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N7KTP > NAVNET 20.03.06 21:10l 78 Lines 4238 Bytes #999 (0) @ ALLUSA
BID : 50583_N7FSP
Read: GUEST
Subj: USS PASADENA (CL-65)
Path: ON0AR<ON0AR<HS1LMV<N9ZZK<K7EK<N7FSP
Sent: 060320/1257z @:N7FSP.#SEA.#WWA.WA.USA.NOAM West Seattle, WA. on 145.010
Pasadena's Guns silenced final enemy positions at end of World War II
By Fred Miles Watson - Managing Editor - Northwest Navigator
The light cruiser USS Pasadena (CL-65) was built by at the
Bethlehem Steel Co., of Quincy, Mass., and was commissioned June 8,
1944 with Capt. Richard Tuggle in command.
The Cleveland class ship displaced 14,400-tons with a full load
and was just above 610-feet in length. Pasadena carried a draft of 24
feet, 10-inches and 1,319 Sailors were on the ship's roster. At the
time of commissioning, the ship was outfitted with 12, six-inch, and
12, five-inch gunmounts. In addition, Pasadena had 28, 40mm and 10,
20mm antiaircraft gunmounts.
In Pasadena's machinery spaces, geared turbines created 100,000
shaft horsepower through four screws that could move the ship at a top
speed of 32 knots.
With World War II in the Pacific in what would be its final year,
Pasadena completed its shakedown operations and headed for the Pacific
in late September of 1944. The cruiser crossed the International Date
Line on Nov. 3rd and proceeded to Ulithi by mid-month to join Task
Force 38, the fast carrier force.
Through the remainder of the year Pasadena participated in that
force's operations against Luzon and Formosa in support of the
Philippine campaign. In mid-January 1945, as the assault on Luzon
pressed forward, the task force sailed into the South China Sea and hit
Japanese installations and shipping along the Indo-China coast and on
Formosa. In February, the ships, now called Task Force 58, moved
against the Japanese home islands, then swung southeast to cover the
landings on Iwo Jima, during which Pasadena's guns added to the
bombardment group and later performed patrol duties.
After a brief replenishment at Ulithi, the force, with Pasadena in
the inner screen, sortied again in mid-March to soften the way for the
operation "Iceberg" assault force with strikes on the southern Japanese
home islands and the northern Ryukyus in addition to those against the
main assault target of Okinawa.
At sea for 80 days, Pasadena, as flagship for Cruiser Division 17,
participated in the night bombardments of Minami Daito on March 28 and
May 10th, and in the continuous strikes against other Japanese
positions on Okinawa and Kyushu on April 1, and May 30.
After a brief break at Ulithi and Leyte in June, the force sortied
from Leyte Gulf for its last strikes against the enemy's home islands
in early July and from mid-month to mid-August pounded military and
industrial complexes on the Tokyo plain, northern Honshu, and Hokkaido.
On Aug. 15, however, Japan accepted surrender terms.
Following the cessation of Pacific hostilities, Pasadena was
assigned soccupation duties and on Aug. 23, she became flagship of Task
Group 35.1, on the 27th she anchored in Sagami Wan and on Sept. 1,
September shifted to Tokyo Bay where she witnessed the officials
surrender ceremony the next day.
From that date until mid-January of 1946, she remained in the
Tokyo Bay area supporting the occupation forces. On Jan. 19, she got
underway for San Pedro, Calif., for an overdue overhaul.
Upon completion of repair work, training and local operations
followed and in September she headed west again. From November to
February, 1947, she participated in division exercises in Micronesia,
then, after fleet maneuvers in Hawaiian waters, returned to California.
For the next year she conducted local operations, then, during the
summer of 1948, conducted an NROTC training cruise.
On Oct. 1, she got underway again for the Far East and by the end
of the month she arrived at Tsingtao and until May, 1949, operated off
the China coast.
On June 1, she returned to California. During the summer, the
cruiser conducted local exercises and on Sept. 12, departed Long Beach
for Bremerton and inactivation. Pasadena decommissioned Jan. 12, 1950
and remained at Bremerton as a unit of the Pacific Reserve Fleet into
1970. She was stricken from the Naval Register on Dec. 1, 1970 and was
sold for scrapping on July 5, 1972.
USS Pasadena (CL-65) was awarded five battle stars for its World
War II service.
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