Show Ship One Fleet Mended For New Action S S S By ALLAN J. J PUNCH FUNCH PHILADELPHIA Nov 20 INS INS Heeding Heeding the instructions of oe Admiral Ernest J. J King workers Friday sped about their task of overhauling the U. U S. S S. S Boise the Boise the ship one fleet which sent six Japanese warships to Davy Jones' Jones locker the night of October 12 11 off Guadalcanal Lying proudly and peacefully at ather ather ather her dock in the Philadelphia navy yard there was little evidence Friday Friday Friday Fri Fri- Fri Fri- day that she had led an American task force into battle and had suffered repeated hits from Japanese Japanese Japa Japa- nese nose inch 8 mounts before chalking chalking chalking chalk chalk- ing up her own grand score of One heavy cruiser one light cruiser three destroyers and one auxiliary cruiser But on that torn battle-torn night off the Solomons she appeared so badly wounded at one time that her sister ships gave her up for lost Two hours later her blazing fires extinguished her holes plugged with bedding and her battered battered battered bat bat- bulkheads shored the Boise racing along at 20 knots resumed her position at the head of the task force You have done a real workmanlike workmanlike work work- manlike job Admiral King who flew from Washington to congratulate congratulate congratulate personally officers and crew crow declared as he cited 19 for outstanding outstanding out out- standing heroism I am proud of all of you Get your ship in condi condi- tion as soon as possible and get back there in the fight The ton cruiser built in Newport News in 1936 came into port minus men and three officers officers officers of of- killed in action But proudly exhibited on her superstructure were the silhouettes of the Jap warships sunk by her accurate guns The American task force was tensely awaiting the appearance of the Japanese when the lookout on the Boise spotted five enemy ships off Cape Esperance Captain E. E J. J Mike Moran a square- square Jawed fighting Irishman wasted no words Pick out the biggest one he baI barked ed and fire The enemy's heaviest cruiser was the first to go down In four seconds she was spouting flames and in four minutes f she he was headed headed headed head head- ed for the bottom of the ocean her propellers still stUl churning the water Meanwhile the smaller guns on the Boise got the range of a Jap i ContI l on P i FIVe Two T T 1 Crewmen of the Cruiser Boise Count Up Their Score o u y h r F a as r s 4 Associated ofed Press Y SILHOUETTES OF SIX SIN JAP WARSHIPS ARE PAINTED BELOW BRIDGE OF VESSEL The U. U S. S S. S Boise now in Philadelphia was in instrumental in sending them to the bottom in a single engagement last month off Guadalcanal CRACK CRUISER GETS REPAIRS HEP AIRS Continued from Pace Face One destroyer and neatly broke her in two One minute later the Boise had her guns trained on another destroyer which was seen to explode explode explode ex ex- ex- ex and disappear Seconds later the third Jap destroyer was also on her way to the bottom of the Pacific In the next engagement with a two two stacked stacked enemy cruiser the American vessel took a hit from froman an inch 8 shell and several hits from inch 5 shells sheils the navy re reported reported reported re- re ported adding Cabin Demolished The captains captain's cabin was demolished demolished demolished demol demol- and the wreckage set afire A d direct ct hit put one of her her five five- inch guns out of action bu but bilt in short order the enemy which had been burning very brightly exploded exploded exploded ex ex- ex- ex violently several times and was not seen again Two minutes later the Boise caught a fifth enemy ship in her range and in just as many minutes sank it too A sixth ship was now discovered abaft the starboard beam As the Boise directed her fire at this target the special navy release on the action reported a a heavy enemy cruiser opened up I Ithe from somewhere forward and to the starboard For three long minutes minutes mm min min- I utes this ship fired on the Boise unopposed shooting beautifully with wim wih inch 8 twin mounts repeatedly repeatedly repeatedly re re- re- re straddling the Boise along I her forward deck Jap Ship Explodes I IThen Then this enemy ship blew up I under fire lire of the Boise and other ships of the U U. S S. S force I Captain Moran who is from San I Francisco and Chicago beamed proudly when his commander in an chief declared the feat well done But he declined to say anything for himself pointing out The ship speaks for herself The entire engagement took just 27 minutes |