USS Saint Paul file photo [16648]

Saint Paul

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassBaltimore-class Heavy Cruiser
Hull NumberCA-73
BuilderBethlehem Fore River Shipyard
Laid Down3 Feb 1943
Launched16 Sep 1944
Commissioned17 Feb 1945
Decommissioned30 Apr 1971
Displacement13,600 tons standard; 14,500 tons full
Length673 feet
Beam71 feet
Draft27 feet
MachineryGeneral Electric geared turbines, 4 screws
Power Output120,000 shaft horsepower
Speed32 knots
Crew1,700
Armament9x203mm guns, 12x127mm guns, 48x40mm Bofors guns, 24x20mm Oerlikon cannon
Armor6in belt, 8in turrets, 2.5in deck, 6.5in conning tower
Aircraft4

Contributor:

ww2dbaseOriginally laid down as Rochester, the ship under construction was renamed Saint Paul before her 1944 launching. She was commissioned into service in Feb 1945 and held her shakedown cruiser in the Caribbean Sea. She conducted training operations at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii in Jun 1945 and departed for the front on 2 Jul 1945 as a part of Task Force 38 that attacked the Japanese home islands through 10 Aug. In late Aug, she sailed into Sagami Wan southwest of Tokyo, Japan to support Allied occupation operations, followed by her entrance into Tokyo Bay on 1 Sep to participate in the formal surrender ceremony. After the war, she conducted several tours of duty in Shanghai, China, twice as the flagship of her task force. She held the distinction of being the last US warships to fire her guns during the Korean War. In the 1950s, as a part of the US 7th Fleet, she spent an extensive amount of time in Japan and in Taiwan, at times as the flagship of the fleet. She saw action during the Vietnam War. In 1964, she was used for the film "In Harm's Way" starring John Wayne. Decommissioned in 1971, she was placed in reserve with the Puget Sound Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was sold for scrapping in Dec 1979.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Sep 2012

Heavy Cruiser Saint Paul (CA-73) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS Saint Paul at Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 16 Feb 1945USS Saint Paul underway in Massachusetts Bay, Massachusetts, United States, 15 Mar 1945, photo 1 of 2USS Saint Paul underway in Massachusetts Bay, Massachusetts, United States, 15 Mar 1945, photo 2 of 2USS Saint Paul in the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, 10 Nov 1945, photo 1 of 3
See all 27 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Saint Paul (CA-73)

Saint Paul Operational Timeline

3 Feb 1943 The keel of Rochester was laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Company at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States.
16 Sep 1944 Saint Paul was launched at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, sponsored by the wife of John J. McDonough.
17 Feb 1945 USS Saint Paul was commissioned into service with Captain Ernest Herman von Heimburg in command.
15 May 1945 USS Saint Paul departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
8 Jun 1945 USS Saint Paul conducted training operations in waters off Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
30 Jun 1945 USS Saint Paul completed training operations in waters off Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
2 Jul 1945 USS Saint Paul departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
27 Aug 1945 USS Saint Paul arrived in Sagami Wan southwest of Tokyo, Japan.
1 Sep 1945 USS Saint Paul arrived in Tokyo Bay, Japan.
5 Nov 1945 USS Saint Paul departed Tokyo, Japan.
10 Nov 1945 USS Saint Paul arrived at Shanghai, China.
8 Dec 1945 Captain Harold Baker was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul while at Shanghai, China.
21 Dec 1945 USS Saint Paul and Chinese landing craft LST144 collided at Shanghai, China, causing slight damage to the cruiser's bow.
7 Jan 1946 USS Saint Paul departed Shanghai, China.
26 Jan 1946 USS Saint Paul arrived at Terminal Island Naval Shipyard near Los Angeles, California, United States for repairs.
1 Aug 1946 USS Saint Paul arrived at Terminal Island Naval Shipyard near Los Angeles, California, United States for a scheduled overhaul.
22 Oct 1946 Commander Glover Freguson was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
2 Nov 1946 Captain Burton Biggs was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
1 Feb 1947 USS Saint Paul conducted training operations off San Diego, California, United States.
15 Feb 1947 USS Saint Paul completed training operations off San Diego, California, United States.
16 Aug 1947 Captain Stanley Leith was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
6 Aug 1948 Captain Wells Field was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
26 Jun 1949 Captain Henry Richter was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
19 Jul 1950 Captain Chester Smith was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
27 Aug 1950 USS Saint Paul began patrolling the Taiwan Strait.
1 Nov 1950 USS Saint Paul completed her patrol in the Taiwan Strait.
9 Nov 1950 USS Saint Paul was assigned to Task Force 77 for combat duties off Korea.
17 Nov 1950 USS Saint Paul provided gunfire support for United Nations troops near Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, Korea; she was struck by a shell from a coastal battery and suffered six wounded.
2 Dec 1950 USS Saint Paul bombarded communist positions near Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, Korea.
3 Dec 1950 USS Saint Paul entered Wonsan harbor, Kangwon Province, Korea to provide naval gunfire support for the evacuation effort.
24 Dec 1950 USS Saint Paul departed Wonsan, Kangwon Province, Korea.
21 Jan 1951 USS Saint Paul bombarded communist positions north of Inchon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea.
26 Jan 1951 USS Saint Paul was attacked by communist shore batteries near Inchon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea.
31 Jan 1951 USS Saint Paul departed Inchon, Gyeonggi Province, Korea.
7 Apr 1951 USS Saint Paul supported a British Royal Marines raid in Korea.
21 Jul 1951 Captain Roy Gano was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
5 Nov 1951 USS Saint Paul departed California, United States.
27 Nov 1951 USS Saint Paul bombarded communist positions near Wonsan, Kangwon Province, Korea.
21 Apr 1952 USS Saint Paul suffered an accidental explosion in her forward turret while operating off Korea; 30 were killed.
29 May 1952 Captain Frederick Stelter, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
24 Jun 1952 USS Saint Paul arrived at Long Beach, California, United States.
28 Feb 1953 USS Saint Paul departed California, United States for Korea.
2 Jul 1953 Captain Charles Parker was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
11 Jul 1953 USS Saint Paul was hit by a coastal gun battery shell off Wonsan, Kangwon Province, Korea, suffering a damaged anti-aircraft gun mount but no casualties.
27 Jul 1953 At 2159 hours, USS Saint Paul became the last US warship to fire her guns during the Korean War.
12 Jul 1954 USS Saint Paul completed a tour of duty in Japanese and Chinese waters.
2 Oct 1954 Captain Claude Ricketts was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
19 Nov 1954 USS Saint Paul began a tour of duty in Japanese and Chinese waters.
15 Aug 1955 USS Saint Paul was named the flagship of the US 7th Fleet based in Japan.
7 Nov 1955 Captain James Davis was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul while in Japan.
10 Jan 1956 USS Saint Paul was relieved as the flagship of the US 7th Fleet based in Japan.
6 Nov 1956 USS Saint Paul departed Long Beach, California, United States.
29 Nov 1956 USS Saint Paul arrived at Yokosuka, Japan and was named the flagship of the US 7th Fleet.
2 Jan 1957 Captain Allan Reed was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
26 Apr 1957 USS Saint Paul departed Japan for the United States.
21 May 1957 USS Saint Paul arrived at Long Beach, California, United States.
29 Aug 1957 Captain Irvin Hartman was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
3 Feb 1958 USS Saint Paul departed Seattle, Washington, United States for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
9 Mar 1958 USS Saint Paul arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.
25 Aug 1958 USS Saint Paul arrived at Long Beach, California, United States.
10 Sep 1958 Captain Carter Bennett was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
4 May 1959 USS Saint Paul departed Long Beach, California, United States for Yokosuka, Japan.
23 Nov 1959 Captain John Maurer was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
20 Oct 1960 Captain Frederick Schneider, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
25 Oct 1961 Captain Albert Church, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
3 Nov 1962 Captain Woodrow McCrory was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
28 Sep 1963 Captain Gerald Norton was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
24 Sep 1964 Captain Lloyd Vasey was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
23 Jun 1965 Captain Edward Higgins, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
26 Aug 1966 Captain Harry Fischer, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
2 Sep 1966 USS Saint Paul was hit by a shell on the stardboard bow off Vietnam, causing slight damage and no casualties.
13 Feb 1968 Captain Ralph Hilson was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
12 Aug 1969 Captain Hugh Nott was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
15 Dec 1969 Commander Donald Knutson, Sr. was named the commanding officer of USS Saint Paul.
7 Dec 1970 USS Saint Paul began inactivation procedures.
1 Feb 1971 USS Saint Paul arrived at Bremerton, Washington, United States.
30 Apr 1971 USS Saint Paul was decommissioned from service at Bremerton, Washington, United States.
31 Jul 1978 Saint Paul was struck from the US Naval Register.
13 Dec 1979 Saint Paul was sold for scrap to Zidell Explorations of Portland, Oregon, United States.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. spouse of a Vietnam Vet ,Mrs Hill says:
28 Sep 2016 07:52:41 PM

I need to know if my late husband served in the Navy during the Vietnam War in Vietnam from 9-1962 to 8-1964. Due to a flood all of his military paper work got ruined. Apparently, the VA expects me to show proof he was in Vietnam during the spraying of the herbicide "Agent Orange"...how can I get that proof? And proof he was in Vietnam during those years.
2. Mrs Hill, spouse of a Vietnam vet, who served in Navy says:
28 Sep 2016 07:56:09 PM

I forgot to mention, my late husband served on the USS ST PAUL CA 73...your records don't give me exact locations where the St Paul went during those years (8-1962 to 9-1964)
3. steve voorhees says:
31 Oct 2016 05:41:07 PM

Mrs. Hill

The VA website has a list of ships and deployment dates that qualify for Agent Orange consideration.

The form you need is the DD 214. Your congressman can assist you in getting copies of this. It will list his duty stations and dates, among other info.
4. James Dewitt says:
23 Oct 2017 12:38:12 PM

USS Saint Paul-During Operation "SHAD". Atomic Nuclear Tests=(Pacific Ocean) 1963-64 Home port Hawaii! Bikini Island Still Unlivable=DUE to Radiation Contamination=60 Years Later-'NEWS REPORT'=NEED Crew List**NAMES="Fellow Ship Mates"..
5. James Dewitt says:
23 Oct 2017 12:56:02 PM

"RADIATION EXPOSURE" During Operation=(SHAD) 1963 Atomic Testing=While aboard USS Saint Paul-ca73.
6. James Dewitt says:
23 Oct 2017 01:07:40 PM

Mrs. Hill PLEASE Contact me=James (702)595-3523=Your Husband & I were 'Guinea Pigs' OPERATION (SHAD) Nuclear Atomic Testing=USS Saint Paul-(1963)=Home Port 'Hawaii'

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Heavy Cruiser Saint Paul (CA-73) Photo Gallery
USS Saint Paul at Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 16 Feb 1945
See all 27 photographs of Heavy Cruiser Saint Paul (CA-73)


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