Group seeks to establish USS Saint Paul
memorial on State Capitol grounds

Group seeks to establish USS Saint Paul memorial on State Capitol grounds
By Tim Spitzack | Editor | June 2025

A group of former sailors who served aboard the USS Saint Paul (CA-73) is seeking to create a memorial on the State Capitol grounds to honor the legacy of their former ship, her officers and crew. They are members of the USS Saint Paul Association, which was formed in 1984 and now has 1,200 members who gather for biennial reunions across the country. They hope to unveil the commemorative memorial at their final reunion, to be held in St. Paul in the fall of 2027. The last reunion held in St. Paul was in September 1994, marking the 50th anniversary of the ship’s christening.

Many Minnesotans served aboard the heavy cruiser during World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War, according to Roger Brown, immediate past president of the association. The ship was christened in September 1944, and eight teenagers from St. Paul high schools who won a war bond competition, traveled to Quincy, Mass., to witness the event. Marie Gordon McDonough, wife of St. Paul City Mayor John McDonough and sponsor of the ship, broke the commemorative bottle of champagne across the ship’s bow.

Several members of the association are in their 80s so time may be running out for some to see the goal come to fruition. Their ask is simple: write a letter of support or contribute to the memorial fund. Visit usssaintpaulca73.org for ways to get involved.

The ship was commissioned in February 1945, and that June entered the Pacific Theater to participate 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, and was present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender ceremonies. The ship also played a significant role during the Korean Conflict, providing naval gunfire support, participating in evacuations and firing the final naval round 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, Minn. The ship continued its service in the Western Pacific, hosting Pres. Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and becoming the first U.S. Navy ship to raise the new 50-star U.S. flag on July 4 of that year.

In 1965, the ship was featured in the Paramount picture “In Harm’s Way,” starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. It continued war service and made a record five deployments to Vietnam. It was awarded nine battle stars for her naval gunfire support missions in South Vietnam and interdiction missions in North Vietnam, and 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. 

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