Joseph Kennedy (DD 850) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 61 text:

Your friendly officer of the deck. Ship-Shape in port As we approached our first real liberty port, preparations were made to bring the appearance and performance of the quarterdeck to even higher standards than they had known. It was on the quarterdeck that we would first make contact with the citizens of each countryg visitors, salesman and archbishops would all have to be received with appropriate decorum. A new quarterdeck board was made, and awnings were rigged. The messenger watch was doubled to keep delays to a minimum, and sentries were added both for the purpose of security and to return passing honors from merchant ships by dipping the ensign. The honor guard and side boys rehearsed several times a week to develop that precision which would mark their performance during all official visits. If we were not quite ready by Malta, we were willing and fairly confident. Honor Guard Attention! Colors!

Page 60 text:

Gibmlmff The ship nears the famed Rock of Gibraltar The British Colony Everybody tries to get into the act! Nine days after the ships of DESRON 10 left Newport, the famous outline of the rock of Gibraltar loomed on the horizon. We had had a rough crossing, but now we were here, at the gateway to the Mediter- ranean. Gibraltar was just a whistle stop for the main task to be accomplished here was to complete turn- over with the ships we were relieving. Everyone concerned spent most of the afternoon with his counterpart on the USS WARE, trying to absorb all the information which could be of value in the coming months. Evening meant liberty, however, and those who could went ashore in drives for their introduction to liberty in Europe. It was for some their first free port, for others their first tourist trap. But more generally it was a taste of the continental, a tan- talizing sip to keep everyone expectant during the coming weeks. The following morning we set sail to begin our trek to the East. During that week we operated with the French in Operation Fairgame IV under adverse weather conditions. lt was with a sigh of relief that we headed for the island republic of Malta on the 4th of March. I i l I r I , V.. f f I ,., Q 5' . 1 A l r.

Page 62 text:

The Grand Harbor - a fortified Venice. yn Duty days can be rough when the is this good. Mr. Kelly drove to the Casino every night to try his new system, How much is the bail? .Tx AT Ml Z M We pulled into Valletta, the capiial of Malta, on the 5th of March, not knowing quite ifwhat to expect. We had known roughly that it was located south of Italy, and we were ,vaguely aware of the history of the island during the Second World War, but that was all. , The sight that greeted us as we entered the Grand Harbor was stunning. Malta is a magnificent fortress whose high walls rising up from the sea bespeakf centuries of turmoil and invasion. Endless conquerors - the Phoenicians, Muslims, and the fighting Knights of Malta - have alternately be- sieged and defended the island. During the blackest days of the last war it was one of the few allied holdings in the Mediterranean, and received a merciless pounding from the Luftwaffe. Malta .never capitulated, and to know its people is to understand part of the reason. We were privi- leged to know these expansive and energetic citi- zens, for they welcomed ,us warmly and proudly displayed the rich pageantry of the island before us. Tours to the stone age temples, landing place of St. Paul and the great Cathedral made us familiar with the terrain, but as our ten' day stay progressed we struck out on our own, meeting and mingling with the fascinating Maltese. As we sailed away on the morning of 15 March, we took with us fond memories. Many men would swear to the end that this was our best liberty port. I l N