Baltimore (CA 68) - Naval Cruise Book

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As the Emcee so aptly put it; many moons ago someone named Columbus discovered America so that one day the Columbus could come from America to discover the Mediter- ranean. ,t October 1952 will be recorded simply as Columbus Day in I .S.S. BALTIMORE records, but to those who jammed the main deck waiting for the U.S.S. COLUMBUS to arrive it will be remembered as a day of parole. The ship had put in a week of hectic extra work to evolve a relieving ceremony which would let everyone blow off a little steam. Before the Columbus was dead in the water had been exposed to the seductive wiles of the Baltimore chorus line (complete with high kicks), a mermaid perched on Turret One, the Bikini on the Ol-level, pink skivvies and a WHATTHEHELL pennant on the signal halyards, and sundry and assorted Mediterranean types with which they would soon be familiar. The first person to succumb to all this assembled splendor was the Captain of the Columbus, who capitulated when the Queen of the Med shimmied over the brow and gave him a Mediterranean HeUo . Things swept on as the Columbus was barraged with an illegiti- mate looking for his birthright, Aly Khan ' s harem, money changers, the Naples organ grinder and his monkey, an escapee from the brig, and assorted lovelies from the Baltimore Ladies Detachment. Mayhem continued into the evening when, amid the bumps and grinds of the chorus, the slapstick of the minstrels, violent musical interludes, and deep bows to stateside, the beaty contest produced Miss Baltimoron - 19.S2 and the Columbus was given the hallowed Key to the Casbah, which the Baltimore had received from the Pittsburgh that day in Gibraltar. With the singing of Goodbye, Buddies, the Baltimore signed off her welcoming ceremony and gladly gave the Columbus the responsibility of the ups and downs of the Sixth Fleet.

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LISBON Lisbon ity of espionage an.l intrigue - was a major highlight of the cuisr. We ha.l all a.sooialed Lisbon with |.olili.al exiles, veile.l women earryiog alubn Slat. ' secrets, an.l milita y agents stalking som.onc int. nl u|.on overlhniwing the government. «e |iictur.- a series ..f .lani|i. mistv alleys ami .lark. shutHre.! houses - out ..1 which „.ight ,.op at any main ™t the villain of th hour. How gnat th.n vas o r surprise when w • loi.n.l a warm. ro[. rful . ' ity r..smo|...litan an.l , ilcriialiiMiil to l.r ur.-. but in a nice, heallhv «,. niixlur.- .if .iM. uiniliii . njrr.,« -tr.-.l- in th.- an.i.nt city, or - lfama-. with mo.lcrn an.l rasl.i.M.al.!. ' listrids in the nev city. Lisbon is »ilh parks ami anei nt structures like SL „„,.„|-- chur.h an.l the Ca tie of St. Gorge. I.1-.IM11- 1.-. lire everything fron Portugese art to ill.- Ir.i|.|.iri;; anil coa.hcs „l ihi- H..yal Il..rsemen. Thr l-.irh.llll III ll„ii..-. liiriiurK ami „l,l Bcnclic- tin,- n,„n., l, rv. 1- .1 in.i „ifi,,.| t lii.ililing »ml a liiiirisi iiiii Down fn.m Lisbon l..«ar.l -l.iri.il range the n-orts. This .oastal ariM .4 l ' ..r iifi.il 1- note.l for l..war.l these small town-. «li,r,- t„,l;n l.irf:.- i-tatc- The Sunday bullhglil is iin» ;iii uistitiitioii in Lisbon, anil this finest of athletic arts is serupuhmslv practi. ' e.l here, where the Portugese insist upon perfection anil colorful excitement at the same tini.-. For those »ho hi. I iiiAcr h.i.l the „p|,..rtuMllv to experience ,, l.,ilhi-hl. this u.i- hii i,.r,i-,.,.i iniheil. From HIack Horse S.piar. to w li.rc th, heavily built-up areas abruptly give way to rolling larmlaml. Lisb.m ilemonslrat.s the in.le] . ' n(lent suHiciencv of Portugal anil is in .ill respects the

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REMINISCENCE We left the Bay of Boston (Without a farewell band) Knifing through the morning mist. Out of sight of land. Awesome were the shores of France, Old Spain and sunny Sicily; Wond ' rous the historic trance Of Ancient Rome in Italy. Marseilles to Nice blue waters reach. With every swell the seas expand. To wash the Riviera beach. Where we lay on crystal sand.