Verdugo Views: USS Glendale had many lives, saved many lives during wartime
In 1950, the USS Glendale was preparing for its third life. The ship had already seen action during World War II and had then been loaned — along with several other U.S. ships and aircraft — to the Soviets for a secret mission.
The Soviets returned the ship to the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan in late 1949. It was recommissioned in October of the following year, just in time for another war, with Korea.
A 125-man crew was assigned to the Glendale. Gerald F. Doyle of Baltimore, Md. described his first view of the ship in the March-April 2001 “The Graybeards,” the official publication of the Korean War Veterans Assn.
“It was in poor condition from misuse and lack of care according to U.S. Navy practice. It had a red star painted on the bow and a Russian name on the stern. The mess trays of Russian sailors were still on the mess tables when the Americans first went on board,” according to Doyle.
“The war in Korea seemed to be winding down, and Gen. MacArthur was promising to have the troops home for Christmas,’’ Doyle wrote.
The Glendale was sent to Marcus Island in the Mariannas to set up a weather station. While there, the ship was armed “to the teeth with war materials” abandoned at the end of WWII.
Their return to Japan coincided with China’s entry into the war and MacArthur’s announcement of a “new war.”
“The situation deteriorated rapidly and the Glendale rushed to supply itself with ammunition, foodstores and foul-weather gear for an emergency run up to Hungnam in northeast Korea,” Doyle wrote.
The Hungnam port was the site of a major evacuation of United Nations and South Korean military, plus North Korean civilians.
As described by Wikipedia, approximately 100,000 troops and material and 100,000 civilians were loaded onto merchant ships and military transports totaling 193 shiploads over the weeks leading up to Christmas 1950 and transported to safety.
Moored at the dock in the harbor during the evacuation, the Glendale acted as the harbor-control vessel. Doyle recalled a small boy rescued and brought aboard by the crew.
“There was talk of keeping the lad as a ship mascot, but the Navy vetoed that plan,” Doyle said.
On Christmas Eve, the last personnel were evacuated and the port was blown up, according to Doyle. The Glendale was the lead vessel of the final convoy out of Hungnam on Christmas Day.
The next day, the Glendale headed for Inchon to repeat the evacuation and demolition action. While there, the crew guarded against sampans, which are a relatively flat-bottomed Chinese wooden boats, that slipped out at night to lay mines.
In one encounter, Doyle wrote, the Glendale destroyed a large sampan.
The USS Glendale was sent to Yokosuka for refitting and resupplying and by mid-March, the ship was back in Korea for shore bombardment around Wonsan and Chongchan.
In April, while maneuvering in a channel at Songjin, the Glendale was struck by another vessel, the USS Carmick DMS 533. Both ships made their way to Sasebo for dry dock and repairs.
Doyle added that the ship continued to see action until late October 1951, “when she was decommissioned again and transferred to the government of Thailand.”
Readers Write:
A July 1 email from Nina Kelty:
“All my friends really liked the information you shared about the naming of streets in Glendale. Today, when I read The Times story reminding us of the arrival of the ‘Boat People’ from Vietnam and how they were treated, it took me back to the article you wrote about my student and how Glendale came to the aid of those poor unfortunate souls.” [Verdugo Views, Aug. 11, 2012, about Kelty’s 1975 work with Vietnamese refugees.] “It is good for us all to read about it again, or perhaps even for the first time. Keep up the good work.”
A July 1 letter from John M. Bodden: “Thank you for your most interesting article on street names.’’ A newcomer to Glendale, he arrived in 2010. Bodden lives north of Kenneth Road and frequently drives on Louise Street. “Now I know why the name. Your article took lots of research, special interest and, above all, dedication to spreading knowledge of our city’s history.”
KATHERINE YAMADA can be reached at katherineyamada@gmail.com. or by mail at Verdugo Views, c/o Glendale News-Press, 202 W. First St., Second Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please include your name, address and phone number.
