John Rodgers (DD 983) - Naval Cruise Book

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The Golden Gate of Jerusalem The Church of the Nativity ' ■ iii-rjri|jt- =■}•■ I The Dome of the Rock

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ASHDOD, ISRAEL After many w-l::, off Beirut, Ashdod was a welcome ' nje. We arrived during Yom Kippur, :m Jewish New Year. ' he-lidi Christian, Jew, or Moslem, Jerusalem was a holy city and visited by many crew members. The narrow streets of the old city were a fascinating contrast of cultures. In the space of a few minutes one would pass an Arab driving his donkey along, an Orthodox Jew with his curled forelocks and black suit, a Catholic Priest, American Tourists with their cameras, and Israeli soldiers with their Uzis. Ashdod itself was a quiet, seaport town. Many evening were spent at sidewalk cafes eating kosher pizzas, watching video tapes, and talking with the people. Some of us even watched the The Return of the Jedi, complete with Hebrew and Arabic subtitles!

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GAETA, ITALY After lea ing Beirut for tfie final time, we transitted to Gaeta for a ten day IMAV uith the USS PUGET SOUXD. the Sixth Fleet Flagship. Most of the crew took this oportunit - to call their families in the states and let them know evei -thing was OK after our adventures on the gunline. Many of us traveled up to Rome to -isit the many splendors of antiquity-. The Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter ' s and Trivoli Fountain were all on the itineran, ' for our tours. Some crew members were also fortunate enough to attend the Pope ' s weekly blessing from his window overlooking St. Peter ' s Square. Closer to Gaeta. we enjoyed the sights of this small seaside town, shopped at the Naples Exchange, gorged ourselves on pasta and seafood, and just relaxed, knowing we would soon be returning home.