Quincy III

(CA-71: dp. 13,600; 1. 673'5"; b. 70'10"; dr. 20'6"; s. 33 k.
cpl.1,142;a.9 8", 12 5", 48 40mm.,24 20mm.;cl. Baltimore)

The third Quincy (CA-71), a heavy cruiser, was authorized 17 June 1940, laid down by Bethlehem Steel Co., Shipbuilding Div., Quiney, Mass. as St. Paul 9 October 1941; renamed Quiney 16 October 1942 to perpetuate that name after destruction of the second Quiney at the Battle of Savo Island 9 August 1942, launched 23 June 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Henry S. Morgan, a daughter of Charles Franeis Adams and commissioned at the U.S. Naval Dry Dock, South Boston Mass. 23 June 1943, Capt. Elliot M. Senn in command.

After shakedown cruise in the Gulf of Paria, between Trinidad and Venezuela, the new cruiser was assigned 27 March 1944 to Task Force 22 and trained in Caseo Bay Maine until she steamed to Belfast, Northern Ireland with TG 27.10, arriving 14 May and reporting to Commander 12th Fleet for duty. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, accompanied by Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk, inspected the ship's company in Belfast Lough 15 May 1944.

Quincy stood out of Belfast 20 May for the Clyde and anchored off Greenock, Scotland to begin special training in shore bombardment. She then returned to Belfast Lough and began final preparations for the invasion of Europe. At 0537, 6 June 1944, she engaged shore batteries from her station on the right flank of Utah Beaeh, Baie de la Seine.

During the period 6 through 17 June, in conjunction with shore fire control parties and aircraft spotters, Quiney conducted highly acourate pinpoint firing against enemy mobile batteries and eoneentrations of tanks, trucks, and troops She also neutralized and destroyed heavy, long range enemy batteries, supported minesweepers operating under enemy fire, engaged enemy batteries that were firing on the crews of Corry (DD-463) and Glennon (DD-620) during their efforts to abandon their ships after they had struck mines and participated in the reduction of the town of Quineviile 12 June 1944.

Quincy steamed to Portland, England 21 June and joined TF 129. She departed Portland 24 June for Cherbourg France. The bombardment of the batteries surrounding the eity eommeneed in eonjunetion with the Army's assault at 1207. Nineteen of the twenty-one primary targets assigned the task force were successfully neutralized or destroyed thus enabling Army troops to occupy the eity that day.

The heavy cruiser sailed for Mers-el Kebir, North Africa 4 July, arriving there the 10th. She proceeded to Palermo Sicily 16 July, arriving two days later. Quiney, based at Palermo through 26 July, eonduetod shore bombardment praetiee at Camarota in the Gulf of Polieastro. She then steamed to Malta via the Straits of Messina. Between 27 July and 13 August the cruiser participated in training exercises at Malta and Camarota, Italy.

On the afternoon of 13 August, in company with four British cruisers, one French cruiser, and four American destroyers, Quincy departed Malta for the landings on the southern coast of France, arriving Baie de Cavalaire 15 August. For three days the group provided fire support on the left flank of the 3rd U.S. Army. Quincy transferred 19 August to TG 86.4, and until the 24th engaged the heavy batteries at Toulon, St. Mandrier, and Cape Sicie. She steamed westward the afternoon of 24 August to support minesweepers clearing the channel to Port de Bouc in the Marseilles area

Quincy was detached from European duty 1 September and steamed for Boston, arriving one week later. She remained at Boston for the installation of new equipment through 31 October, when she got underway for training in Caseo Bay After fitting out at Boston for a Presidential eruise, Quiney steamed for Hampton Roads, Va.16 November.

President Roosevelt and his party embarked in Quincy 23 January 1945 at Newport News, Va. for passage to Malta, arriving 2 February. After receiving ealls by Prime Minister Winston Churehill and other dignitaries, President Eloosevelt departed Quiney and continued on to the Crimea by air.

Quiney departed Malta 6 February and arrived Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal two days later, after ealling at Ismalia, Egypt. The President and his party returned 12 February and the next day received Farouk I, King of Egypt, and Haile Selassie, Ermperor of Ethiopia. President Roosevelt received Ibn Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, 14 February. After a call at Alexandria and a final meeting between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, Quiney steamed for Algiers, arriving 18 February. Following a presidential eonferenee with the Ameriean ambassadors to Great Britain France, and Italy, the cruiser steamed for the United States arriving Newport News, Va. 27 February.

Quiney stood out of Hampton Roads 5 March 1945, arriving Pearl Harbor the 20th. After training in the Pearl Harbor area, she steamed for Ulithi via Eniwetok, joining the 5th Fleet there 11 April. Two days later she departed Ulithi and joined Rear Admiral Wiltse's Cruiser Division 10, in Vice Admiral Mitseher's Fast Carrier Ta~sk Force. From 16 April Quiney supported the earriers in their strikes on Okinawa Amami Gunto, and Minami Daito Shima. She returned to Ulithi with units of the task force 30 April.

In company with units of TF 58, Quiney departed Ulithi 9 May for the area east of Kyushu, arriving 12 May for carrier strikes against Amami Gunto and Kyushu. Before dawn on 14 May the cruiser splashed a Japanese plane. Her own aircraft strafed targets in Omonawa on Tokune Shima 19 May. Quiney continued to support earrier aircraft strikes against Okinawa, Tokuno Shima, Kikai Jima, Amami Gunto, and Asumi Gunto until the force returned to base 13 June Enroute, Quiney safely rode out the severe typhoon of 5 June.

During the period of replenishment and upkeep at Leyte Rear Admiral Wiltse, ComCruDiv 10 transferred to Quiney. The cruiser departed Leyte 1 July with Task Force 38 to begin a period of strikes at Japan's home islands which lasted until the termination of hostilities. She supported carriers in strikes in the Tokyo Plains area, Honshu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku.

Quincy joined the Support Force, 23 August, and four days later, helped occupy Sagami Wan, Japan, and entered Tokyo Bay 1 September.

Rear Admiral Wiltse transferred his flag 17 September to Vicksburg (CL-86), and 20 September Quincy joined the 5th Fleet as a unit of the Eastern Japan Force, TF 53, basing in Tokyo Bay.

Quincy decommissioned 19 October 1946 in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash. She was assigned to the Bremerton Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet until 31 January 1952, when she recommissioned to serve in the 7th Fleet in support of United Nations Forces in Korea. Following fitting out and readiness training, she served in the screen of the Fast Carrier Task groups ranging off the coastline of Korea 25 July 1953 through 1 December 1953. She again decommissioned 2 July 1954; and is berthed at Bremerton, Wash., in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, into ] 970.

Quincy received four battle stars for World War II service