USS Newport News (CA-148)

The second USS "Newport News" (CA–148) was a "Des Moines"-class heavy cruiser in the United States Navy. "Newport News" was laid down 1 November 1945; launched on 6 March 1948 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. The vessel was sponsored by Mrs. Homer T. Ferguson upon commissioning on 29 January 1949, Captain Roland N. Smoot commanding. She was the first air-conditioned ship in the United States Navy. [ [http://www.uss-newport-news.com/hist/commissi.htm Commissioning (uss-newport-nes.com)] ]

1950-1962

In addition to annual deployments to the Mediterranean from 1950 to 1961 for duty with the Sixth Fleet, she participated in major fleet exercises and midshipman training cruises in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic. In early September 1957, "Newport News" was on station in the Eastern Mediterranean in preparation for any contingency during the Syrian crisis. In March 1960, while steaming 75 miles northeast of Sicily, "Newport News" was ordered to proceed to Agadir, Morocco, to render assistance to the survivors of that earthquake-shattered city. She steamed 1,225 miles in 40.5 hours at an average speed of 31 knots, arriving on 3 March to provide medical and material aid. With the assassination of General Trujillo and the resulting instability in Santo Domingo, "Newport News" was underway on short notice on 4 June 1961, and proceeded to a station in international waters off the Dominican Republic to await further orders. When the crisis terminated, the ship returned to Norfolk after conducting training exercises off Puerto Rico.

"Newport News’ "berthing and communications facilities were modified in the winter of 1962 to accommodate Commander Second Fleet and his staff. In August 1962, she participated in NATO Exercise RIPTIDE III, and upon the end of the exercise, made a month long tour of Northern European ports as flagship of ComStrikFltLant, the NATO role of Commander Second Fleet.

Within a month after return to Norfolk, "Newport News" was underway on 22 October along with other units of the Atlantic Fleet for the Cuban Quarantine. For the next month, acting as flagship for ComSecondFlt, CA–148 was on station northeast of Cuba. When the Soviet MRBM’s were dismantled and removed from Cuba, "Newport News" assisted in the missile count [ [http://home.att.net/~dgoad/cuba.html http://home.att.net/~dgoad/cuba.html Cuban Missile Crisis] ] . Upon cancellation of the quarantine, she returned to her homeport of Norfolk the day before Thanksgiving.

1963-1974

Operations from 1963 through 1967 consisted primarily of NATO exercises in the North Atlantic, gunnery and amphibious exercises off the Eastern seaboard and Caribbean, and midshipman cruises. When the Dominican Republic crisis of 1965 developed, "Newport News" sortied from Norfolk on 29 April for Santo Domingo, where she was flagship for Commander Joint Task Force 122. "Newport News" remained on station off Santo Domingo until 7 May 1965 when JTF 122 was dissolved, and command was shifted to the Army ashore in the Dominican Republic. She returned to Norfolk, where in June alterations were made to increase her combat capabilities. On June 28, 1965, Newport News entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va. for a five month period of refitting and overhaul.A yard overhaul is a regular part of the life cycle of a man-of-war. In olden times it was a simple process; scrape the barnacles off the hull, re-tar, replace a timber here or there. The 20th century equivalent is more complex. Men clamber aloft in the superstructure and along the sides of the ship. In the passageways below are strung blower ducts, air, water, and electrical lines. Shakedown was in Guantanamo, Cuba, over Christmas and New Year of 1965. It was no picnic, as those who were there can attest to. "Combat ready" was a way of life, sometimes more than 10 hours at a time. Swimming, softball, and drinking were the favorite pastimes. Upon our return from Gitmo, Newport News once again became Flagship for Second Fleet, Vice Admiral Masterson taking command.

1 September 1967, Commander Second Fleet shifted his flag to "Springfield", and "Newport News" departed Norfolk 5 September for a six month deployment to Southeast Asia. Arriving Da Nang, South Vietnam, on the morning of 9 October, she became the flagship of ComCruDesFlot 3. That night, at 2300, under her new call sign "Thunder," she fired her eight inch rifles for the first time in anger against shore targets in North Vietnam as part of Operation Sea Dragon. For years her powerful guns had served as a major force to keep the peace. Now her strength served well in war during the following months in providing interdiction fire north of the Demilitarized Zone and naval gunfire support for American allied troops in South Vietnam.

"Newport News" spent some 50 days patrolling the coast of North Vietnam as part of Operation Sea Dragon – the Navy’s effort to destroy waterborne logistics craft as well as military supply routes ashore in North Vietnam. During this period, the ship conducted 156 strikes against enemy targets and, in the execution of these strikes, 325 North Vietnamese coastal defense sites were taken under fire. Combined, 7411 rounds of high explosive ammunition were expended by the ship during Operation Sea Dragon. According to spotters’ reports, "Newport News" sank 17 waterborne logistics craft, damaged another 14 and destroyed several enemy bunker and radar sites. In harassment and interdiction strike missions she all but halted the enemy’s rebuilding efforts as she damaged bridges, barges, trucks and roads and caused heavy ruin and raging fires in widespread areas. The ship was subjected to hostile fire on several occasions, but each time countered effectively and silenced the enemy batteries. On 19 December 1967, "Newport News" exchanged fire with 20-28 separate shore batteries, simultaneously, off the coast of North Vietnam. During the short period of this engagement, over 300 enemy rounds bracketed the cruiser’s position, but ship handling by Captain McCarty prevented any direct hits. This encounter led American forward observers to nickname "Newport News" “The Gray Ghost from the East Coast,” a moniker she retained throughout her three Vietnam deployments. [ [http://home.att.net/~dgoad/photos3.html Thunder goes to War] ] .

Subsequent to the end of Operation Sea Dragon and for the remaining several months of this deployment, "Newport News" participated in Naval Gunfire Support operations near the DMZ (The Demilitarized Zone). In support of Third Marine Division forces on the beach, the ship fired around the clock for periods sometimes lasting several weeks in succession. On station near the DMZ, "Newport News" was normally in sight of land and crewmembers could frequently see and hear, first hand, the effect of their efforts on enemy positions.

During the total period of this deployment, "Newport News" expended a record 59,241 rounds of high-explosive ammunition, while conducting a total of 239 observed and 602 unobserved missions against the enemy. She came under fire of enemy coastal defense batteries on seventeen separate occasions, was frequently straffed with shrapnel, but never suffering a direct hit. The cruiser departed Subic Bay on 21 April and arrived at her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia on 13 May 1968, via the Panama Canal.

Following an extensive yard overhaul period to prepare her for further combat operations, on 21 November 1968 "Newport News" once again departed Norfolk to commence her second deployment to Vietnam. Combat operations during this second tour commenced on 25 December 1968, focused primarily on providing Naval Gunfire Support to the 7th and 9th ARVN in the Vinh Binh Province of the Mekong Delta and on providing additional Naval Gunfire Support near the DMZ. "Newport News" expended 18,928 rounds of ammunition during this second Vietnam deployment, departing Da Nang, South Vietnam on 3 June 1969, via San Francisco and the Panama Canal, to arrive at her homeport in Norfolk, Virginia in early July of that year. In May 1972 "Newport News" returned to the gunline for her third combat tour in WESTPAC.

On 1 October 1972, while in action off the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam, "Newport News" sustained an in-bore explosion in her center 8-inch gun of number two turret. A defective auxiliary detonating fuse caused the projectile to detonate almost immediately upon firing. Twenty men were killed and thirty six injured. The barrel proper was blown forward from the gun. The damaged gun was removed and its port plated over. The ship completed her career with the turret unusable and locked in train.

Operations near Vietnam continued until December 1972 when the ship was recalled to Norfolk. During 1973 and 1974 the ship undertook training cruises and visited many ports around the world before being recalled for decommissioning.

Decommissioning

"Newport News" was decommissioned on 27 June 1975, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 31 July 1978, and sold for scrap to Southern Scrap Material Company, Limited, in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 25 February 1993. The last of the heavy cruisers to be taken out of service, a museum dedicated to "Newport News" and her crew is maintained in USS "Salem" in Quincy, MA.

Awards

* On July 4 weekend 1968, "Newport News" was awarded its first Navy Unit Commendation, presented to Captain Snyder by Rear Admiral John Wadleigh on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy "for Exceptionally meritorious service from 2OCT67 to 26APR68 while engaged in operations against enemy aggressor forces in the waters contiguous to the hostile coastline of both North and South Vietnam."
* The ship was awarded the "Top Gun" award for support of the allied forces during the 1969 deployment.
* In 1969, "Newport News" was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation for performance during operations against hostile enemy forces during the ship's second deployment to Vietnam during 1968 and 1969.
*"Newport News" received the Battle Efficiency "E" for CIC/Operations for Fiscal Year 1972. The occasion marked the 24th commissioning anniversary of "Newport News". COMSECONDFLT VADM Finneran was guest speaker at the ceremony. (Twenty-nine January is the official anniversary of "Newport News".)
*On 13 July 1973 "Newport News" was awarded its second Navy Unit Commendation, presented to Capt Kelly by VADM Finneran on behalf of Secretary of the Navy John W. Warner at a ceremony which was also attended by Capt Zartman, who had been Commanding Officer for the 1972 Vietnam deployment, during which the award was earned.

References

External links

* [http://www.uss-newport-news.com/ USS Newport News Home Page] , website dedicated to the USS Newport News (CA-148)
* [http://www.hullnumber.com/CA-148 CA-148 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com]
* [http://home.att.net/~dgoad/index.html My Love of Thunder Home Page] , website dedicated to the USS Newport News (CA-148) - created by Navy Master Chief Dexter Goad (Retired) - includes significant historical content relating to the ship.