LSMR 409 - USS Clarion River in Korea
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
USS Clarion River (LSMR-409) minor damage after 2 hits
from a shore battery at Walsa-ri, North Korea. The ship received 30 rounds of 76
mm, 5 casualties, 4 June 1953.
Inchon Invasion, September 1950
A LSMR fires rockets as LVTs cross the line of departure to take Marines to Blue Beach on
the first day of landings, 15 September 1950.
Wolmi-Do island is in the left center background. The Inchon waterfront is in the right
center distance, with heavy smoke rising from pre-invasion bombardment.
My Memories of the LSMR 409 James Havener, RM3Getting the USS Clarion River Out of Mothballs For Korea
by Bob Vasquez, Electrician 1C
On Sept 5 1950 I was retreaded from WW2 as a reservist and reported to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and was assigned to the 409. I didn't know what an LSMR was!
I was sent to San Diego to help take it out of mothballs and get it ready for sea. The only men assigned were rated reservists like my self. What a unhappy bunch we were, especially when we saw what an LSMR was!
When the communists struck in Korea, a call went out to the Naval Reserve. Not only men, but ships were called from their resting places in the Reserve Fleets tied up in the ports along both coasts. Our ship, the LSMR 409 was among those ordered to active duty.
On October 5, 1950, in San Diego, California the LSMR 409 was re-commissioned after many weeks of hard work by the 51 men and four officers, who were aboard. Rear Admiral Ingolf N. Kiland, USN, under whose command we were to serve in the combat zone in North Korea, delivered the commissioning address and turned command of the ship over to Lt. James M. Stewart.
Forty-seven new sailors, fresh from boot camp came marching down the dock to report aboard the 409 on October 13. The following Monday was quite an event for the ship. This was the day of our first sea trials. We would now see how, or if, the ship would run. The engines had previously been tested in dock trials but this was her first time underway tinder her own power since she was decommissioned. After the testing day was over all of us breathed easier. We knew our ship would float and she would run.
On October 2l, on orders from the Commander of the Pacific Reserve Fleet, the ship reported to the Commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet for duty and to Commander of the Amphibious Force for operational and administrative control.
After a short period of tender availability we reported to an outfit called UTE, the Navy's abbreviation for Underway Training Element. They sent a Lt. Kimball aboard and through him he saw that we were getting the training we would need in the future. Lt. Kimball threatened us, pleaded with us, asked us politely, and used every other tactic known to man to get us to learn our jobs. At first everyone on the ship was ready to throw him overboard, but by the time our training was up we swore by Lt. Kimball. The things we learned from him were invaluable in combat.
The underway training made the in-port phase seem like a picnic. It had been some time since most of us were last at sea and the rough weather didn't help much. There was no rest for the weary (or sea-sick) and night operations proved that. It was during this period that we first saw our rockets in action. It was a spectacular sight watching the rockets zoom into the air and explode on San Clemente Island. Up until this time we didn't realize what a potent weapon we manned. Our five-inch gun crew showed their accuracy too. After their first round, and we still don't know if the shell ever landed, they lobbed their shells into the beach and hit their target every time.UTE rated our ship outstanding and excellent on most phases of the training.
Shakedown at San Diego
We sailed for San Francisco for post-activation overhaul. Unloading our ammunition at Mare Island, the ship headed for the San Francisco Naval Ship. Yard, Hunters Point, arriving there on 12 December. Rear Admiral R.E. Libby, Commander Cruiser division Three, came on board for a visit. At the time we didn't know it, but Admiral Libby was to be our boss when we were clobbering the Reds in North Korea.
On January 3, 1951 we moved to Moores Drydock Company, Oakland to start the extensive overhauling, and to get the new look. When we left Oakland we had the new type LSMR bow. While the shipyard people were getting our ship ready for combat most of us had a chance for leave.
After dock and sea trials the ship took on a full combat load of ammunition and on February 24 headed for San Diego. Loaded with provisions and supplies we joined with the LSMR 412 flying the broad command pennant of Lieutenant Commander M.E.Bustard , Commander of Rocket Division 32 and steamed for Pearl Harbor, our first and only stop on the way to the forward area. The weather was moderate, but our little flat bottomed ship reacted like a cork in a hurricane. Everyone was glad to see Diamond Head loom out of the blue Pacific.
An excerpt from the ship's log best summarizes the good time we had in the "islands". 1833 - Ship's officers and crew returned to the ship from the picnic, tired and sunburned, but with decidedly better morale'.
Crossing International Date Line Alongside the LSMR 525
On April 14 we bid aloha to the Paradise of the Pacific and steamed for Yokosuka Japan, one step closer to the fight
.The first of May found us tying up at Yokosuka. Our two week stay there gave us the opportunity of aquatinting ourselves with Japan. Right after the first Liberty, things like carved cue sticks, Noritake china and shiny lacquer work started showing up around the ship.
Our next port of call was Sasebo in southwest Japan. All during our trip around Nippon we constantly practiced different phases of battle conditions. It was noticed that there was a distinct improvement in the willingness to wear life jackets and battle helmets. We were getting closer to combat and we knew it. We stopped at Tori Shima Island to conduct a full scale bombardment with rockets, five inch gun and automatic weapons. This would be our last practice before the real thing.
The ship arrived in Sasebo on May 18 for what proved to be a short stay. After topping off with ammunition, fuel, water and provisions, we left Sasebo Harbor and learned our destination was Wonsan. It was a North Korean seacoast town that had been under continuos bombardment by UN ship's guns for over 180 days. We reported to Task Force 95 and proceeded to the assigned area.
When we entered the war zone, we didn't realize how many tips like this we would be making. We, along with the 412, arrived at Wonsan on May 23 and didn't have to wait before we got into action. That night we were ordered to take part in Operation Fireball.
Shelling At Wonsan, NK Operation "Fireball"
We were to clobber an area know to be hiding enemy gun emplacements and troop concentrations. Our primary mission was to support the bombardment element, harass the enemy, destroy gun emplacements and to deprive the enemy of the use of Wonsan for a route through which their supply lines could travel. Our secondary mission was to further maintain patrol against junks and attempts at mining the harbor and to illuminate targets for bombardment by the United Nations air arm.
At 2100, on the 23rd, we got underway and slipped into the inner harbor. The time of moonrise had been carefully calculated to allow us to sneak under a blanket of inky darkness, fire the mission, and sneak out before the brilliance of the Korean moon could give us away. In the pitch blackness the ship moved to within 2000 yards of the enemy-held short. We were all tense. This was our first time in action, it was dark, and we were in mine infested waters. At 2240, the word was passed to commence firing. Many of us thought of the national anthem "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air". The swooshing noise of our rockets and the crack of the five inch was was deafening.
On deck were the "goon men" waiting to clear any rocket mount which miss-fired. The looked quite eerie in their asbestos suits, illuminated by the flash of the rockets.
The mission was over in what seemed a very short time. Upon tallying the empty cans we found that we had expended over 3,000, a record for LSMRs in any one operation. As soon as the firing was completed we headed for the outer harbor at flank speed.
Once out of the danger area, all hands came topside to see how things looked. Standing around the mounts, which had all the paint burned off, the crew saw how much havoc could be raised by their 203 foot "rocket spitting" ship. Flames from fires that were started by the rockets, leaped into the black sky, and the noise of explosions on the beach filled the air. The destruction on the beach must have been terrific because a few days later intelligence reports quoted the Communists as reporting the Navy had a new secret weapon in use at Wonsan.
No casualties were sustained on the rocket ships, but their were several holes in their hulls which had been pierced by fire from the short. Despite battle damage, both ships continued firing and retired only after all of their five inch ammunition and long range rockets were expended.
Within a few hours of the time we fired our last rockets we were alongside an attack cargo replenishing our supply of ammunition. The rocket loading operation continued on throughout the night and was completed early the next morning. We were to find that this loading directly after an operation was to become standard procedure.
On the night of the 25th of May the Might Rocket boats gave a repeat performance. This was known as phase two of Operation Fireball. The cruiser Manchester and destroyers of Task Force 95 were screening us and LSMR 412 on this and the following operation.
There were very few nights during the Wonsan bombardment that the 409 rested. We acted as a radar picket ship, we fired star shell to illuminate targets for planes from the carrier task force. We guarded the inner harbor so the Communist junks could not sneak out and mine the inner channel. We were a jack-of-all-trades at Wonsan.
In board daylight on June 4th, we gave a command performance for the Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Arthur W. Radford, USN, who was embarked in the battlewagon New Jersey. We proceeded through the mine swept area and took a firing station about 3,000 yards off shore. The New Jersey about 8,000 yards behind us. The Jersey opened fire at the designated hour and twelve minutes later we let loose with our barrage of rockets. Together we leveled an area where the enemy had several gun emplacements. For this and the previous operation we were given the traditional Navy "well done" for our work. The battleship sent us this message: "Your show this morning was excellently executed. All VIP's highly impressed. Well Done".
On June 6th we were directed to steam for Sasebo for minor repairs. This period of rest in Japan gavel us as an opportunity to see the sights. Many of the men took advantage of the rest and recreation facilities and spent more time at Camp Wood in Kummamoto, Japan.
Before leaving for Wonsan again on July 15th we were joined by the LSMR 525, bring our division strength up to three and returned to Wonsan.
At Wonsan the LSMR 409 and LSMR 525 both went into action to assist three destroyers, who had come under enemy cross fire from shore. A long distance duel between fast destroyers and communist guns had been going on for about an hour and a half when the rocket ships entered the fight. In spite of heavy enemy fire, the LSMRs closed in and directly engaged the enemy short batteries with rockets and five inch guns. When they finally withdrew, two of three enemy short batteries had been knocked out.
The operation represented the first time an LSMR ever engaged in a running duel with short batteries, the weapons being rockets vs. heavy artillery. It was estimated that the enemy was using guns ranging in size up to 300 millimeter. There were four holes in the splinter shield of the aft 40 millimeter, and many dents from shrapnel. Our ship survived her first baptism under fire.
Spent Brass After A Mission Miss Off The Stern
Hole In Captain's Cabin From Shrapnel
Hurling our rockets and five inch shells became routing during our stay at Wonsan. Often, on the way into the inner harbor we hear a disk jockey show originating at one of the rocket stations. It was a peculiar feeling, hearing music on the sound power phones while moving into firing positions. On July 29 we once again moved from Wonsan, sailing to Sasebo for battle damage repair.
While we were in the Japanese port Rear Admiral Dyer, Task Force 95 commander and our boss for the past three months visited our ship while repair crews patched the 409 up;. The men who missed out on the rest and rehabilitation leave during our previous visit, had their chance on a short vacation in the Japanese countryside.
Loading 5" Rockets More Re-Loading
We are at sea again. The date is August 26. Once again it was...destination Korea. Our orders to Changjon Hang, the location of the bomb line. Once there, we encountered gyro difficulty which made indirect firing impossible, so we patrolled the bomb line with the cruiser USS Helena and then back to our old stomping ground at Wonsan. Our gyro was repaired and our next port of call was Songjin, only twenty miles from the Manchurain border and work with the British destroyer HMS Cossack. Our calling card was in the form of rockets and five inch shells.
Songjin, like Wonsan, is an important transportation center. Through the city pass railroads and truck routes vital to the support of Communist forces further south. Our mission was to neutralize the rail lines, marshalling yards and truck lines. In addition to our main job we had to keep an eye out for junks remaining the swept areas. The marksmanship of the five inch gun crew was as good as it had been during our training period. They picked off two large junks and several trucks moving along the highway.
September 1, we were relieved by the destroyer Craig, but before returning to Japan we stopped at Wonsan for five days of anti-junk and coastal patrol. The next three days were occupied with patrolling the bomb line in company with the 412 and then back to what seemed to be our home port in Korea...Wonsan.
Sneaking into the inner harbor under the cover of night was the next firing assignment for the 409 and 412. Hundreds of rockets were rained on Red troop concentrations in the eastern part of the city. The cooperation of the two ships plus smooth teamwork of the crews, now veterans of many rocket assaults, resulted in the complete saturation of the entire target area.
Reports on September 18 indicated that Wonsan was being used as a staging area for Red troops. We were ordered to steam into the inner harbor and fire at 2100 and on the morning of the 19th repeating the performance several times. This was our last mission and the luck of having darkness to hid behind was not with us. A big, beautiful shiny moon lit up our ships as we moved in under the muzzles of Communist guns. Once again our rockets found their mark. fires started during the first bombardment were still burning late the next night.
We left Wonsan for the final time on September 21.Our rockets and five inch shells had flattened railroad marshalling yards, blasted troop concentrations and in general raised hell with the Communists during our phase of the now historic siege of Wonsan.
We were in Sasebo for the next two weeks, and then were ordered to the most northern Japanese island, Hokkaido, to take part in an amphibious training operation with the 180th Regimental Combat Team. Once at Hokkaido our little ship found herself in the middle of a typhoon called Ruth. The ship weathered the storm beautifully and we then carried out our assignment in the land operations.
When finished with our job there we proceeded to Yokosuka for a bit of liberty and recreation before being relieved by Rocket Division 31. On November 2 we left..homeward bound. At midway Island we picked up the destroyer USS Small, who had her bow blasted away in Korea. Our little armada, the LSMRs 412, 525, The Small and ourselves stopped at Pearl Harbor and then on to Long Beach where we left the bowless destroyer and finally to our home port, San Diego, arriving on December 18, just in time to allow us Christmas leaves at home.
Though we had all, at times, cursed her and wondered why we had ever joined the Navy, now that we'd been through combat and returned safely, we felt that the 409 was quite a ship after all and it was with a lump in our throat that we bid her adieu as we went out separate ways to discharge and home or reassignments to other Navy duty.
Below are some comments on the USS Clarion River during my tour:
24 May 1951 From: Commander Escort & Blockading Force, East Coast Korea.
Last nights LSMR attack was a most impressive performance which indicated overall planning and a high degree of competence and training. Believe damage to enemy exceed expectations.
3 June 1951 From: U.S.S. Manchester To: LSMRs 409 & 412
Congratulations. You have accomplished more in your last two firing missions than one battleship, two cruisers, and six destroyers did in several months.
19 July 1951 From: Commander, LSR Division 32 To: LSMRs 409, 525
Your impressive action of 17 July against the active enemy shore batteries at Wonsan were in keeping with the highest Navy tradition. The performance of all hands was outstanding and I am very proud to be serving with you.
25 July 1951 From: Commander Destroyer Squadron 13 To: LSR Division 32
Before CDS 13 is relieved as CTG 95.2 wish to express to you that is has been a pleasure to see you boys work. It is the first time we have seen such a small boy do a very big mans work.
9 December 1951 From: Commander In Chief Pacific Fleet To: LSMR 409, 412, 525
The commander in Chief Pacific Fleet congratulates LSMRs 409, 412, 525 on a job well done in Korea. Personal Greetings your officers and men. s/Admiral Arthur W. Radford.
After our tour we returned to S.F. where I was discharged from Treasure Island. My enlistment was up including the involuntary extension of one year. We had painted on the bridge a cartoon character of Mighty Mouse throwing a rocket and always wondered if it was still there..
Bob Vasquez, West Nyack NY, Electrician 1C
P/S - The photo below was taken in 1951 in Wonsan, firing at specific targets. I did not take any of the pictures as we were at GQ and I was in the IC Room. I gave my camera to some one on the bridge to use.
Electronic Technician Remembers Attack on the USS Clarion River
By Guy E. Epperly, ET 3
I went aboard 409 during January of 1952 fresh out of Electronic school as a Seaman. Larry Snow was was the leading E.T. We did a tour guarding two islands off the shores of North Korea named Shodo and Socto under British command.
On June 5, 1953, while on guard duty the command vessel moved the LSMR 409 away from their daytime anchorage of the lee side of Socto to about 6,000 yards from the mainland beach. We were fired upon from three different gun emplacements and we were hit twice: once in the radio shack and once in the galley.Five men were wounded in the galley and two in the radio shack which included Larry Snow, the leading Electronics Technician. We returned fire and destroyed two guns that were in range of our rockets and the five inch.
When the radio shack was hit, UHF and VHF radio equipment were destroyed along with power mains, cable runs cut. We had only visual communications left and disabled radar. I was able to repair a small short range transmitter so the Captain could have communication with British command. By working with the help of a fire control technician all afternoon and night, by daylight the radio shack and radar was back up and running. It was about seventeen hour stretch.An additional note. The year before the ship set a record for firing rockets in Wanson harbor. Over five thousand rounds were fired in twenty-one minutes. Also the five inch thirty-eight record was achieved, however I don't remember the number of rounds. I do remember three crew members passed out from the exertion.
Guy E. Epperly ET3 geeepp@execpc.com
Speedy's Memories Aboard the 409
March 11, 2000
Dear Military Friends,Even though I have not yet been able to contact any particular person who was actually on the LSMR-409 or the USS Whetstone at the same time as me, I have enjoyed hearing from each of you. I am grateful for your response and for any assistance.
From you I learned how the LSM was changed to the LSMR, that it served in WWII, Korean War, and then again in Vietnam. Thatıs quite a history of service to our country! My search began with encouragement from our son and daughter-in-law. Our son and his wife were interested in video taping me talking about a scrapbook that I kept during the Korean War. From that encounter, they found info on the reunion of the personnel who served on the USS Whetstone.
Even though I served on the Whetstone, my true love is the 409, because of the time served and the experiences I was involved in on that ship. In fact, the size of the 409 could have been accommodated within the USS Whetstone. From one veteran, I learned that near the end of WWII, they ate with white tablecloths and plates. During my tenure on the LSMR-409, we ate using metal trays at a table welded to the deck along with the bench.
From another veteran who served on the LSMR-409 during the Vietnam era, we learned that our spouses worked together at one time, although they had not discussed our military service. He sent a good picture of the 409 during the Vietnam War. I ordered the book suggested by one. I have also learned of the Alligator Alley and the reunion of LSM/LSMRıs in Omaha in September and my wife and I plan to attend.
My group made two trips to Korean waters across the Pacific and back beginning with the spring of 1952. In June 1953 we were involved in a battle with North Korea fire power while attempting to protect the islands of Choto and Sok To. I had just been relieved at gun mount #42 and had headed to chow hall. When the firing began, I grabed a peach, threw it in my mouth, and ran to my gun mount. Six people were wounded during this attack. There were other times of battle, but this is the only time the 409 was actually hit during my tenure. My third trip across the Pacific was made on the Whetstone.
From an article in the San Diego Newspaper when we returned to home port;
³Purple Heart medals were awarded to six men of the Pacific Amphibious Force recently.
The men were injured when their ship, the LSMR-409, was taken under fire while serving off the island of Sok To, North Korea.
The 409 was bracketed repeatedly by shells from three enemy shore batteries and sustained two direct hits during the 22 minute encounter. A direct hit in the radio room wounded L. E. snot, ET 2. and J. H. Farrell, RMSN. A second hit in the messing compartment wounded A. E. Westrope, Jr., FN, W. N. Smith CS1 and G. E. Smith HMC.²
The Navy provided me the opportunity to travel to places that I would not have seen otherwise. Some places might have been for the better if I had not visited them. Again thank you for your help. You have added many hours of joy to my life. Each day has been interesting as your e-mails, US mail, or telephone calls have arrived. Please keep me in mind, if you gather any news about the 409 or other interesting Navy or Korean War issues.
Respectfully,
Charles D. "Speedy" Morris GM3 LSMR 409 April 1952-March 1955Contact: Marilyn Morris marilynmorris@charter.net
History of the LSMR 409
From commissioning 16 May 1945 to de-commissioning 26 October 1955
Compiled by: LTJG Allen M Gallup, USNR
In the closing months of World War II, the USS LSMR 409 was commissioned at the Navy Yard in Charleston, S.C. on 16 May 1945.
Destined never to see action against the enemy in that war, the ship left Little Creek Virginia after an extensive shakedown period and arrived in San Diego CA on 8 July 1945. The ship proceeded to Pearl Harbor in order to engage in preparatory exercises
for the job that lay ahead, but the sudden end of the war with Japan made her service no longer necessary. She returned to San Diego and after a year she was decommissioned on 6 February 1947.
The ship was re-commissioned to active duty with the Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force at ceremonies in San Diego CA, 5 October 1950. Lt. James Stewart (now LCDR) assumed command.
The 409 departed San Diego on 26 February 1951 for the Far East in company with the LSMR 412. On 1 May 1951, the two ships, which made up LSR Division 32 relieved LSR Division 31.
The ships remained at Yokosuka Japan one month, then moved to Sasebo Japan. In company with the 412, the 409 left Japan the latter part of May for Korea, where both ships operated under Task Force 95 in an assault on Wonsan North Korea.
The first Combat operation for the rocket ship took place on the night of 23 May and was known as "Operation Fireball", a two phase plan for destroying the defenses at Wonsan. The initial phase consisted of saturation bombardment of two target areas known to contain gun emplacements and troop concentrations. The rocket ships were assigned to support the bombardment, destroy enemy mines and illuminate targets for United Nations air attacks. In this one night operation, LSMR 409 expended more than 3000 rounds of rockets, a record still unequaled by any other ship. Intelligence reports received several days later quoted the communists as saying " the US Navy has employed a new secret weapon at Wonsan.
Their supplies replenished by a cargo ship operating in logistical support of the attack group, the LSMR’s returned to Wonsan on the night of 25 May for the second phase of "Operation Fireball". In the repeat performance, the ships were joined by the Cruiser USS Manchester and destroyers from Task Force 95.
LSMR 409,which remained in the Wonsan area two weeks, also participated in another major bombardment mission. In a daring daylight raid, the ship joined Battleship USS New Jersey, in which Admiral Arthur Radford, Commander, Pacific Fleet, was embarked and poured its concentrated fire against enemy installations in the area.
LSMR 409 returned to Sasebo Japan for repairs and leave for the crew during the second week of June.
On 17 July the rocket ship division returned to Wonsan and participated in a three- hour duel with communist shore batteries. The two LSMR’s went into action to assist three destroyers, which had come under enemy cross fire from the shore. LSMR 525, which was in action for one hour, and the 409 which fired for thirty six minutes were damaged but no casualties.
The long distance duel between the destroyers and communist guns had been in progress for more than one hour when the rocket ships entered the fight. This was the first operation in which rocket ships engaged in a running duel with shore batteries.
In spite of heavy enemy fire, the LSMR’s closed in and directly engaged the enemy shore batteries with rocket and five-inch gun fire. When the ships withdrew, two of the enemy shore batteries had been silenced. The remainder of the 409’s duty, in the Wonsan area,was marked by night rocket firing and interdiction firing with five-inch guns. On 29 July the 409 was ordered to Sasebo Japan for repair of battle damage.
Additional patrol and combat actions along the Korean coasts were logged by the 409 before the ship received orders to return to San Diego, CA. Among them were operations with Task Force 76 near Changjon Hang in late August, two additional engagements at Wonsan and operations with a British destroyer off Songjin.
The ship returned to San Diego on 18 December 1951.Among her many Commendatory messages is one from Commander Destroyer Squadron 13, "It is the first time we have seen a small boy do a very big mans work".
The period spent in the States was very pleasant but most of the crew probably felt it was too short. On 27 March 1952 the ship was given a new commanding officer.
Lt. F.K.Woodburn (now LCDR) relieved Lt. Stewart.
On 12 January 1953 the 409 again left for the Far East. This tour was also to be as eventful as the last one. The ship arrived in Yokosuka Japan on 23 February 1953. The stay in Yokosuka was a little longer due to a faulty main engine but finally on 9 April the ship got underway for Sasebo Japan. The ship was to stay in Sasebo only two days
to take on fuel and supplies. From Sasebo the ship went north of the 38th parallel to Cho-Do and Soc-To islands in the Yellow Sea.
Cho Do and Soc To were held by the US Marines and troops of South Korea. The islands were about five miles apart and approximately three miles from the mainland of North Korea. Soc To the smaller of the two, (2X3 miles) was to the north of Cho Do
(3X5 miles). Soc To was situated a short distance from the mouth of the Yalu river that led to the cities Chinnampo and Pyong Yang the capitol of North Korea. The job expected of the 409 was two fold; (1) keep the enemy from landing and securing the two islands and (2) act as fire support ship. It was known that the Chinese and North Koreans had at there disposal several hundred sam-pans in the Yalu river, each capable of carrying twenty five to thirty armed men, also numerous shore batteries from the Yalu river to south of Cho Do, all concealed in caves and most capable of reaching both islands. United Nations ships represented in the area were British, Canadian Dutch and South Korean. Why so many ships? What could make two islands so important?
A radar station on Cho Do was the answer, plus a secret helicopter base, the radar powerful enough to reach across the waist of Korea and pick up any planes from the north bent on bringing destruction to our military in the south. It gave ample warning for the United Nations to get ready and have planes sent to intercept them. The helicopters were for rescuing any allied pilot unfortunate enough to fall in enemy territory as most of the air war was over North Korea and near Cho Do.
Approximately 1400, on 16 April, the 409 fired her first of many rounds at the west coast of North Korea. Her first target, that was to become well known to this ship, was called "the hole in the wall". It was what it’s name implied, being a cave in the side of a high steep cliff overlooking both Cho Do and Soc To and about half way between both.
A tunnel led from the cave thru the mountain to a road on the other side. Several ships in the past had been fired on from this gun emplacement and all we were doing at this firing was knocking a lot of dirt and rocks from above the cave in an attempt to seat it.
We must have done a good job, for that night the enemy had men with lights digging away the landslide that had closed it. During this first trip to Cho Do nothing was done in the way of retaliation from any of the shore battery, however, several times at night general quarters was sounded when one or two light enemy planes made straffing attacks on Cho Do. Other than this, all was quiet except from the noise of the chipping hammers as the crew carried on its never-ending battle against rust.
The second tour at Cho Do and Soc To held a little more in store for the crew. The ship was called upon many times to give fire support to UN forces and during two of these missions we were credited with sinking an armored junk and the destruction of a truck convoy.
Friday 5 June, this date above all others will stand out in the memory of the crew and ship. Not just because she fought a duel or that her bowels had been penetrated, but mostly because blood had been spilled. This morning was like all others….
Routine cleaning of the ship and making ready for any mission that might be asked. She was anchored on the lee side and protected from the beach by Soc To island when the ship received word asking her to move as a minesweeper was to sweep our anchorage.
At 1540 hours the ship moved from the protection of Soc To to a position about 6000 yards off and in full view of "the hole in the wall". There she dropped anchor to wait until the minesweeper completed her task.
Cautious as ever the ships fire control equipment was set to take the cave under fire.
The ship was at condition three and the crew was in a semi relaxed readiness when a flash was observed from the "hole in the wall". A spout of water leaped into the air about 500 yards astern. A second splash was much closer followed by the ships general alarm system. As the men were rushing to their general quarters stations a third salvo straddled the ship. Apparently our luck had run out for the next two salvos were direct hits. The first entered the fantail, penetrated into the mess hall and exploded sending a shower of steel fragments in all directions. There were four men wounded at their damage control stations. They were: Wesley N. Smith CS1, George E. Smith HMC, Seigel Adkins FN and A.E.Westrope FN. The second hit was taken in the radio shack where Lawrence E.Snow ET2 and James Farrell RM3 had the misfortune to be. Both were badley wounded. The ship had received considerable damage, the radar was out, all but one trasmitter-receiver were inoperative, the smoke generator was damaged, the ships boat shattered and burning and the ship had two holes in the hull where shells had entered.
It was now the 409’s turn to retaliate. Within a minute and a half from the time the ship was hit we had fired 35 five-inch shells and 211 rockets. The ‘hole in the wall’ was completely covered and another gun emplacement, which was discovered during the firing, was silenced.
This last engagement was to be the final one with the enemy for this period that the ship was in commission. After she was relieved to repair her wounds, the 409 spent one more tour in the Cho Do, Soc To area.
The trip home was uneventful and we arrived in San Diego on 28 August 1953. The tour in the U.S. was spent in local operations, a yard period in Long Beach CA, underway training and a trip to San Francisco. On 17 April 1954, Lt. O.L. Thompson
(now LCDR) relieved Lt. F.K. Woodburn.
The third cruise of the 409 in the western Pacific was initiated on 20 September 1954 On this date she departed with her sister ship the 525,from San Diego enroute to Yokosuka Japan via Pearl Harbor and Midway Island. Despite two storms , the weather was generally fine, and the trip ended on 17 October 1954. Voyage repairs were accomplished in Yokosuka and then off to Inchon, Korea where she aided the Marines in getting their feet wet at Tokchok To. Tours to Seoul South Korea were intermixed with these amphibious landings which made everyone realize the fact wars can have a deteriorating affect on home life. Finally on 23 November 1954 she arrived in Sasebo Japan to give the ship and crew a well-deserved rest. Due to engine difficulties the rest was prolonged, however on 15 January 1955 the 409 headed south for the Philippines.
The warm weather was quite welcome after the cold climate in Japan and full advantage was taken of this factor. An overnight in Manila was enjoyed be all hands and then orders abruptly changed our next destination to Okinawa. This was the forwarning for the Tachen Island evacuation. The 409 joined the vast armada gathered off the China coast, and committed herself with distinction, in that she was closer to the China mainland than any other U.S. ship. This episode finished her cruise in the Far East and she departed for home on 5 March 1955.
The journey home was marred by bad weather and a tidal wave alert. The bad weather gave the crew a chance to get some practice on refueling at sea. On 17 March, after two unsuccessful attempts to refuel at sea the Captain took the ship alongside the USS Askari and kept her there for five hours and thirty four minutes, giving the engineers time to completely fill their tanks and exchange movies. It is believed that this is a record for amphibious ships and we have not been able to find anywhere else in naval history where two ships remained at refueling stations for that long a period. The rest of the trip was uneventful and the ship arrived in San Diego on 4 April 1955
On 1 October 1955 the LSMR 409 was given the name USS CLARION RIVER LSMR 409 and on 26 October 1955, she joined the mothball fleet to spend her reclining years reliving old memories. Originally designed as a one way ticket to aid in destroying the Japanese Empire, she proved to be a small but mighty giant acting as part of the American Navy wherever or whenever it should be needed. The fact this was possible is due to people who served aboard her.
Note: Retyped in May 2000. A.E.Westrop was added to those wounded on 5 June 1953.
In reviewing the website material, I note there is not have a firm number on the record set by the 409 with the five inch 38. If I recall correctly, it was 237 rounds of 5" ammunition fired in something like 18 minutes. That record should still be standing. Running out of ready service ammunition, they even threw some star shells in to keep the gun going. I remember talking to one of the gun crew afterward. He had opened a hatch on the gun to see what was going on. After getting a dose of salt water in the face from a near miss, he said he slammed the hatch back shut. When I looked around the 5"afterward, the deck was littered with shell casings and burnt cork. All the paint on the five inch 38 rifle was burnt off. Our aft 40mm gun tub was perforated in several places by shrapnel. Interestingly enough, it went between cans of ready service ammunition.
We did have one casualty; a mess cook in the mess hall. An airburst punctured the fantail and the cook took a piece of it. Nothing life threatening about his injury and he fully recovered. I still have a piece of this shrapnel that I picked up from the mess hall deck. As a Radioman I still have some of the copies of the congratulatory messages for this operation. If any one desires a copy I can make one and forward it to who ever might be interested.
A flag radioman was caught on board when this was going on. I went out on deck to take a look, for a few minutes, then came back into the radio shack. I told him to be back in five minutes so I could take another look. Less than a minute later, he returned white-faced and said "They are shooting at us!" I looked at him and said, "What the hell did you expect?" He didn't ask to go back on deck again.
A Commander Bustard was the commander of the LSMR's in this operation. We were known as Bustard's Bastards! I think the enemy would agree. We routinely dumped five thousand rockets on the enemy at one firing. This took 20 minutes. I think that record of 50,000 was broken long ago. I remember seeing all the paint burnt off the flash guards on the twin mount rocket launchers. When observing all mounts firing from the bridge, at night, the only thing I could liken it to was Dante's Inferno!James Havener hasparks@raex.com
USS Clarion River near Tachen in 1955 - Courtesy Richard Carlsen
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Updated: September 24, 2005
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