USS St. Paul CA-73

The USS Saint Paul was a Baltimore-class cruiser and the second to be named for the capital city of Minnesota. Construction began on February 3, 1943, and she was launched on September 16, 1944 under the sponsorship of Mrs. John J. McDonough. She was then commissioned on February 17, 1945 under the command of Captain Ernest H. Von Heimburg.

History

The Saint Paul had her shakedown in the Caribbean before heading out in May 1945 for the Pacific. She had training in Pearl Harbor in June, and in early July, she joined Task Force 38. The task force launched strikes on Honshu. In late July and August, she screened carriers attacking Kure, Kobe and Tokyo. On August 15, offensive operations against Japan were cancelled, and the Saint Paul attended the formal surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 1.

The Saint Paul remained off of Japan until ordered to Shanghai on November 5. Just before Christmas, the Saint Paul collided with a landing craft, sustaining slight damage. She remained in the area until January 1946. On January 7, she headed back to Terminal Island, California for a refit. She headed to Pearl Harbor in May, returning back to California in August for an overhaul.

From January 1947 until mid-February, the Saint Paul underwent refresher training in San Diego. She returned to Shanghai in March, acting as the flag ship for the Cruiser Task Force 71. She returned to the United States in November for training. She alternated between duties along the west coast and service along Japan and China until 1949.

When the Korean War started in 1950, the Saint Paul was performing a training cruise from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor. She disembarked the trainees and headed for the western Pacific to join Task Group. She stayed on patrol between Formosa and China until November, and then headed into the Sea of Japan and Carrier Task Force 77. There she assisted United Nations troops.

The Saint Paul continued to provide support to the Republic of Korea troops. She moved north in early December, and then headed to Hungnam to cover the evacuation of the city. In January 1951, the Saint Paul bombarded Inchon. In April, the Saint Paul carried out raids on the rail lines to slow the re-supply efforts of the enemy.

In June, the Saint Paul returned to the United States for yard work, and then she had training before returning to Korea in late November for additional missions. She stayed in the area until April 1952, with the exception of a holiday trip to Japan.

On April 21, an explosion on the Saint Paul killed thirty men. Before she headed to Japan for repairs, the St. Paul continued to attack Songjin. After a short stay in port, she then headed back to California, arriving on June 24.

The Saint Paul remained stateside until the end of February 1953, when she returned to Korea. There she assisted ground assaults, as well as fired the last round shot at sea in the war on July 27. The truce was called a few moments later, and the Saint Paul began patrol duties along Korea's east coast.

In May 1954, the Saint Paul returned to the western Pacific. From mid-November 1954 until mid-July 1955, she operated as a member of the Seventh Fleet protecting U.S. interests. She had an overhaul at Long Beach, California in late July, and then returned to the western Pacific until January 1956. She then returned to California and was sent to Bremerton, Washington for an overhaul. In September, she became the flagship of the First Fleet, and after refresher training, headed to Yokosuka, Japan at the end of November. She spent most of her time off of Taiwan until late April 1957.

The Saint Paul was sent back to Long Beach, California and worked along the West Coast for the remainder of the year. In February 1958, she was sent on an extended cruise which ended in Yokosuka in March. She continued working in the Western Pacific throughout the spring and summer, returning to Long Beach in late August for the remainder of the year.

The Saint Paul left Long Beach in May 1959 and spent the next three years in the Far East. She returned to Long Beach for an extended stay. She was not deployed again until 1966 when she was sent out with the Seventh Fleet to Vietnam.

On December 7, 1970, the Saint Paul returned to San Diego to begin inactivation. She was decommissioned on April 30, 1971 and placed in reserve. She was removed from the Navy list on July 31, 1978 and then was sold for scrap in early 1980.

Asbestos Hazards

Like other ships involved in the major wars, the Saint Paul had many risks. One of her greatest risks, however, did not come from enemy gunfire. Instead, it was the risks associated with exposure to asbestos that presented some of her greatest hazards.

Like other ships of the era, the Saint Paul was built using asbestos. Resistant to heat and fire, asbestos was often used as insulation, especially in high heat areas of the ship like the boiler and engine rooms. It was also used throughout the ship to insulate wires and steam pipes.

When asbestos is used, tiny particles break off, contaminating the air. The irritation associated with the inhalation of these particles has been linked to serious illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Many of the victims of mesothelioma have since filed lawsuits against the companies responsible for their exposure. If you served aboard the Saint Paul or worked on her at one of the shipyards, you may also be eligible for compensation. For more information, please fill out the form on this page to receive a comprehensive packet in the mail.

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