LONG THIN LINE, THE

With most of the battlewagons out of action following Pearl Harbor, it fell to the cruisers of the US Navy to hold the battle line across the broad reaches of the Pacific

THE SALT LAKE CITY

Aside from playing the leading role in the longest surface battle of the war, fighting 31 engagements against enemy sea, air and land forces in 45-months of warfare, sinking (or helping to sink) 15 enemy ships, damaging at least ten other Jap vessels and destroying twelve planes, the Salt Lake City (CA 25) wasn't very busy.

The oldest heavy cruiser in the fleet, commissioned in 1924, she was returning from Wake Island when the war broke out and she figured largely as the Navy struck retaliatory blows in those early anxious months. In February 1942, she bombarded Wotje and later the same month, in company with other ships, hammered the Japs on Wake Island. Eight-days later, she screened the Enterprise when the ship's planes bombed Marcus Island, and when Army planes from the Hornet raided Tokyo, the Salt Lake City was with that group. In August 1942, she screened the carrier Wasp off Guadalcanal and the Russell Islands, within easy range of enemy airfields, saving 72 officers and 787 enlisted men from the Wasp when that carrier was sunk in September, 1942.

Off Cape Esperance in October, she won the name of "The One Ship Fleet," helping to rescue the Boise in a dingdong engagement against enemy units. While maneuvering to attack a Jap heavy cruiser which had ranged in on the Boise, the Salt Lake City took an 8-in shell forward. But once in position, she hit the target so often with the help of two other US ships, that it sank almost immediately. Meanwhile the Salt Lake City had been struck again. Three enemy cruisers and five destroyers were sunk in the victory, while US forces lost only one destroyer sunk, one damaged, and two cruisers hit. Moreover, this engagement assured the safety of Guadalcanal and prevented Jap reinforcements from landing.

After undergoing repairs, the cruiser went to the North Pacific under the command of Capt. Bertram J. Rodgers. On 26 March 1943, along with the Richmond and four destroyers, she intercepted a Japanese force of two light and two heavy cruisers, four destroyers, and two auxiliaries headed for the Aleutians. The longest US Naval battle of the war followed. Although greatly outnumbered, the American force closed and opened fire, with the Salt Lake City immediately engaging the two Jap heavy cruisers. Shells from her fourth salvo struck the leading enemy cruiser and shortly afterward she scored more hits on the other enemy cruiser, taking in return a Jap shell which caused some damage to one engine room. Tenminutes later, she was straddled again and shaken badly. But the Salt Lake City continued to engage the enemy, and at 11 am, she took another hit on the starboard, followed by a dud hit soon after.

The battle had started at 9 am and real disaster threatened at 11:25 am when one engine room was flooded. Speed dropped, and the enemy fire grew increasingly hot. At this point, a brilliantly executed torpedo feint by the destroyers caused the enemy to turn away long enough for the Salt Lake City to repair engines, and speed stepped up. By now, her ammunition was running low and shells had to be run from bow to stern so that the rear turrets could continue to fire. Suddenly, the flooding became almost uncontrollable. One by one, the Salt Lake City's boilers went out and she lay dead in the water. Despite the protective smoke screen, shells began to fall around her like rain, but another daring torpedo attack by the destroyers again forced the Japs off course long enough for the cruiser to get under way. The battle ended a short time later as the Jap ships headed1 home, unsuccessful in their attempts to relieve the Aleutian bases.

After repairs at Mare Island, the cruiser came back to the Aleutians in 1943 and stayed there until September, bombarding Kiska in the interim. Then with Capt. Leroy W. Bushey in command, the Salt Lake City participated in the bombardment of Betio (at Tarawa), fighting off a Jap torpedo attack in the process. From there, she went on to shell Wotje and Taroa early in February 1944. Next came participation in raids on Palau, Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai in March and April. Then in June, she was back at Mare Island Navy Yard, and going on from there to Adak on 8 June, she bombarded Paramushiro before returning to Pearl in August. In quick succession came bombardments and carrier operations against Wake Island, Eniwetok, Marcus, and the Philippines. From November 1944 to January 1945, she operated against the Volcano Islands, protecting B-29 airfields on Saipan and Guam. Iwo Jima took the next pounding and on one "triple play" day, Iwo, Chicbi, and Haba Jima were all hit. After covering the raids on Luzon, the Salt Lake Citywent back for more blasting at Iwo Jima. Then she plunged into the holocaust of Okinawa for 66-days, repulsing numerous kamikazes and slugging it out with enemy shore installations. Headed for repairs at Leyte in June, she returned to Okinawa for more duty and was en route to the Aleutians when word came of the war's end. After covering troop landings on Honshu, the Salt Lake City finally decided to call it a war.

THE BOISE

No cruiser had a finer fighting record than the Boise (CL-47). Commissioned in August 1938, this light cruiser arrived in Manila with a troop convoy on 4 December 1941. She was in the SuIu Sea proceeding to Cebu when the Japs struck at Pearl Harbor. Immediately joining forces with the cruiser Houston and several destroyers, she spent the first month of the war in helping Allied shipping clear the Philippines.

In January, the Boise became flagship of Task Force 5. On the morning of 20 January 1942, Jap forces appeared off Balikpapan and the Boise set out with four destroyers to attack, but the next morning, she struck an uncharted reef and was consequently ordered to turn back. After minor repairs at Tjilatjap, Java, she went on to Bombay, India, with Capt. E.J. Moran in command.

Leaving Bombay on 4 April, she returned to Mare Island for refitting and was back at sea on 20 June convoying troop ships to New Zealand. On 2 July, the Boise left Pearl Harbor to carry out a feint in enemy home waters. This mission took her within 650-mi of Tokyo but she escaped enemy patrol planes and returned safely to Pearl.

On 14 September, the Boise joined Task Force 64, supporting Marine landings on Guadalcanal.

The Boise, along with the cruisers San Francisco, Helena, Salt Lake City, and five destroyers, was off Cape Esperance on the morning of 12 October when 15 enemy ships were sighted. Making an abrupt turn, the US ships "capped the Jap T," bringing the enemy under heavy and concentrated fire.

The Boise quickly engaged a Jap heavy cruiser which was set afire. However, the Jap slapped back hard, planting several shells into the Boise, and putting one of her 5-in guns out of action. Under the combined pounding of the Salt Lake City and the Boise, the Jap cruiser finally sank.

Immediately, the Boise turned her guns on a destroyer and after a few furious blasts, the enemy warship broke in two and disappeared. Switching her fire now to another destroyer, the Boise and the other ships sent down a third Jap vessel, and then the .Boise took another Jap cruiser in a furious duel.

While the enemy tried to break off the engagement, the Boise opened on a third destroyer which disappeared beneath the water within twominutes. At this time, the Boise was subjected to a fierce torpedo attack but expert maneuvering pulled her out of danger. Still looking for trouble, she found another target - a Jap light cruiser - and was plastering this ship when an enemy heavy cruiser ranged in on the Boise, thudding shells into her with deadly precision. Turrets 1, 2, and 3 were hit and set afire with heavy casualties, and finally an 8-in shell drummed into the forward magazine, killing every man there. Burning and helpless, the Boise fell out of line and retired to lick her wounds. She had lost 107 men in the fracas, but was officially credited with sinking or assisting in sinking a Jap cruiser and at least two destroyers.

Author: Schnepf, Ed