CA-73 Saint Paul
USS Saint Paul, an 13,600-ton Baltimore class heavy cruiser, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts, and commissioned in February 1945. She went to the Pacific following shakedown and participated in final operations against the Japanese home islands in July and August 1945, including firing her eight-inch main battery guns at targets ashore at Hamamatsu and Kamaishi. Saint Paul was present in Tokyo Bay when Japan formally surrendered on 2 September 1945. She supported occupation activities in Japan until November, when she went to Chinese waters, where she continued to serve until late in 1946. The cruiser had three more Far Eastern tours during 1947-49.
With the outbreak of the Korean War in late June 1950, Saint Paul again was ordered to the Western Pacific, operating off Formosa and in the combat zone from July 1950 until the Spring of 1951. She made two more Korean War deployments, in November 1951 - June 1952 and from March 1953 until the fighting ended, firing the Navy's final shore bombardment round on 27 July 1953. Over the next decade, Saint Paul served in the Far East on several occasions, including a 39-month cruise that began in 1959. Specially modified for flagship service, she was frequently employed in that role by both the Seventh and the First Fleets.
Beginning in 1965, Saint Paul made five further Western Pacific deployments for Vietnam War operations. Her eight-inch and five-inch guns were kept busy supporting U.S. and allied troops in South Vietnam and bombarding coastal targets in the North. USS Saint Paul decommissioned in April 1971, following 26 years of continous active service including combat in three wars. She was sold for scrapping in January 1980.
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