Boone (FFG 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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WHO SAYS YOU CAN ' T HAVE FUN? Oait-a-d t(j leave four months sooner than we shoulda: 1 lad to rush round, getting this, that, and the ■ ' utter. But October seven, Oh, ' twas at the stroke of two— BOONE left the pier, heading East, the Med to pursue. The .Atlantic we cro.s.sed in but eleven days. To food, fuel and liberty during Rota ' stay. .Another seven days, and we were through the Suez; In a record time — or .so the QMC said. We found the JARRETT on November the fifth. C ' rot Mid Ea.st Force pubs and other turnover gifts. The next port we saw after days on patrol. Was Bahrain, we were pierside, for ten days of toil. In addition to long hours, and work getting done. We had picnics and games, fun for everyone. On December the first, we were once more at sea. Keeping merchant .ships safe and .shipping lanes free. l)Ut for some anchorings and fuel .stops .somewhat short. No land did we see, before Karachi, which brought— .A liberty port where choice shopping did abound. Stores with onyx and wood, copper and aigs. all o ' er town. Thus, throughout the ship, most of our goods have been stored, I thought we ' d need a crane to get some things aboard. The bargains we made should be well W(jrth the effort; Wlien we pre.sent our gifts to loved ones in Mayport. leaving Karachi and returning to the Gulf, St(jring our civilian clothes away on a shelf Christmas spent at sea is normally the Pits ; But the talent show we had. .seemed to make a hit. ,ANd SANT.A brought us mail, his sleigh was a helo — A Bird with a .strange name, which I ' ll explain below. The De.sert Duck it ' s called, no one .seems to know why. But it brought your greetings and dire needed supplies. On January Sixth, we arrived in Dubai— There ' s work to be done and some equipment had died. The thirteenth was the date we were .scheduled to leave; But over the air waves and order is recieved. A merchant ' s in trouble near the Gulf of Oman, Boarded, we are told, by the likes of Iran. COMIDEASTFOR .says GO— Make the Straits of Hormuz. Investigate all. .send me the facts and the news. When we arrived, we found the enemy had fled. All was ju.st fine, guess Iran lost it ' s head ' : ' The Saga continued as we .sailed day and night; As we tailed the Iran .ship til it left our sight. That crisis over, we headed North to Bahrain. I ' ut .somehow or other, that got cancelled again. liahrain wasn ' t reached on the fourteenth as planned. So, on the twenty-first it was .scheduled again. But the fourteenth has brought a Holiday Routine, To celebrate Hump Day. we are halfway between. I )own to two digits and impatiently counting. While the davs that remain seem .so insurmounting. Then the ever-changing .schedule has .struck anew. Our fuel .stop in Bahrain won ' t be any time .soon. The reason; We were told a Regime had fallen; And Yemen ' s coast beckoned, lest we were called on. We obseA ' ed as the British and French did the job. Of moving their people and controlling the mob. We were ready and willing, to help if need be. And our presence showed we cared for their .safety. With our fuel tanks a ' yearning, a Brit brought relief We ' re refueled at sea by H.M.S. Brambleleaf Their help didn ' t stop as their heloes touched down. Taking mail to Djibouti, we would send it home. Months gone numbered four — upon January ' s ending. And after weeks at sea, morale needed mending. The month of the Groundhog brought us to Muscat. Country was Oman, one more Muslim habitat. After the visits, receptions and ceremonies. Came walking tours and shopping and a beer or three. After three days inport we once again .set .sail; With a surpri.se from Conolly. who brought us mail. As the days pa.ssed by, some times at maddening pace. We arrived once more, at Sitrah ' s anchorage place. With our reefers low, and our fuel tanks near empty, The barges arrived, with their pallets aplenty. With our bellies full and the engines running smooth. We turned to our mail to read all the latest news. Back and forth we went shadowing ships here and there; Then North one la st time, into Bahrain tor repairs. A payday ' s reward, we arrived one day early. Outboard the Lasalle, the ' WTiite Ghost was so pearly. Then it was South, to Joseph STRAUSS and our relief And through the Suez, a sight beyond our belief Malaga was next, that was in Spain, so they say. P-.s-.s-t!l We .sold hilly things, at auction on the way. Frederick ' s the .source. Sold sight unseen, open not. But afterwards revealed, by the person which bought. Cavalaire in April, a French speaking city. A schedule change in our favor. WTiat a Pity!! Sorry. We cancelled your port call, you must detach. HAIHA! Plea.se Brer Bear, don ' t throw me in that briar patch! After the Straits of Gibralter and .Azores for gas, The time long awaited, had come to us at last. With a fuel stop at Bermuda to end the trek west. Towards Flonda ' s coa.st. and a much de.seived rest. Now all that remained was to be tied up once more. Be returned ti m lur homes and loved ones we adore. And as they appear wfth their cheers and applause. We can trust and be sure it ' s a blessing from GOD. Now that we look hack, to where we ' ve been, what sveve done- I just wonder myself WTio .said it would be fun?l 58