Leyte (CV 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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TWAS ON THE ISLE OF CAPRI THAT I MET HER ONE of the most beautiful sights in the world is the fascinating Island of Capri. Originally part of the mainland, Capri became an island thou- sands of years ago when nature made a mile gap between the present island and the Sorrento penin- sula. The island beauty is enhanced by steep cliffs and several wondrous grottoes. Many famous peo- ple have villas along the steep cliffs. Many people took the three-hour ferry trip to Capri while we were in Naples. Many also took a tour by bus to picturesque Sorrento and Amalfi. The Famous Twin Rocks The Town of Capri The Blue Grotto The sulphur fumes of the Little Vesuvius near Naples. Stromboli— that explosive volcanic island south of Naples, where Ingrid Bergman . . .

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POMPEY TN POMPEY, the LEYTE men found ruins to beat J- all ruins. Here ' s the best preserved town of ancient times in the world. In 79 B.C., Vesuvius blew her top and covered Pompev as well as some 2,000 -people with twenty feet of lava. This pro- tection preserved Pompev from the ravages of na- ture and war, so the buildings look much today like they did nineteen hundred years ago. Statues and paintings still adorn the walls. Large numbers of us took the twenty-mile bus ride from Naples to visit this ancient wonder. All of us said that the trip was worth its weight in gold. Abundance Street The Forum of Old Pompei Amphitheatre with Vesuvius smoking, about ten miles away. Temple to Apollo (The Sun God) A little rundown, but not bad for two thousand years.

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NEW YEAR ' S EVE ABOARD THE LEYTE WHILE the world and most of the Navy is out and howling, a few brave but unhappy souls are duty-stricken on New Year ' s Eve. A slight but satisfactory consolation is the old Navy custom- of framing the mid-watch log in poetry, which is exactly what Lt. (jg) Richard McCool did. With assists from the watch and several happy kibitzers, he turned out one of the better verses we ' ve seen. His wistful labors are recorded for posterity. In the city of Naples we start this year, Moored one hundred yards from a historic pier Molo San Vincenzo is the name of this dock, A horrible place, made of marble and rock. Our moorings are various— we ' re starboard side to. From the mole to the south there ' s an odor of glue The lines to the pier are under no strain. And the liberty party is feeling no pain. Three buoys are holding the LEYTE secure. To the east of these to aid in the moor, Fifteen fathoms of chain through the gullnose is led, Such mooring is typical here in the Med. For auxiliary use there ' s a boiler alive. The Engineers tell us it ' s probably five; The phone we are using and the water we drink, Are coming from Naples along with the stink. Commander, Sixth Task Fleet is present today, He ' s senior to all those here in the bay. His flagship Des Moines is moored nearby. In a place where the odor must really be high. There are other ships present too numerous to name, And many Marines with their claims to fame. This poem is finished, but before I forget. The condition of closure called Yoke is set. ' Naples really wasn ' t that bad but it had to rhyme. ■ r AU he erte eeu-i i j TuT e 5+» i A «»• » 8c tl%eTop Just so the Airdales don ' t complain, here is their log: 0001 HAPPY NEW YEAR! 0001 With planes inspected and all secure, The New Year ' s here, we know for sure, The 1st and 3rd Sections all aboard, The 2nd and 4th, who knows but the Lord. 0100 Hour by hour we pound this beat, And all we get is two flat feet, Comes sleet, rain, hail or snow, The hours pass, but gosh, so slow. 0200 Now here ' s to those who wish us well, In dear old MAG-11 All the rest can go to H — , But never go to heaven. 0300 This is my story, this is my tale, Homeward bound we will not fail. Home to the ones we love so dear, And an ice-box, we hope, full of beer. 0345 The time has come, my watch is o ' er, To Dave Geddes, I give this bore. To watch over each and every plane. His chance to strike for dear old fame. 0345 Properly relieved by 2nd Lt. David G. Geddes. (s) R. B. LIPSCOMBE, JR. 1st Lt, U. S. M. C, Flight Deck S. D. O.