refugees evacuated along with 17,500 vehicles and 350,000 tons of cargo.

As December wound down, the Saint Paul was firing five-inch rounds nearly point blank as the ship had moved to within a couple thousand yards off shore. With evacuation complete, there were still huge amounts of aerial bombs and frozen dynamite remaining on the docks. A team of demolition crew blew these up in a massive explosion as the final event of evacuation.

This was not a retreat of beaten and broken troops. It was indeed an advance in a different direction with many of these same troops involved in an advance on Seoul on January 15, 1951.
As the flagship in charge of gunfire support, the USS SAINT PAUL was the last ship to leave the harbor on December 24, 1950.

Contribution to this article include materials written by Tom Bolen and William Lynch, both Association Members.

One of the most memorable incidences involving the USS SAINT PAUL during the Korean War did not involve firing a single shot, and no blood was shed. Yet it involved many of the ship’s crew in this memorable incident. I did not personally live this story, – rather it is one told to me, and I believe it to be a highlight in the ship’s history.

The ship had been bombarding roads and rail lines near the Inchon area. It was observed that a lighthouse on small nearby island, Fusshi-To, was not functioning. A damage-control crew were sent over in a whaleboat to conduct repairs to the lighthouse. As the whaleboat approached shore, a small crowd of barefoot Korean children were spotted.

The ship’s repair party found 45 children on the island ranging in age from about one to fourteen. They were from an orphanage severely damaged by the war. The only building left standing was severely damaged with no heat, windows shattered and no sanitary facilities. The island was supposed to have been evacuated, but the 45 children and three supervisors had been forgotten and left behind.

Some of the children were sick and all were hungry. Clothing was tattered and torn. The island was devoid of supplies. The children had been sustained by a rationed, small amount of rice. No milk. Immediate word was sent back to the ship about the severe condition of the children and the lack of supplies.

A loudspeaker announcement was made to all hands with a request for assistance. SAINT PAUL sailors responded immediately offering clothing, money, soap and candy – anything they could spare. In short order, 1500 pounds of clothing and $500 were sent to the orphanage. One hundred pounds of rice, more gifts and a ship’s doctor arrived on the island the next morning. He found cases of pneumonia, malnutrition, rickets and beriberi.

The orphans were soon dressed in cutdown dungarees and Navy uniforms, eating a Navy meal and wrapped in wool Navy blankets. One of the ship’s crew discovered two large containers of powdered milk sitting in a corner of the abandoned building. When asked why it wasn’t used, a supervisor said they didn’t know what it was, had tried sprinkling some over rice and it tasted awful. They then assumed it was soap, but it didn’t clean anything and so was abandoned. Some sailors might think the very same!

Other crews were sent to the island to make repairs to the building. A crew measured each child for a pair of canvas shoes which the crew made. An old abandoned pot-bellied stove was found in Inchon, repaired and sent o the orphanage. Other crew found and reclaimed an abandoned well to ease the sanitation conditions. Some members of the ship’s cooks went to the island to instruct the orphanage workers on how to prepare some food.

Money was sent to Tokyo for seeds and materials to be planted on Fusshi-To for food in years to come. Ship’s crew sent letters home to tell of the experience of the island. Soon boxes of clothing, toys and food began arriving for the children on the island.

The lighthouse repaired and the orphans of Fusshi-To saved, the Fighting Saint moved on to combat the North Koreans. But with a more than passing interest and eye on the residents of Fusshi-To.

Many years after 1950, some members of the Association made a trip to Korea to celebrate the truce ending the “forgotten war”. They met with a group of the “orphans” from the Fusshi-To orphanage who wanted to express their appreciation and thanks for the remarkable effort made by the Fighting Saint that undoubtedly saved their lives.

Excerpts for this article are from “I Danced With The Lady.” USS Saint Paul Association, Publisher

As one of the “Senior” members of the Saint Paul Association, I have been asked to write a monthly column for inclusion in our USS SAINT PAUL ASSOCIATION web site. I guess that is the kind of thing you can expect to occur when you get to be old, hence, the request.

While I will generate such a column, I would hope that you would be so triggered to respond with your own recollection of the event, or contribute a “rememory” of your own.

Why me? As I said, because I am old! I enlisted in the Navy straight out of high school at the age of seventeen just as the Korean War began. After completing Fire-Control Technician Class A School, Richard “Joe” Lea, # 900, and I came aboard the ship in the Fox Division. We served aboard from 1951-54 through the “Police Action” and beyond.

I had never heard of the USS SAINT PAUL ASSOCIATION until I received a call from a former shipmate from Fox Division, Kiffin Gilbert, #1118, who called me to join. I soon became a Director, Vice-President, President, Immediate Past-President and then served as Secretary for twelve years.

So, yes, I am old! But what an advantage that is for this assignment! I have significant knowledge of this Association, and have stories of my time aboard the Saint Paul as well as those told to me by others that I can share. But as I said, I welcome your contributions to this column as we progress. So let us begin.

One of my strongest memories occurred on April 21, 1952. That was when an explosion occurred in Turret #1 while we were conducting shore bombardment. Thirty shipmates were killed nearly instantaneously. This was the largest Navy casualty of the Korean War.

The ship was nearing the end of it’s second Korean cruise, and contemplating a return to the states in six weeks. It was a bright, sunny Spring-day. We were continuing shore bombardment in the Kojo area. Turret One was manned and firing as were two five-inch mounts and a couple of three-inch mounts. The ship was in Condition II watch which was typical for such shore bombardment. I was down in Sky Plot (the computer plotting room where all fire-control was conducted for all five-inch mounts). Sky Plot is immediately adjacent to Main Plot where similar operations are conducted for the Main Batteries (the eight-inch guns). It was about 1600 hours so watches were being changed. The crew manning Turret one was from the Third Division and had just come on watch.

There was a muffled explosion that could not be heard five decks below in the plotting rooms, nor did we experience any shaking of the ship. Apparently, the Captain saw smoke curling out from under Turret One and General Quarters was sounded throughout the ship. This was followed by “this is not a drill! Away fire and rescue party to Turret One!!”

With the sounding of GQ, all hatches are closed and dogged down locking all hands in their battle stations. The plotting rooms are five decks below so that any chance of escaping should “Abandon Ship!” be called were vanishingly small. Information was sparse as to what had occurred or was happening. Fox Division has personnel manning the gun-fire control directors high in the ship’s superstructure, so we received some word about the smoke from Turret One. Some time later word began to be spread from the Fire and Rescue Party who had entered the turret.

When the hatch to the turret was opened, the team found no fire, only heavy dense smoke. As the dense smoke began to clear, battle lanterns revealed dead bodies. The sprinkler system in the turret did function, but was of little value for what occurred.

One of the guns had been loaded and fired, but for some reason there was a hang-fire. The powder loaded in the gun had been triggered, but did not explode ejecting the loaded eight-inch projectile. Mistakenly, somehow, the breech was opened exposing the two bags of powder in the gun that then exploded, along with two more bags on the loading ramp to be loaded for the next round, and the fire swept down burning more gun-powder bags. The resultant burning released toxic fumes immediately killing all 30 men exposed. Had that fire swept down to the powder rooms, the resultant explosion might have blown-up the ship.

A pall hung over the ship as we were released from GQ, and word spread as to the disaster. The bodies were removed from the turret and identified. None had been burned – all died from asphyxiation. Master Chief George Johnson, # 444, began the unenviable task of sewing the bodies in canvas for transfer. The ship steamed south at full speed to Pusan where the flag-draped bodies were transferred to the Hospital Ship, USS HAVEN. All hands, dressed in blue uniforms stood at attention and saluted as an Honor Guard and pall bearers transferred the bodies to small boats to carry them to the USS HAVEN. The Navy Hymn was played as the last body was transferred. The ship’s crew made one last salute as the ship’s bugler sounded Taps.

The ship weighed anchor and began the long cruise back to the firing line. Rest-In-Peace these 30 young shipmates of the USS SAINT PAUL (CA-73).

The Deck Log and a Bare Bones Narrative on that Fateful Day

Following is the deck log from 4 p.m. (1600 hours) to midnight on the day of the explosion in Turret One. Officers of the Watch note the significant events of the ship’s day. This record demonstrates that in the midst of tragedy, the ship’s routine must continue:

Monday, 21 April 1952

1600-1800 Steaming as before. 1605 clc (change course) to 135° T PCC, 144° PSC, to head the ship downwind. 1606 received report that crew had tumed on sprinkler system in Turret # 1. 1608 clc to 105°T PCC, 114° PSC. 1622 received report that fire in turret # 1 was extinguished. Preliminary report -flashback in upper portion of turret; exact location unknown. Personnel being removed from turret by medical and repair parties. 1627 els to 10 knots, 095 RPM. 1628c/s to 15knots, 141 RPM. 1630 lower handling room and magazine crew of turret #1 accounted for. 1631 completed firing in Kojo area having expended the following ammunition: 19 rounds 8″ H.C. full, 63 rounds 8″ reduced. 1633 c/c to 125° T PCC, 134° PSC. En route to bomb line 1646 secured sprinkler system in turret# 1.

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Kalispell Reunion 2021

January 2022
A Grand Reunion in Kalispell, Montana!

Association members once again joined in reunion, our 18th biennial, and this time in the fine city of Kalispell, Montana. We numbered just under 200 attendees and enjoyed a fine selection of activities. Our Immediate Past President, Barry Fitzgerald negotiated a terrific room rate with the very comfortable Hilton Garden Inn. Members enjoyed a bountiful and hospitality suite.

The main event was a Red Bus tour through Glacier National Park. We organized some 18 of these iconic buses, the grandest way to see the wonders of this North Western National Treasure. Enjoyed as well was an afternoon boat ride on Flathead Lake. Wine flowed freely as we toured on a beautiful afternoon.

Despite the immediacy of Covid, and relative remoteness of Kalispell, the reunion was fully booked. Shipmates once again reconnected in good fellowship with sea stories being brushed off and represented in astounding numbers.

We enjoyed a Grand Banquet at the Hilton ballroom and a keynote address that outlined the Saint’s first two tours in Vietnam. Originally written and presented by the late Captain Harry Fischer, it was successfully recreated by our own John Franz. The Kalispell Elk’s Club honored our shipmates with an all hands dinner…a wonder gesture!

Our 2023 reunion will take place in Savannah, Georgia and the buzz is palatable. Plans are underway to ensure the very best of accommodations at an affordable rate. If Savannah is on your to do list this excursion is a must!

For those Saint Paul shipmates who have not yet joined the Association you are invited to do so today. Enjoy the unbeatable quarterly “The Roving Saint” and plan to make Savannah with friends a reality!

In memory of the Saint and those who served,
Roger Brown
President

While I may not have realized the enormity of the vent at the time, as a young seaman aboard the heavy cruiser USS SAINT PAUL which was moored close to the Battleship MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay. I witnessed the signing of the World War II armistice with General MacArthur.

Let me tell you how my story started in the service about 70 years ago and re-started in 1996 when Supervisor Linda Puglisi and Councilman Mike Mongero (a fellow WWII veteran) formed the Veterans Council of Courtland (NY), with veterans from Van Cortlandville, Verplanck, Montrose and the surrounding areas. When they asked us to relate our stories of being in the military service that is when I first started to tell of my experiences in WWII.

I entered the Navy at age 18 and after completing gunnery school at the naval base in Newport, RI in 1944. I was assigned to the heavy cruiser USS SAINT PAUL out of Boston Harbor. While aboard I soon learned that four of my fellow shipmates were also from the Peekskill area: Charles Adams, Jack Barnes, William Knapp and Robert Gilmore.

While we all came home from the war safe and sound I am the only one of the five of us surviving today. After our shakedown cruise, we sailed through the Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean. When we arrived at Pearl Harbor I could see the devastation of the Japanese attacks of December 7, 1941 that still remained, including the hulk of the famous ARIZONA. We picked up supplies in the Marshall Islands and headed for Iwo Jima. But, before we got there that horrific battle was over and our American Marines had raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi. We were diverted and assigned to Admiral "Bull" Halsey's Third Fleet.

On July 29, 1945 we saw action with night bombardment from our big guns onto important Japanese industrial areas. We encountered kamikaze fighter planes. From our gun positions we could see them diving at us on their suicide runs. We took down two of these enemy planes and one hit the destroyer next to us with a huge explosion that rocked our ship to the rims.

At mid-day on August 9, 1945 we successfully bombarded a key Japanese steel manufacturing complex during which more than 25 enemy planes-some aimed at our ship-were shot down by our planes and gunships.

A short time later we were ordered by our flagship to finish emptying our guns and "cease fire!"

We got the great news that the war was over. I was happy to be alive and proud to say that American military history record books show that our ship-the USS SAINT PAUL-had fired the last salvo of WWII at the Japanese coastline.

On September 2, 1945 we sailed into Tokyo Bay and joined a vast armada of American and allied war vessels. We were told to remain at our battle stations as we anchored about 100 yards from the battleship USS MISSOURI. Our captain announced that we were about to witness an event that we would never forget. We could see Japanese military and civilian emissaries boarding the battleship and bowing to American admirals and generals-one of whom was General Douglas MacArthur, with his crumpled hat and corncob pipe!

We could see them on deck signing what we were told later was the Armistice ending World War II. I had witnessed history but didn't really realize it at the time.

One other gripping memory I have of that day, and the next few days after the surrender, was seeing all the hundreds of white flags dotting the hillsides and shorelines that the Japanese were ordered to display at their gun positions and shoreline batteries from which they did not get a chance to fire on us as we had entered Tokyo Bay.

If the surrender had not happened when it did, we would have been destroyed by their hidden fire power ... and I would not be here to tell you my story. After the surrender OUT captain sent us ashore to pick up and confiscate some of the Japanese weapons and equipment that their soldiers threw down and left behind.

I brought back a Japanese rifle, helmet and gas mask that I later donated to our veteran's committee and which are on display with other artifacts of the war at our Town Hall.

God Bless America and our veterans who fought for our (This story appeared in the November 17, 2014 issue of the Examiner News of New Castle, NY)

The Korean War was between the Republic of Korea (South Korea, supported by the United Nations), and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea, supported by the Chinese and the Soviet Union Communists or Reds). The North Koreans invaded South Korea June 25, 1950, and rapidly conquered most of South Korea. When the Communist invaders captured Inchon, a city on the west coast of Korea a short distance from Seoul, they took over the Inchon Christian Orphanage, which had been established in 1946 by Holiness Church Missionaries. The children were left to fend for themselves. Kwak Sun Yong, a Holiness missionary took some of them to the island of Fushi (Fussito, Fusshi-do), where he and his wife began caring for the group, which consisted of 34 little boys in addition to his own family.

Meanwhile, the battles of the Korean War were far to the south in Korea in what was known as the Pusan Perimeter. General Douglas McArthur, in charge of the United Nations troops, planned to launch an invasion force at Inchon far to the north of the North Korean invaders to cut their supply lines and hence defeat the North Korean Communists. So, in August 1950, the U.S.S. St. Paul found itself in Inchon Harbor shelling Red-held road and rail networks in preparation for the upcoming invasion.  The St. Paul was near Fushi-to, which was supposed to have a working lighthouse, but didn’t. So, the ship sent Lt. Bahr with a landing a party to investigate (Lt. Bahr had been a prisoner of the Japanese in WWII and knew some of the language) What the party found was the orphanage of Kwak Sun Yong with 45 children ranging in age up to 14 years, desperate for food, shelter, warm clothing, and medical care. When the party returned to the St. Paul and told of the orphanage, a collection was immediately taken and the next morning the ship’s whaleboat headed to shore with clothing, rice, and a whole assortment of other items collected from the sailors. One of the St. Paul’s doctors, Dr. Linehan, also went. What he found was pneumonia, malnutrition, rickets and beriberi. Soon the orphans were washing with Navy soap, dressed in cut-down Navy dungarees, wrapped in Navy wool blankets, eating a Navy meal, and laughing at Navy songs. Ship’s tailors measured the children so that they could be fitted with real clothing and shoes made from Navy supplies. Later ship carpenters repaired the damaged buildings. On September 15, 1950, the invasion planned by General McArthur took place and the North Korean defenders were quickly defeated. When Inchon was secure, the St. Paul’s men went ashore and found a pot-bellied stove that they took to the Fushi-to orphanage for warmth. A well was reclaimed so they could have clean drinking water. They purchased some vegetable seeds for them to begin to grow their own food. Soon boxes for the orphanage began arriving from the sailor’s families in the United States. The parish of the Cathedral in St. Paul, MN and also became involved and provided needed supplies to the Fushi-to orphanage. This story about the U.S.S. Saint Paul and the orphans of Fushi-to is documented by the U.S. Navy’s Chaplains. The orphans survived the Korean War and the orphanage has moved back to Inchon. The U.S.S. St. Paul went on to participate in other actions in the Korean War, and later was involved in the Vietnam War. She fired the last volleys in WWII and Korean. The Saint Paul earned one battle star for World War II service, eight battle stars for Korean service, and nine battle stars for Vietnam service. She was sold for scrap in 1980, but one of her anchors is on Harriet island and the ships bell is outside of the mayors office in a park in St. Paul MN. ~ Dick Pfahler, Member of KWVA Chapter 169

Aboard the ship for the first time

It was April or early may 1955. After boot camp leave, I enjoyed temporary quarters at Terminal Island. I was finally told by the duty officer the Saint Paul was anchored out and that I could get aboard by taking the Saint Paul’s liberty boat from the Pico street landing in Long Beach. I took my orders and seabag and waited at the landing. Soon, in came the boat. I climbed aboard. I would eventually be the engineer on this boat and a dammed good one as expressed by all the coxswains for which I worked. As the boat slipped away from the landing, I started to see her. Ah, she was a beauty; long-slim-riding softly in the stream.

We came alongside and I climbed the gangway, saluted the flag flying aft, and asked permission to come aboard. I knew just what to do. The boot camp had trained me well. I was assigned a temporary rack for the night. With no one to report to, I had chow and went topside to look around. The sun was starting to set; a glorious California sunset. As the sun receded in the West, the lights of Long Beach started to flicker on like so many fireflies. The sky grew darker and was filled with stars. Slowly, a full moon ascended. I was standing on the fantail – entranced. The ship softly undulated on the rippling current. It was an evening I will never forget. The long adventure aboard the USS SAINT PAUL had started…

~ Chuck Lord

Dee Suzuku and Chuck Long in Keelung, Taiwan 1956

 

Nick Moreland & Chuck Long

Arthur Beaumont’s paintings

After watching the Arthur Beaumont Sketches in the USS SAINT PAUL’S Associations web site, a cherished memory came to my mind: Arthur Beaumont’s wife, Mrs. Beaumont, was the girl’s vice-principal of Stevenson Jr. High School in East Los Angeles where I attended, during 1946-47. She was a very elegant lady and well liked. We had the pleasure of seeing her husband’s paintings that she brought to school for all to appreciate. Years later, my husband and I both had the pleasure of viewing them together at the Marine Museum in San Pedro, California. It gave me much satisfaction to realize that I had, somewhat, touched base with this marvelous artist.

~ Esther Humeston

All I can remember about the training cruise from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor was that we worked the Midshipmen hard. I remember in particular a tall, young midshipman who was ready to do anything he was told to do; running here, there and everywhere.

After a while I realized how difficult it was to be a midshipman, because many sailors took advantage of their status and position and in a sense introduced them into what it took to be a regular sailor. I know it was hard on this particular individual because he had no choice but to follow orders. However, everything he did was not considered as being 100 percent of what was expected of him as a midshipman. I know he was happy and glad when the USS Saint Paul arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where all the midshipmen on the Midshipman Cruise got off the ship.

Four years later I was aboard the USS Menifee (APA-202), and once a week I would be scheduled to stand the Boatswain watch, or the Quarterdeck watch. It seemed that this particular officer and I were always on the same watch. One evening while on watch he told me he thought he knew me from somewhere. That I looked familiar to him, but he could not place me. I told him the same. He looked familiar to me, but I could not place him either.

We went over the same query every time we were standing watch together. Finally, one evening, after talking about all the places he had been to, and all the places I had been to, it dawned on him to ask me if I had ever had duty aboard the USS Saint Paul. He wanted to know if I was aboard during a Midshipman Cruise from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor. I answered him and remembered and he looked at me and remembered also.

We continued to stand watch together, but never talked about the Midshipman Cruise anymore.
I will say this: He is an Officer and a Gentleman and if he ever reads this short memoir; sir, I would like to talk to you. Only you know who I am.

Tony Esquivel 7th Division, USS Saint Paul CA-73.