HEAVY CRUISER FIREPOWER

[@elisabethbaird2201]

Craig J. Baird, USS Newport News, '72 - '74 Great video of these cruisers! I was aboard the NN during the 1972 Vietnam cruise and I am one of the few survivors of the turret 2 explosion. There were 5 or 6 of us that were able to escape from the powder handling magazine -- the remainder of the turret crew perished. What a night it was! I'll always remember the other sailors who died, and I pray for their families to this day. May God bless them forever.

[@harlanmartin9964]

My Dad served on the USS Toledo CA-133.....he had a camera pass and took all kinds video aboard ship....I have taken those reel films and converted to digital....very cool seeing this footage on the same type ship my Dad was on .... My Dad would have enjoyed seeing this, he passed away Aug 5, 2013.....thanks for sharing!

[@meldoug99]

Thanks for sharing. I salute your dad for his service to our flag.

[@garywpalmer]

Great video. Excellent editing and effects. I served on the USS Newport News as an ETN3 in 1971-72. I'm now the Webmaster for the USS Newport News website. I'd like to put a link to this video on our video pages with your permission. Thank you for helping to keep the memories of our great ship alive.

[@hankbe111]

Great video. I was on board the USS Saint Paul from 1965 through 1967. While aboard the ship made two WESTPAC cruises to Vietnam and fired over 50,000 rounds of heavy caliber 8" and 5". Probably on board in the video. Thanks

[@meldoug99]

Todays Navy ships look as if they are unarmed compared to the days of the Heavy Cruiser. I know they're actually more powerful today but they don't have that intimidating profile the old Cruisers had. When you saw a Heavy Cruiser on the horizon you thought twice about doing something stupid. THANKS.

[@brokewrench1]

Melvin Douglas I agree, There was nothing like seeing the guns on those ships! Even the little Sumner class Destroyers looked damn tuff with their 5in guns.

[@billrobinson3360]

hankbe111 my dad was on the Saint about that time GM David Robinson

[@ut000bs]

Awesome video and thank you for sharing your work in this manner. I served in the Navy after these great ships were gone but I've been a student of naval warfare since my age only had one number. I've always loved gun cruisers. I've noticed WW2 vintage cruisers are somewhat lacking in video and on sites such as this one and your work is helping that out. I salute you, sir.

[@meldoug99]

Thanks shipmate.

[@tonyatracey8793]

I also served on the Newport News CA 148 in Vietnam 9 no. Summer 1972. Was onboard during October tragic turret accident.memories and nightmares just don't go away.GOD bless these sailors souls.

[@prydonian460]

Thanks for posting this . There are tons of videos here showing the BBs with their big guns but far to few of the cruisers . This is just what we need to tell their story. Thanks for your service to our country !!

[@meldoug99]

THANKS. I served aboard the USS NEWPORT NEWS CA-148 before Vietnam.

[@hermandisher1514]

Amen

[@Jamestfarrell]

During this filming of the USS Saint Paul in 1966 I was the center gun pointer in Turret Two. Very strange to see my handi-work half a century on.

[@meldoug99]

My brother was on that ship pre-Nam. I was on the USS Newport News CA-148. Good memories.

[@billrobinson3360]

Jimmy Lester my dad was a GM during the filming of In Harms way. GM David Robinson.

[@thecrimsonknight4756]

Neighbor served 3 tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret Medic. He never said much about the conflict in Vietnam until one day I told him that my brother had served aboard the USS Newport News during the Vietnam conflict. When he heard this, he smiled and laughed and said the following word for word and I'll never forget it...... "Navy...let me tell ya something about the Navy. If we were out in the jungle and a fire strike was called in, if we knew it was the Marines? We ran and covered our asses because most of them were either drunk or hungover and couldnt hit the broad side of a barn. But when we knew it was the Navy? We sat our asses right there because we all knew the Navy would bring the pain in on pin point accuracy". After hearing this, it was a few months later he took his life, because his wife had left him , alone. To think that a man that "volunteered" 3 years of his life to serve and no telling what he saw while in country, only to take his life over a Goddamn woman...is heartbreaking. I will never forget this story as long as I live.

[@meldoug99]

Wow. Quite a story. I saw similar praise for the USS Newport News and it"s ability to pinpoint gunfire in another KZbin video "VETERANS/MEMORIAL DAY: USS NEWPORT NEWS CA-148". In this video, a Navy Seal (Mike Thornton - seal team One (Vietnam)) credits the USS Newport News for saving him and his comrade in a jungle gunfight. In the video go to the time marker at 2.46 (2 minutes and 46 seconds) to hear what he said. Thanks for your comment.

[@tonytrotta9322]

Nice video! We saw the USS St. Paul in Bremerton, Washington in 1976 - she was tied up next to the USS Canberra, and the USS Missouri were all in the mothball fleet. We could not board the USS Missouri for they closed it to film part of the movie with Gregory Peck - MacArthur. We boarded Missouri a few years later but, you could only view the surrender and bow area. The Missouri still had all her 40 mm AA guns under the igloos.

[@thomasroell8979]

I watched your video on the USS NEWPORT NEWS. Beauitful ship!

[@meldoug99]

Yes she was. Thanks.

[@HollywoodGraham]

I was on the Helena in 62 then to Saint Paul when Helena was decommissioned in 63. Both were beautiful ships, I was able to board Saint Paul when they were cutting her up for scrap, I got a port hole from her. I was a powder handler in turret two during GQ sometimes also a phone talker on the bridge. While on the bridge I got to see the spectacle of her firing and it still is in my memory to this day, very impressive fire, noise and smoke. Got teak wood deck from the L.A. when she was scrapped.

[@meldoug99]

+HollywoodGraham Getting that port hole was an enviable blessing. Best to you.

[@billrobinson3360]

My dad was a GM David Robinson

[@John-yy8rp]

Melvin Douglas....I saw this clip and then was surprised to see the one on the Douglas H Fox also. My dad was Ted Eastwood (1920-1986) who joined in 1938 and was assigned as a rookie radio operator onto the Northhampton. He served on there until it was sunk at Savo. Then he was on the McCord and and couple other tin cans until around 44 he was assigned to the Fox in Seattle as it was not finished at Todd shipyard. He finished out WW2 on her. Dad stayed in the Navy many years and was a Lt Commander in the sixties doing reserve work. Us children all being born in the 50's lives were formed around WW2 although we never saw it, as you can imagine. Northhampton haunted his every living day and we all felt the power,pain and loss that he carried through his life....

[@meldoug99]

+John Eastwood I salute your dad. His service helped keep America free. Thank you Ted Eastwood.

[@John-yy8rp]

Melvin, you are doing a great job....thanks so much for your work on the Old Internet. JE

[@meldoug99]

+John Eastwood Thanks John.

[@Raycer84]

My grandfather was one of the St. Paul’s original crew members spent all of WWII on her. GM3/C starboard side forward 5 inch. I have a plaque given to him, that actually has a piece of her deck attached to it. He was what’s know as a plank owner. He was also part of the St. Paul Association, even served as president of the association for a bit. I have all kinds of framed pictures of her, memorabilia etc.

[@keithshreve6736]

Thanks Melvin for the great videos. I served on the News 65/66 saw a lot of the rest of the world. I was a Lithographer in the print shop. I now live in Longwood FL.

[@meldoug99]

I'm an old timer. Served on her '56-57. My boot camp company commander sent me straight to Yeoman A school because I did all his admin work (he hated paper work). From there I want to the USS NEWPORT NEWS CA-148 and spent about 8 months on the deck force. Hard work but I got used to it and actually began to like it. One day while in the Med, I was sent to the ships office to help them with some heavy typing chores (the NEWS was a flagship at that time) and they kept me. Left the Navy in '64 as a YN1 off of a tin can. Great memories. Could be wrong but I'm guessing as a Lithographer you might have been involved in doing the ships news etc. I think about those days often. Proud to be ex-Navy. Thanks for your comment.

[@brokewrench1]

Cool Video! My Dad was stationed on the USS Saint Paul CA 73 in the 50s

[@jimstiles997]

I served on USS Boston CAG-1 later reclassified as CA-69 from 68-70. Made two Nam cruises 1968, 1969. The Saint Paul was there when we were. Good video !

[@terrydun5239]

Thanks for the video - served on St Paul (CA-73) '61 to 63" when Seventh Fleet flag aboard - ETN2 OE Div

[@billrobinson3360]

My dad was GM David Robinson on Saint Paul

[@raspy52]

I was aboard the USS Boston (CAG-!) in 1967 in Vietnam. We operated with the Newport News and the Saint Paul. I think we also steamed with the Albany. Of course there were a host of tin cans as well. Reading through the comments here brings back a lot of memories. I thought the Boston was the only one that had to be so squared away, but I gather it was all cruisers. I also thought that we were the only ones with Marines, but it looks like you all had them too. Thanks for posting this. I sometimes feel like our time over there, and our contribution as heavy cruisers has gone overlooked. Nice to see the story being told.

[@meldoug99]

The USS BOSTON CAG-1 was one of the first 'Cool' looking ships. Wish I had some video of her to play with. Thanks for your comment.

[@meldoug99]

Did CG-72 have marines on board? (Just curious).

[@MrZeke701]

Hi Melvin. I enjoyed watching this and learning more about the ship class.

[@meldoug99]

Thank you for you comment. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@kingtrav]

My dad served on the St Paul '68-70 in the Weapons Office. He had many stories, but his favorite involved being on the deck at night watching the stars.

[@arthurleino]

In 1972 I was on USS Saratoga CVA 60 with VA-105. You were parked aft of us in Subic. What a awesome sight those guns were! Great Video!!

[@meldoug99]

By 1972 I was long gone as far as the Navy is concerned. But I miss those days on board CA-148, a very powerful ship. When those guns went off I thought the whole ship would fall apart. My brother was on the St. Paul. We were just a kids then. THANKS..

[@meldoug99]

On board straight out of bootcamp 1957. Was a Deck division Seaman where I went from Boy to Man. An honor to serve on the "Flagship Warrior" CA-148 aka "THUNDER"..

[@hankbe111]

Thanks for creating this video. I was on the St Paul CA-73 three years from 1965 to and through 1967. It was nice to view some gun firing when I was onboard.

[@Jamestfarrell]

So, we were aboard at the same time!

[@ut000bs]

I wanted to add this is the first time I've seen video of 8" powder and shell handlers at work. Awesome!

[@meldoug99]

Dangerous work.

[@marchendrickson2382]

God bless the souls of the 20 men that we lost on 1 Oct, '72. My dad was on board that fateful day...has a serious case of survivors guilt because some wonderful men lost their lives. The Newport News...the last of the true gun boats. God bless all those that served on her, and those that served on ther other heavy cruisers. Thank you for posting this video, gives a great look into what effective firepower truly looks like.

[@meldoug99]

+Marc Hendrickson I thank and SALUTE your dad for his service.

[@elfrickobet]

Thanks. U.S.S.Newprt News CA-148 from 1965-1968 EM2/C Bill Elliott. Thunder and The Grey Ghost from the East Coast.

[@Jamestfarrell]

The film "In Harm's Way" was filmed on the Saint Paul just before I went aboard as an 8" Gunners Mate in early 1966. Much of the crew had been around and were filmed during the making of that very marginal film. As John Wayne emerges from the Captain's Quarters early in the film you can clearly see the logo of "The Fighting Saint" on the hatch. The film, however, had nothing to do with the excellent non-fiction book of the same name (about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis) which is an essential read for anyone pretending to know some US Naval history.

[@billrobinson3360]

My dad was on board during the filming GM David Robinson

[@Love4raine]

My father served aboard the Newport News in Vietnam he was deck crew and then went to the USS Leahey DLG 16 both ships he was in love with both were the pride of the navy. Anyway I'm wanting to know what ship is shown in the very beginning of the video rapid firing in a heated. Battle that's incredible!!!!! My dad asked if I could look up these ships and I found this video. Please if u can give me the link I'd appreciate it. Note my dad had a picture of him at the helm steering the Leahey in a storm with the bow underwater and many years later when she was being decommissioned I happens to be in San Diego CA when I was in service and was taken aboard and had my pic taken at the helm where he stood when he was 19. 😊

[@meldoug99]

+Love4raine The ship in the very beginning of the video which is shown firing all guns in a continuous barrage is the USS NEWPORT NEWS CA-148 (the caption identifies it as such). If that not the ship that you are referring to then give me the video time shown on he bottom of the screen and I'll try to help.

[@darrylmuse9948]

I just called my boss that retired he was a boiler man on the USS Newport News doing Nam told him I’m watching his ship right now lol

[@meldoug99]

She was a great ship. I was on her 1956-57 (light years ago). What a fast and powerful beauty.

[@AdamosDad]

Great job Melvin, OE Division 68-69-70

[@meldoug99]

Thank you.

[@TheGrenadier97]

Thank you for the video sir. Have a good day.

[@meldoug99]

You're welcome and Thank You.

[@doctorotis3743]

yes, I knew about Marines on CA 148. I missed ships movement 1966 Florida to Bermuda. Capitans mass-80 hrs in boilers (snipeland) extra duty

[@ytubepuppy]

I was on that Bermuda cruise in 66. You missed a good one.

[@gekgraphics]

I served on the St Paul CA 73, my second ship, 1966-67.

[@MrSCOTTtheSCOT]

very enjoyable , to see such footage is a great insight to Naval ships I would have known very little about , know of Des Moines , but actual footage, thanks for posting , 🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢

[@meldoug99]

+MrSCOTTtheSCOT Thank You.

[@geraldschilli8870]

Was on the gun line in 72 in Vietnam. The Newport News was just a few hundred yards away.

[@bbrisard]

Great video! Thanks for sharing. USS Boston CA 69

[@brokewrench1]

Hay, All you Sailors on here, Thank you for your Service!!!

[@johneasler9967]

Thank you, sir

[@meldoug99]

+John Easler You're welcome.

[@meldoug99]

Note: My video editing style focuses on 'visual interest' as I see it. I realize this will definitely NOT appeal to everyone, but that's how I do things. The bottom line is "I Salute These Ships and the men who served on them".

[@donaldpiper9763]

Your welcome !

[@meldoug99]

You may use this video in any manner you wish.

[@ingion1]

what range do these guns have?also how come the bridge windows glass not break?they are bulletproof?

[@meldoug99]

The USS Newport News 8" gun range was a maximum of 17.7 statue miles. I have no idea why the bridge windows did not break. They did not appear to be bulletproof when I saw them but I could not really tell. I'm sure that the shipyard engineers knew why.

[@ingion1]

Melvin Douglas thx for the reply :)

[@ronstew2495]

How was the board her in 1969 to 1971

[@benconway9010]

Holy shit is that intro at the beginning with the cruiser firing was that real sounds of the guns firing or were they sound effects just added on??

[@donaldpiper9763]

That was the real deal off the cost of Vietnam. U.S. Navy 71-75 .

[@robertlite3878]

I was hoping to see photos of the ship I served. That ship, USS Canberra, CAG 2

[@DGM51]

Serviced aboard the USS PREBLE DDG-46 decommissioned after we returned from the gulfwar it was something to see asroc missles launched along with the mount 51 long live the USS PREBLE DDG-46 were my SHELLBACKS AT.

[@mtzmtz37]

What about the USS Macon CA132?

[@meldoug99]

Most of the USS MACON's video was too grainy PLUS I could not get permission to use any of it which is critical due to copyright laws. Sorry.

[@nymanjohn]

The only problem with cruisers was the "boot camp" attitude. On Chicago, we had to be in either undress blues or undress whites after 1600 Monday thru Saturday or all day Sunday, the routine was piped inport and underway and they even used bugle calls, we had the Marine detachment and eight sailors designated from each duty section as sideboys. The quarterdeck was used only by the Captain, XO and VIPS. Everyone else used the afterbrow. God help you if you had to go there or officers country! The only thing we didin't have were teakwood decks. They had been removed when the Talos and Tartar missile systems were installed in about 1957. Suffice to say I was a dungaree sailor.

[@bbrisard]

Very very good. I served aboard the USS Boston CAG 1 reclassified CA 69 for her last cruise to WESTPAC. There's not a day go's by I don't think about the Boston and my shipmates...

[@meldoug99]

I remember seeing the USS BOSTON in the Mediterranean years ago. Back then she was the best we had. One of my USS Mullinnix videos has a vague glimpse of her in a 1959 exercise. Hard to make her out though. I did not know the was reclassified. Interesting. Thanks.

[@rj4590]

I believe the St.Paul was used in the John Wayne movie "In Harms Way ".

[@tonytrotta9322]

+rj4590 Yes, you are correct! I saw the mothballed ships USS St. Paul, USS Canberra, & USS Missouri in Bremerton, Washington in 1976. We drove there to see the Missouri BB 63 and it was closed the day before we got there to use it for the movie MaCarthur. The Missouri in the film was mothballed too during the surrender scene. Take care!

[@careycarson7629]

"Old Swayback."

[@onceANexile]

the opening scene of the combat footage in action is enough to shake the shit out of anyone. USA '76-'79...

[@jim-me9wm]

Missed the Boston and Canberra

[@williamcummings4696]

We ready

[@realistic.optimist]

Always thought four turrets would have better balanced the load on the keel and improved handling.

[@williamjohnson58]

1968 to 1970 on the Newport news

[@meldoug99]

Congrats and thank you for your service brother. I'm an old timer...56 - 57 Foxtrot division (A seaman on the deck force}.

[@meldoug99]

Me: Way back.....1956 - 1957

[@ytubepuppy]

May 66 ~ Feb 67

[@mdb831]

Terrifying to have those 8 inch gun rippling off rounds. That's a lot of high explosive being flung down range.

[@frederickmiles327]

One of the major strategies of the United States in the Vietnam war in 1970-72 and in particular in the devestating hits of Operation Linebacker in 1972 is to smash the North Vietnamese infrastructure, using the heavy cruiser Newport News, the remaining USN 6 inch light cruisers and destroyers with to hit with gunfire, to achieve higher levels of effective destruction than B-52 bombers.. The Newport News has a far higher total weight of firepower than an Iowa class battleship and in five minutes close to shore will have smashed 20 targets, torn out rail bridges, smashed installations, fortifications. As the cruisers move up the coast they are covered by the heavy cruiser armoured missile conversion, USS Baltimore and the more vulnerable USS Long Beach furthur out to sea, both taking air and missile sites around Hanoi from more than 100 miles out with Talos missiles, in combination with f-4 Phantoms in different operational air boxes. This type of approach planned by General Le May in his last year with USAF in 1965 is a devestating example of modern sea fighting.

[@frederickmiles327]

+Frederick Miles It was actually USS Chicago, a 1960s Talos missile conversion of a 1946 Baltimore class heavy cruiser with 8 inch armour to absorb 6 inch Vietnamese shore battery fire that covered the Linebacker fire support and raids up the coast, with the USS Long Beach operating in tandem from well offshore. Both USS Chicago and USS Long Beach could take Migs and missile sites in the Hanoi area from ranges up to 200km out. In a way this style of warship with Heavy and Light gun cruisers and destroyers with some missile armament, covered by large armoured anti aircraft and anti missile cruisers was the correct way to fight off the Soviet coast, against 12 inch batteries, gun and missile cruisers and Le May had produced the viable conventional strategy where the actual used escort anti submarine strategy was of little value as non nuclear defence against nuclear submarines was never very sensible.

[@meldoug99]

Recommended viewing - Sistership USS SALEM (USS Newport News museum location): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX-7ipuinp2diqM

[@HardyTheStormChasinFurry]

I really wish you USS Saint Paul was turned into a museum ship instead of being scrapped 🇺🇲⛵🛥🚢🤙😞

[@danr5105]

I wonder why more use (and I realize extensive use was made) of USN cruisers and destroyers in the shore bombardment role in Vietnam. It would seem to have been the perfect time for extended range munitions to be more rapidly developed. Well the war went as it did,can't change history but we can question why things went as they did. That opening clip here was a great demonstration of the rapid fire capability of what I believe was the 8 inch batteries on Newport News. Not every 8 inch 3 gun turret could put out that rate of fire. IThe only reason I hesitate is because I am thinking of some USN vessels that had rapid firing 6 inch 3 gun turrets,what ship was that?

[@sarjim4381]

USS Worcester (CL-144) and USS Roanoke (CL-145). They had newly designed twin 6 inch dual purpose guns. They were generally considered a failure as the guns never achieved their planned 10 rounds per minute fire rate so they weren't much good for antiaircraft weapons Their radars and GCS were optimized for antiaircraft and very poor at surface gunnery. They were the length and tonnage of WWII heavy cruisers but offered very little advance over the much smaller and lighter Juneau class antiaircraft cruisers. They were neither fish nor fowl and only served 10 years before being decommissioned and then scrapped.

[@danr5105]

I am beginning to think that if the USN wanted to do more in the area of shore bombardment they would have to have put more ships in service. That is, the ships that were already in action had a heavy work load as it was. If you look at the map of targets that were within range and north of the DMZ you will see they were both numerous and protected by numerous NVA shore batteries. New to think of this kind of action during the war but it did happen quite a bit

[@zachboyd4749]

Old Salem still soldiers on, the last of the CAs…..

[@tonytrotta9322]

Check out this Y-tube video at the 39 second mark to see the Northampton class firing the main battery 8 inch 55 caliber guns! Turn up the volume! The deck was cleared when they fired these guns! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGObfX2AbsakkK8

[@jordankashuba3467]

I got some bad news for you......BOOM! BOOM!

[@meldoug99]

USS Newport News equals BAD NEWS (For someone else) :)

[@TheBattleship61]

3:37-4:36 = commence "persuasion"

[@nymanjohn]

Wonderful ships for their time. In view of what happened to the Newport News in 1972, maybe they were kept to long. I was on the USS Chicago(GG11) from 1972 and 1974. I did not like it. I prefer destroyers. Cruisers are to big and to regimented for me.

[@meldoug99]

I know exactly what you mean. One time while we stood in formation on deck, my hat blew off and went into the ocean. I was put on report for being "uncovered". That's how strict they were (plus we had an Admiral on board).

[@dsenterprisesau]

Hey guys, join our online groups- facebook.com/groups/combataviationnetwork facebook.com/groups/combatvehiclenetwork facebook.com/groups/combatvesselnetwork facebook.com/groups/combatarmsnetwork

[@johnsturm3128]

Crappy music, much like most of the videos on KZbin dealing with things military. This is my opinion. Consequently, assuming I finish watching the posting, I merely turn the sound off.

[@frederickmiles327]

The problem with using the USS Newport News, as a fire support vessels beyond ethics and the disturbance its hits caused on its own crew, is that when in the ultimate attack the 3 cruisers went into Hanoi-Haipong harbour running at 30 knots the intensity of fire against it by shore batteries and attacks by torpedo boats, necessitated a return towards sea after 7 minutes, and also changed the Vietnam use of Migs to much more individualistic attacks on the Phantoms, led F-4 pilot Randall Cunnighham , say they were being locked with a new experienced level of ferocity and the Vietnamese started to use their unsuitable Migs to attack USN cruisers and destroyers for the first time.

[@bobfahy215]

+Frederick Miles . I don't believe we were ever fired upon by a mig also, I don't understand your comment "beyond ethics and disturbance its hits caused on its own crew" As far as your comment about returning to sea in 7 minutes, we couldn't make a full turn in 7 minutes. Did you serve on the NN?

[@frederickmiles327]

I was basing my comments on old 1972 news reports of the USN Newport News ferocious gunfire hits during Operation Linebacker during mid and late 1972, probably in Time magazine. I probably found a collection of old Time magazines in a Dominion Road, New Zealand second hand store a few years ago. The 8 inch guns are apparently fired by a crewman hitting a switch, and the Newports News crewman on the gun switch was reported to be known as 'killer' and Time said the heavy hits the cruiser was making in 1972 was in fact regarded as appalling by many of the crew. In response to Linebacker I am pretty sure North Vietnamese Migs did for the first time engage US Cruisers and Destroyers

[@richardfluke6327]

For the record here is an account of MIG attack .en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_%C4%90%E1%BB%93ng_H%E1%BB%9Bi

[@williamcummings4696]

We ready

[@dsenterprisesau]

Hey guys, join our online groups- facebook.com/groups/combataviationnetwork facebook.com/groups/combatvehiclenetwork facebook.com/groups/combatvesselnetwork facebook.com/groups/combatarmsnetwork