|
|
|
Captain McCarty's Letter to Newport News' Family and Friends USS Newport News (CA148) FOP San Francisco 96601 24 – 25 December
1967
Dear
Family and Friends of NEWPORT NEWSmen: I
am writing this from my Sea Cabin, just aft of the bridge in NEWPORT NEWS. It is Christmas Eve. The seas are rather heavy, and at our speed of 22
knots, we are plowing into them. The pitch
and roll of the ship are not always pleasant; but by now we are good sailors, and we do
not mind. Besides, we departed the Gun Line
and combat zone yesterday morning, and are making our way across the South China Sea
– With Sasebo, Japan, our destination. So,
if it is not a Merry Christmas for each of us, it is, I believe, a happy one and a
thankful one. For me, it is a particularly
thankful season since we are all together in good health following five weeks at sea
during which we were in almost continuous contact with the enemy. As you may recall from my last letter, we were then on our way to Yokosuka, Japan. We did arrive there on the morning of 13 November; it was a cold, crisp and clear day, and Mount Fuji (or Fuji-San as the Japanese say) was pushing its snowcap skyward. This mountain is one of the most beautiful natural sights in the world, and I am pleased that we were blessed by the view upon entrance to Japan; most of the time Fuji-Yama is invisible in the cloud cover. For six days, we remained in Yokosuka and I believe we made the most of our visit – resting, and relaxing, and learning something of the Oriental way of life. Of course we also used the time to good advantage aboard ship; maintenance was conducted that cannot be performed at sea, and the Ship Repair Facility of Yokosuka completed a few jobs beyond our capability. Most NEWPORT NEWSmen traveled around the immediate area to Tokyo, Yokohama and to the Shrines at such places as Kamakura. I do believe a good number took the extra effort to walk about the small villages: here is where the more typical and traditional Japanese life is viewed. Tokyo, a must on a tourist list, should be recognized as a tremendous city, modern and progressive, the Japan of the future, but not the predominate feature of the culture at this time. I would, however, like to say that it was my first visit to Japan in 10 years, and since many of you are my contemporaries in the unpleasantness of 1941 – 1945, I thought you might appreciate my observation. What changes have taken place! Industry, progress, westernization and national growth are apparent; it is a civilian-oriented economy with no trace of the old militarism. There is no sign that there was ever a war, much less the national devastation of 1945. It makes one wonder who won or lost the great war. We were underway from Yokosuka on Sunday, the 19th, flying the flag of Rear Admiral Sheldon KINNEY, the new Commander of the Cruiser-Destroyer Group of the SEVENTH Fleet. Admiral KINNEY and his staff had embarked during our stay in Yokosuka a few days earlier. Leaving port, it was a misty and drab day, with marginal visibility, and the trip down Tokyo Bay to the sea was a busy one for me with the heavy maritime traffic. We were on our way back to the Tonkin Gulf, however, and the days had to be utilized to get the ship and crew peaked up for a renewal of combat. No time was wasted and damage control, gunnery, and electronic warfare drills occupied our time until Thursday. That day was Thanksgiving, and we did observe it as a holiday in the best tradition. The dinners featuring the roasted turkey lacked nothing, and I was most pleased to have been invited to your NEWPORT NEWSmen in the crew’s mess. I believe you will see a picture of that event attached to this letter; it is one of my most pleasant memories, and I was pleased to thank all of our commissary personnel for an outstanding contribution to the entire ship. Perhaps it was a more-meaningful Thanksgiving in view of the timing: at 4 P.M. that afternoon, we rendezvoused with the cruiser CANBERRA and relieved her as the gunfire support ship off the DMZ. An amphibious assault was in the offing, and rapid-fire guns were needed. At 5:30 A.M. the following day, well before first light, we started the D-Day pre-H hour bombardment in company with three destroyers. Hundreds and hundreds of 8 – and 5 – inch shells streaked in to soften up the beach until the H hour at 7 A.M., at which moment the Marines moved in by assault craft and helicopter. We then established a “call fire” patrol in order to provide gunfire when the Marine spotters requested assistance. This went on through Sunday, the 26th., though during hours of darkness, we fired a full schedule of Harassment and Interdiction targets. In essence, the noise and shock of the guns was with us continually. Perhaps I have told you before that for such missions, we conduct the firing with 1/3 of the crew manning 1/3 of the gun batteries; obviously, all hands could not perform with efficiency at battle stations continually for the several days. On the morning of 27 November, we departed for Operation SEA DRAGON, our other principal mission. We established our strike schedule and quickly were performing again as if we had not been away from the Tonkin Gulf during the preceding weeks. Then unexpectedly, after two days in SEA DRAGON operations, we had a call for emergency support in the DMZ and we steamed southward again to be back there early on Wednesday morning. For four days this time, we gave our best support to the Marines, with the on-line time interrupted only by the requirement to pull clear to get oil and bullets from the supply ships. In a sense, this NGFS duty is more tiring than SEA DRAGON, chiefly because the firing is continuous and we remain within gunfire range of the shore. This latter fact prompts me to prohibit anyone from being on the main deck for any reason – for work, or even a bit of fresh air. As a result, the crew is, to a degree, confined. On SEA DRAGON, we strike deeper under the heavy guns of the enemy but move in and out rapidly; when well out in the Gulf again, personnel are allowed on the weather decks. It was on Saturday night, the 2nd of December, that we once more moved back to SEA DRAGON. Indeed, we made two heavy strikes that very night and I can remember saying to myself, “What a way to spend Saturday night!” However, the war or war hours have no respect for our customary American weekend. For the next two weeks plus, through the 18th, we were the most active of SEA DRAGONs. In looking back, it is hard to recall just what was done to which target on which day: even as I review my calendar, this is so. There are three highlights of our activity in this period, however, and I will try to review them for you. They are typical of our existence for this period, though admittedly two of them are of our more successful ventures. The first is not successful, nor is it pleasant. It is said in one word – Monsoon. This is the time of the year of the Northeast Monsoon, and it is best described as just extremely mean weather. It is caused by the Siberian High pushing down over the Red China Plains, gathering velocity and moisture. As it reaches the Tonkin Gulf, it will have northeast winds of 25 to 40 miles per hour, continuing rain, and will make up rough seas. This condition may go on for days without stopping and we have seen this happen; further, as the winter season progresses, there is almost a continuous Monsoon. You can imagine what this does to the military effort of both sides, but particularly ours. Especially are the aircraft and foot soldiers affected. We, in the SEA DRAGON surface ships, can still operate with effectiveness; yet even we are hampered by the elements. Targets are harder to spot, aircraft are not able to support us as well, and the time alongside the replenishment ships is lengthy and difficult, not to mention very uncomfortable for our crew. The second highlight of our recent operations is a strike at an enemy highway late one night. Our friendly aircraft had reported probable truck travel on a primary north-south highway. This was our cue and we moved in shooting at great range while our escorting destroyer, in conjunction with our five-inch guns, fired at the coastal defense sites. Many eight-inch shells were aimed at the road, and as we moved rapidly back to sea, we saw a large explosion and a great fire in our target area. Our aim had been good, and apparently inflammable war cargo was on the road. The fire grew to light up the entire sky for a mile or so in breadth, and I continued to watch it for over an hour, over 25 miles away. The third highlight took place late in the afternoon on the 18th. We were striking at a river crossing of a truck route fairly deep inland, and were by necessity relatively close to the NVN coastal defense guns. These guns were being suppressed by NEWPORT NEWS and our destroyer USS McCORMICK at the same time. All rounds were on the way to target and as the ship was turning to move out, the enemy opened his guns on us. The word “counter battery” rang out, and I ordered “All ahead full” (maximum speed) on the evasion course. For 10 minutes, we and our escort were in range of the enemy guns and splashes were noted to the port, starboard, ahead, and astern, as we threaded our way to safety. It was not one way however: our guns fired as never before, especially the after eight-inch turret (#3) and five-inch mounts 54, 55 and 56. Over 1000 rounds were fired from both ships to silence the enemy battery, and the paint blistered off of our eight-inch barrels attested to their use. Moving beyond enemy range did not stop the action. We radioed to one of our aircraft carriers, and in no time, eight of his planes were on their way to bomb and strafe the coastal batteries. Finally, the last two aircraft stayed over target to spot our fall of shot as we moved back into range and fired at NVN gun emplacements once more. One most-satisfying note was that later in the evening, we received reports that traffic was clogged up at the river crossing which had been our original target for this strike. We certainly felt as if we had been in a battle, but I would bet the NVN felt more so. That night we moved south once more, and from the 19th until the morning on the 23rd, we supported another operation in the DMZ. There was considerably more enemy activity these days than we had noted earlier in the month, and the Marines were finding the going tough. Our shooting was exceptionally accurate and without a doubt helped to reduce to a large degree the casualties of our troops ashore. And I believe this fact was sensed throughout NEWPORT NEWS. Even though we were happy to depart for Sasebo last Saturday morning, I could detect a certain reluctance to leave the Marines; however, other ships moved in to take our place in the Gun Line, and we were assured that gunfire support from the sea would not be lacking. At this point, let me say that this is a very professional and objective crew that we now have, a crew that is skilled and which works hard as a team. It is a crew with spirit and enthusiasm. But equally pertinent, it is a crew that wants to perform the missions and tasks with dispatch in hopes that, in our way, we can help bring the war to a close. I believe there to be no man who really fires the guns with relish: rather, I believe that every man aboard serves and fires not only because it is his military command to do so, but because he believes in his country and respects the authority and decisions of those who have such tremendous responsibility in the establishment and execution of our national objectives. Suddenly the Christmas season was on us and with our guns silent, we had time to make preparations for which we had only slightly planned. Nevertheless, Christmas trees were delivered from a fleet oiler, and a helicopter landed with boxes of decorations. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day programs were scheduled for all NEWPORT NEWSmen. Religious services, a band concert, a presentation of seasonal music by our new choir, and the Christmas dinner were included in our shipboard celebrations. Our closed circuit TV with a pre-tape capability was simply tremendous in this role; the programs were put on tape and repeated often enough to permit each man to view them if he so desired. I even taped a Christmas message to all NEWPORT NEWSmen. Seriously, it is a happy Christmas season for us since we have, I believe, learned to appreciate basic things, simple things, having experienced the war at-sea out here on the opposite side of the world from you. The moods were jolly but with a serious note. For example, there were quite a number of small parties throughout the ship on Christmas Eve. These parties featured soft drinks, food you sent form home, candies, popcorn, the showing of color slides, and just good camaraderie among shipmates. I was invited to one party given by FOX Division, and thoroughly appreciated it, and I was most pleased when the fun was suspended for the reading of the traditional Christmas Story by a young Firecontrolman. Later, I as invited to a wardroom Party where the officers put on several entertaining skits; here too, good food and fellowship prevailed. So please rest assured that your NEWPORT NEWSman was well taken care of in his “home away from home” at this special time of year. As for myself, I also had a special holiday. You may not know it but the Captain always eats alone. I have my own cook and galley, and at sea my meals are brought to my Sea Cabin or to the bridge on a tray. Well, on Christmas Eve, the officers invited me to their traditional dinner in the Wardroom, and then again on Christmas afternoon, I had dinner with my crew on the Mess Decks. You must know I deeply appreciated both of the courtesies. As I said, we are now enroute to Sasebo and we should arrive the morning of the 27th. You may recall that in my last letter, I said we would be in Subic Bay; at the time, that was true, but our schedule was changed. We will now be in Subic from about 4 to 21 February to have new liners placed in our eight-inch gun barrels. In the meantime, we have an upkeep period in Sasebo until departure 4 January. We will arrive back in the Tonkin Gulf on 8 January for three weeks and a bit more of SEA DRAGON. This will be a most demanding period with the Monsoon and whatever! Essentially, we are at the mid-point of our deployment. In a way we are on the “downward” slope of the cruise, but we cannot let up for a moment, and I believe your NEWPORT NEWSman realizes this. Certainly to this date, our people have continued to improve daily; the deck seamen are more skilled during the underway replenishment; engineers are increasing their reliability; the quartermasters and signalmen are more proficient; the supply men are more efficient. Then of utmost importance, our fire control and gunnery people are shooting better. These are all just examples for I refer to improvement in every segment of the command. But the improvement must continue and it is my obligation to do all I can to see that it does. Perhaps some of you have been informed by your NEWPORT NEWSman that I will be leaving the ship before it returns to Norfolk. I regret that this is true: a new Captain will take over from me about 9 February. I had hoped to stay longer, but as it is I have already had command of NEWPORT NEWS a lot longer than anyone else in the nineteen-year history of the ship. I hardly have a case, though I did object to Washington’s decision to move me but without success. However, since I personally know the prospective Commanding Officer, I have complete confidence that he will continue, and, yes, even improve, the smart fighting team we have now. In my next letter which I will mail just prior to my detachment, I will introduce the new skipper. In the meantime, I wish each of you a happy and prosperous New Year – and a year in which you will be reunited happily with your NEWPORT NEWSman. Very sincerely, Signed Lindsay McCarty Captain Lindsay C. McCARTY, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer USS NEWPORT NEWS (CA148) FPO San Francisco 96601
|
|
