USS Saint Paul Association launches campaign to establish memorial on Capitol Grounds

The USS Saint Paul Association is proud to announce its initiative to establish a memorial on the Capitol grounds of Saint Paul, Minn., honoring the legacy of the USS Saint Paul (CA-73), her officers and crew.  The memorial aims to pay tribute to the veterans (including many Minnesotans) who served aboard the ship during World War II, the Korean conflict and the Vietnam War.

With a current membership of 1,200, the association is composed of shipmates whose average age is now in the early 80s.  Since 1984, these former sailors have gathered for biennial reunions throughout the country, fostering camaraderie and preserving the rich history of their service.  The association plans to hold its final reunion in Saint Paul in the fall of 2027, whereupon they hope to unveil the commemorative memorial.

To bring this vision to life, the USS Saint Paul Association is reaching out to veteran groups and publications across Minnesota and the United States.  The association invites these groups and individuals to participate by writing letters of support and contributing to the memorial fund. This collaborative effort will serve to educate the public as to the historic value of this namesake heavy cruiser and pay tribute to the courage and sacrifices of her crew.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the association’s website <usssaintpaulca73.org> for more details on how to get involved.  By joining this worthy cause, supporters will play a vital role in commemorating this extraordinary ship and crew.

A brief history of the USS SAINT PAUL (CA-73)

In September 1944, eight teenagers from St. Paul high schools, having won a war bond competition, traveled to Quincy, Mass., to witness the christening of USS SAINT PAUL (CA-73), a heavy cruiser named after their city. Mrs. Marie Gordon McDonough, wife of Saint Paul City Mayor John McDonough and sponsor of the ship, broke a bottle of champagne across her bow and she was on her way. The ship was commissioned in February 1945 and after shakedown training entered the Pacific Ocean, via the Panama Canal, in June 1945.

The USS SAINT PAUL joined Admiral Halsey’s Third Fleet in July 1945, participating in the final stages of the war against Japan. She fired the last salvo by a major naval unit on Japan's home islands on August 9, 1945. She was present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender ceremonies which marked the end of her World War II service. Post-war, she served as the flagship for Rear Admiral C. Turner Joy’s Yangtze River Patrol Force in China.

The ship became a familiar presence in major Asian ports and served as flagship for numerous admirals. She played a significant role during the Korean Conflict, providing naval gunfire support, participating in evacuations and firing the last naval round of the Conflict on July 27, 1953. On April 21, 1952, a tragic fire in the forward 8-inch gun turret resulted in the loss of 30 men including a young boatswain’s mate from Rochester, Minnesota.  The ship continued its service in the Western Pacific, hosting President Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and became the first U.S. Navy ship to raise the new 50-star U.S. flag on July 4th of that year. In 1965, the ship was featured in the Paramount picture "In Harm’s Way," starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas.

Commencing in the spring of 1966, USS SAINT PAUL made a record five deployments to Vietnam and was awarded nine battle stars for her naval gunfire support missions in South Vietnam and interdiction missions in North Vietnam. She was also awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for her 1969 Vietnam deployment. In her 25 years of active duty, USS SAINT PAUL fired 182,000 rounds of naval ordnance, more than any other warship in history and was awarded a total of 18 battle stars. The ship was decommissioned on April 30, 1971, at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash.

The USS SAINT PAUL Association was founded in 1984 to honor the ship’s legacy and organize shipmate reunions. A reunion was held in Saint Paul in September 1994, marking the 50th anniversary of the ship’s christening. Plans are underway for a final reunion in Saint Paul, in the Fall of 2027. The ship’s historically important collection of artifacts, currently displayed in Fall River, Massachusetts, has been made available for presentation to the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum in Little Falls, Minnesota.

From the first crew of 1944 to the present association of aging shipmates...a span of 80 years...the sailors of the USS SAINT PAUL have proudly represented the city of Saint Paul and the great state of Minnesota.