The U.S. Navy's first Korean War combat action took place early on 29 June 1950, as the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-119), flagship of Rear Admiral John M. Higgins, fired her five-inch guns at suspicious shipping and shore targets along the South Korean east coast. During the next month, as UN forces attempted to slow the North Korean army's advance, there were numerous gunnery operations by Juneau, U.S. Navy destroyers and British Royal Navy ships, including HMS Belfast. Playing an important role inshore, especially along the west coast, was the tiny South Korean Navy, whose patrol craft were very active in countering enemy attempts to use the sea to flank the defending Korean and U.S. ground troops.
With the arrival in late July of two more U.S. heavy cruisers, USS Helena (CA-75) and USS Toledo (CA-133), to join the Seventh Fleet flagship USS Rochester (CL-124), eight-inch guns began to play an important and lasting role in the Korean conflict. Their heavier shells could reach farther, penetrate deeper and destroy harder targets than the projectiles of the five and six-inch guns available on the British cruisers and the other U.S. ships then present in the combat zone.
Naval gunfire played an important role in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter in August and early September, especially at the line's eastern end north of Pohang, where ships' guns helped defeat several North Korean attempts to capture the seaports that sustained the UN toehold in Korea. Cruisers and destroyers also joined aircraft in interdicting enemy communications and facilities further to the North and supported South Korean island garrisons off the peninsula's west coast.
This page features images related to naval gunfire actions during the early months of the Korean War, from 25 June to 15 September 1950.
For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of later periods and other aspects
of that conflict, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 96898 USS Helena (CA-75) Fires her after 8"/55 guns at targets in Korea, August 1950. Original photo is dated 23 August 1950, but this may show the bombardment of Tanchon on the 24th of that month. U.S. Army Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-G-422473 Kanggu Hang, South Korea USS Helena (CA-75) bombards bridge at Kanggu Hang, 23 miles north of Pohang, 9 September 1950. Note: See Photo # 80-G-422474 (Extended Caption) for identification information on this photograph. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 169KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-422474 Kanggu Hang, South Korea "With ten rounds of 8-inch HC, USS Helena drops two spans of bridge at Kanggu Hang, 23 miles north of Pohang." "View looks southeast and downstream; the river mouth is a mile beyond bridge. 9 September 1950" Note: See Photo # 80-G-422474 (Extended Caption) for identification information on this photograph. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 161KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-422471 Kanggu Hang, South Korea Bridge at Kanggu Hang, 23 miles north of Pohang, after bombardment by USS Helena (CA-75) on 9 September 1950. Note: See Photo # 80-G-422474 (Extended Caption) for identification information on this photograph. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 620 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 96905 USS Toledo (CA-133) Eight-inch shells and powder charges on a barge alongside the starboard quarter, as Toledo replenished her ammunition supply in Sasebo Harbor, Japan, after combat operations off Korea, circa July-October 1950. Crewmen are carrying the powder cans into position to be hoisted aboard the cruiser. This photo was received by the Naval Photographic Center on 12 October 1950. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 171KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 96903 USS Toledo (CA-133) Crewmen bring eight-inch powder charges aboard from a barge alongside, at Sasebo, Japan, circa July-October 1950, while Toledo was engaged in Korean War combat operations. This photo was received by the Naval Photographic Center on 12 October 1950. Note ship's after eight-inch triple gun turret trained on the starboard beam, and aircraft crane and hangar hatch cover at the stern. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 137KB; 585 x 765 pixels |
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For links to more pictures of the first months of the Korean
War, see:
For a precis of our Korean War images, and links to more
comprehensive pictorial coverage of later periods and other aspects
of that conflict, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
6 October 1999