Delaware County Daily Times from Chester, Pennsylvania • Page 47

Thursday, November 25,1976 DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES Warships named for Chester Played part in colorful history ONE OF WO warships named for the City of Chester wrote a glorious chapter in naval history during World War II. The USS Chester, sold for scrap two decades ago, won 11 -'battle stars as she participated in -such historic engagements as Leyte, Iwo Jima, the -'Marshall and Gilbert Islands, and Battle of the Coral Sea. Nineteen crewmen died on her decks and 55 were wounded in three 1942 naval skirmishes that were among the fiercest of the war in the Pacific theater. EIGHT were killed and 38 injured when the heavy cruiser was hit by a bomb in the well deck during the raid on Taroa Feb. l.

Five crewmen were injured as the Chester protected carriers with her blistering antiaircraft fire in the Battle of the Coral Sea May 8. And finally, men lost their lives and 12 were injured when the warship was struck by a torpedo in the starboard side Oct.20 while supporting landing operations in the Solomons Islands. But the mighty cruiser refused to roll over and was in the thick of the fighting to the successful conclusion of the war. Chester residents got their last look at their famous fighting lady Aug. 17, 1959, when she was towed down the Delaware River past the city enroute to Jacksonville, for her demise.

The Navy had sold her for $241,889. "THIS is a sad occasion." commented Mrs. Jane Turner Blain Baker of Chester, who had christened the ship on June 24, 1930. Several countians played a part in the saga written by the USS Chester. But most of them have since left the area.

One still living in the county does not care to comment about his experience aboard the ship. Today, only relics remain to stir memories of the ship's historic accomplishments. The city acquired such attachments as an American flag: a small captain's bell; running lights from the port and starboard sides; a rudder wheel; a piece of shrapnel from the first Japanese bomb to hit the ship; a menu for Christmas dinner; a Christmas card made by the crew; a worship bulletin; a brass plaque from a gun mount listing the ship's battle engagements; a small clock which had been inserted in a life preserver, and a teakwood deck plank. PERHAPS the most priceless relic from the USS Chester is possessed by John S. (Jack) Rowe, of 240-B Zebley Road, Bethel.

It is the 27-inch high, 450-pound brass ship's bell which acquired in the past few years. Someday, Rowe hopes to see the bell installed in some patriotic way in Bethel either at the fire company or the American Legion as a memorial to all the Bethel men who served their country. A Chester resident. Constantine E. Lemcio, of 237 E.

4th once advanced the nobel idea of acquiring the USS Chester and berthing it at the mouth of Chester Creek as a great historical attraction. Others advanced similar suggestions, including Samuel H. Newsome, former president of the Delaware County Historical Society. THE STATE of Texas had enshrined at San Jacinto, one of the battleships named for Texas. And the Shelburne Museum at Shelburne, had also enshrined the S.

S. Ticonderoga, the famous old sidewheeler. The thought was that Chester could do the same for its famous ship. But suggestions that the city acquire' the USS Chester all fell on deaf ears. The first USS Chester named for the City of Chester was a light cruiser originally designed as a scout cruiser and officially designated by the Navy as CL-1.

Built by the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, this cruiser was launched June 26, 1907, with Miss Dorothy Sproul, daughter of William C. Sproul, as sponsor. Sproul, elected governor of Pennsylvania lin 1918, was a state senator at the time. The cruiser was commissioned April 25, 1908, and placed under the command of Comdr. H.

B. Wilson. THE SHIP had a length overall of 423 feet, 2 inches; extreme beam, 47 feet, 1 inch; normal displacement of 3,750 tons; mean draft, 16 feet, 9 inches; designed speed of 24 knots, and a complement of 19 officers and 340 enlisted men. She was originally armed with two 5-inch .50 caliber guns; six 3-inch .50 caliber guns, and two 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes. The maximum thickness of her armor was 2 inches.

Prior to World War the first Chester had many duties of a diplomatic and ceremonial nature. I DiMatteo Lincoln's COLDIN LIPRIfc Outtcm Mill Alton LIVE ENTERTAINMENT MOW APPtAKING "HOLLYWOOD" LADIES NITE EVERY THURS. Dross Code i Enforced OPEN 11 A.M. to 2 A.M. txcept Sunday 497-9988 BIG JOHN'S TAVERN 117 Fairview Crum lynne, Pa.

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2:30,5:20,8:00,10:45 In 1910, she joined in a special South American cruise commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Buenos Aires, Argentina. SHE PATROLLED off Mexico, Santa Domingo and Haiti in 1911 as American interests in the Caribbean became threatened by internal political troubles in several nations. On Aug. 23, 1917, she began escorting troop convoys between Gibraltar and Plymouth, England. On Sept.

5, 1918, the cruiser sighted an enemy submarine on her starboard side. In attempting to ram the enemy, the Chester passed directly over the German U- boat as it dove, damaging her own port paravane. Depth charges were hurled at the sub's presumed position but no further contact-was made. As the end of the war neared, the first Chester carried trbops to the Army units operating in Northern Russia. She then helped bring victorious troops home from France.

SHE WAS decomissioned June 10, 1921, at the Boston Navy Yard. In 1927 she was towed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard where on July 10,1928, her name was changed to York. She was sold for scrap May 13,1930. The second USS Chester, designated by the Navy as CA-27, was built by the New York Shipbuilding Co. at Camden, N.

J. Her keel was laid March 6, 1928. She was launched June 24,1930, under the sponsorship of Miss Jane Turner Blain, a niece of Sammuel E. Turner, mayor of Chester at the time and one-time managing editor of the Chester Times (now the Delaware County Daily Times.) The vessel was commissioned June 24, 1930, with Capt. A.

P. Fairfield as the commanding officer. The second Chester had a length overall of 600 feet, 3 inches; extreme beam, 66 feet, inch; standard displacement of 9,200 tous; mean draft, 16 feet, 4 inches; designed speed of 32.5 knots, and a designed complement of 45 officers and 576 men. She was originally armed with nine 8-inch .55 caliber guns; four 5-inch 25 caliber guns; eight .50 caliber machine guns, and six 21-inch torpedo tubes. She had two aircraft catapults amidships.

The maximum thickness of her armor was 8 inches. SHE CLEARED Newport, R. I. Aug. 13, 1930, for an extensive European cruise, visiting Barcelona, Naples, Constantinople, Pharleron Bay and Gibraltar before coming to Chester Oct.

13, 1930 for repairs. She then joined the scouting fleet as flagship for the Commander of the Light Cruiser Divisions. Later she was overhauled at the New York Navy Yard and equipped with two catapults amidships. She then sailed for San Pedro, Calif. Aug.

14, 1932, to join regular activities of the U. S. Fleet. She escorted the USS Indianapolis, with President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard, on a goodwill visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, beginning Nov.

18,1936. SHE WAS homeported at Pearl Harbor beginning Feb. 3, 1941. She was returning from a Wake Island assignment when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.

Remaining on patrol with Task Force 8 in Hawaiian waters, her planes bombed a submarine Dec. 12,1941. The Chester supported the reinforcement landings on Samoa from Jan. 18 to 24,1942, then joined Task Group 8.3 for the successful raid on Taroa Feb. 1.

It was in this raid that she received a bomb hit killing eight men and was forced to return to Pearl Harbor Feb. 3 for repairs. THE CHESTER joined Task force 17 for the Guadalcanal- Tulagi raid May 4, the attack on Misimi Island May 7 and the Battle of the Coral Sea May 8. The Chester's sharp, steady antiaircraft fire in protecting carriers in the Battle of the Coral Sea is credited with helping stop the enemy invasion forces heading for Port Moresby, New Guinea. The Chester had five men wounded in this epic sea battle.

On May 10, 1942, the Chester received 478 survivors from the carrier Lexington, whom she transferred to Tonga Island. While supporting landing operations in the Solomons Oct. 20, 1942, the Chester was hit by a torpedo which killed 11 men. SHE RETURNED to Espiritu Santo under her own power for emergency repairs on Oct. 23.

Three days later, on Oct. 26, the SS President Coolidge was struck by a minefield and the Chester sent fire and rescue parties to her aid, took 440 survivors aboard and transferred them to Espiritu Santo. On Christmas Day, 1942, the Chester was sent to the Norfolk Navy Yard for a complete overhaul. On Nov. 8, 1943, she returned to the war zone and aided the invasion of the Ma rshalls.

She covered the landings on Abename Island and bombarded Taroa, Wotje and Maloelap. She then assumed antisubmarine and antiaircraft patrol off Majurfo until April 25, 1944, when she sailed for San Francisco and a brief overhaul. She joined Task Force 94 at Adak, Alaska May 27, 1944, for the bombardments of Matsuwa and Paramushiru in the Kuriles. ON AUG. 29 the Chester sortied with Task Group 12.5 for the bombardment of Wake Island, then went to Eniwetok.

On Oct. 9, she cruised off Saipan and participated in the bombardment of Marcus Island, then joined Task Group 38.1 for the carrier strikes on Luzon and Samar in support of the Leyte Gulf operations. From Nov. 8, 1944 to Feb. 21, 1945, the Chester operated from Ulithi and Saipan in the bombardment of Iwo Jima and the Bonins, and supported the invasion landings.

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