Frank Evans (DD 754) - Naval Cruise Book

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A Chinese familv on its sanrnan home A liberty boat Takashima Pearl Farm was another interesting place nearby. Here visitors were shown how cultured pearls are cultured. From Sasebo we headed south but were delayed briefly to search for two HORNET pilots who were killed in the crash of an S2D air craft near the southern end of Kyushu. It was a tragic accident, but it was the only serious one sustained by the HUK group during the cruise. The EVANS, along with the other ships of Anti-Submarine Warfare Group THREE , arrived at Hong Kong, British Crown Colony, shortly before noon on 22 February. Our dressed ships presented an impressive sight to those ashore, but this sight was no more impressive than the view we saw of Hong Kong and Kowloon. We were anchored in the harbor about one-half mile from Hong Kong. The harbor was a continual maze of traffic; boats, sampans, water taxis and ferries darted in and about day and night. A rickshaw stand The Stan Ferry E nr Ninnim -. -t •

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a thousand years. Hokone National Park was also close by for those who wanted rest and relaxation in a scenic resort-type atmosphere. On the business side we underwent our annual adm inistrative inspection. The crew put in many long hours of work for this , but we were rewarded with a grade of excellent and a compli- ment from the commanding officer of the inspecting ship that the EVANS was the cleanest destroyer he Rice fields near Sasebo Getting ready for the Admin had ever seen. We also welcomed aboard our new executive officer, LCDRC.H. LOHR and said good-bye to the old one, LCDR J. F. DANIS. Then we left Yokosuka for Sasebo and Hong Kong. Sasebo is the other U. S. Naval Base in Japan and is located on the island of Kyurku near Nagasaki. There was little time for sightseeing on the short visit. However, during Christmas the crew had already taken in the many interesting sights offered by Sasebo and its vicinity. There were tours to Nagasaki. These featured visits to the Atomic Museum and Peace Park and Madame Butterfly ' s House. The Guard Neither does this one 44

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A floating restaurant at Aberdeen Mary Sue ' s girls meet the crew. While in Hong Kong there were five scheduled tours -three of the island (Hong Kong) and two of the mainland (Kowloon). The tours included stops at the world famous Tiger Balm Gardens, a tram ride to the top of Victoria Peak and a visit to Aberdeen. We also got 6 glimpse of Red China, the country that doesn ' t exist. Hong Kong is a free port and we took full advantage though the things we bought were hardly free; the tailor-made clothes and shoes; and the multitude of cameras, elec- tronic equipment, silks, ivory goods, jade. . . emptied our pockets and filled our holds and every empty rack on the ship. And so we leave Hong Kong, richer yet poorer, as always. The country that doesn ' t exist . . . and paint the ship COUTEE ' s bicycle shop 46