Durham (LKA 114) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 25 text:

l uf . mf I' i f n Qi f 'i 1 nl , p . M' 1 FQ .v iff' . 'S' I ' 1 Leaving Norfo k he last weeks were taken up in part in loading the crevv's vehicles and household effects into the ship. When DURHAM finally de- parted for Long Beach on August 2, there were only a scattering of people on -the pier to see her leave. lVlost of the wives and families had been sent home or on to California the week before, having left in Norfolk only some assorted and vvarm memories. Cast off all lines. . . Photographedqby Lt. Claude Freaner A last goodbye to Norfolk Photographed by Lt. Claude Freaner ---inf'-'wr '

Page 24 text:

, A-Zi - 5 ,.,-1 --- l 'S rt outh av S y r Downtown Norfolk rises out of the early morning mist. DURHAIVI receives a fresh set of numbers. itting out of DURHAM took place in Portsmouth, Virginia. lt, like every- thing which had preceded it, was just one more delay. lt finally took twice as long as was originally anticipated. The Pacific Fleet Amphibious Force never stopped wonder- ing what the new amphibious cargo ship wou'd be like, but from one month to the next they must have regularly doubted whether they wou d get the chance to see her. Fitting out was a time of preparation. The hull and ,superstructure areas were completely painted out. Other exposed areas such as weather decks were to be painted prior to entering Long Beach. The full anticipation of leaving was probably felt after the successful completion of the Dock Trials. Months of mid-watch entries reading, The ship is in a cold iron status began to read, Alfa boiler on the line . . . Alfa and Bravo boilers are on the line. 20 l --ae ee eeem- 1 , 54 4' 1 'iu.'Kfi..m':.x'4 . 1 l l l l w , . ,L i

Page 26 text:

Having left Limon Bay Approach to the first set of locks. The Gatun Locks Hooking up once moreg this time at the Pedro Nliquel Locks. These locks open into Miraflores Lake, which is just before the Nliraflores Locks and the Rodman Naval Base.