Magoffin (APA 199) - Naval Cruise Book

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CORREeiDOR One of Mr. Gossett ' s better guided tours was to what remains to the old for- tress OF corregidor. The tropical growth incessantly moves forward to reclaim this land to Nature from man, putting the abandoned barracks, earth works, and rusted guns in peace- ful sabbath like shadows and unkempt, out grown foilage. Yet, the jungle growth WILL never obscure THE MEMORY AND HONOR OF THE GALLANT PHILIPPINE AND AMERICAN MEN WHO BRAVELY DEFIED THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE JAPANESE IN THE PERILOUS EARLY MONTHS OF World War II . It is so - TO so very few, we owe so very MUCH . HALLOWED GROUND SCENE OF SOME ROUGH FIGHTING OLD COASTAL DEFENCE GUN

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' OUONGOPO ' BODY BY FISHER ! After the tension in Laos had eased we entered the Philippine port of Subic Bay for some well earned r and r . There ARE a few O.O.D. ' S who contend that the first two nights in port exceed- ed THE PIER scene IN THE BOOK, MR. ROBERTS. (T SURE WAS A LONG TIME IN BETWEEN DRINKS. BUT, OR COURSE WE ALSO HAD TO REAFFIRM AND STRENGTHEN THE AUSTRALIAN - American BONDS OF FRiENDSHiPToo. Present in port with us were units of Her Majes- TiE ' s Australian Navy, some of the toughest sailors we ever fought with, funniest to listen to talk, and best shipmates WE ' VE EVER SAT DOWN AND HAD A DRINK WITH IN MANY A YEAR . I SAY THERE OLD TOP, SHALL WE GO IT A ROUND - FISTS OR BEER-?? ENTERING SUBIC BAY PHILIPPINE VERSION OF CONNIE FRANCIS

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' .«o4 :r. ' Hong Kong is the jewel of the Orient whose teeming streets ABOUNDS with THE FLAVORS OF AN OLD , MYSTERIOUS CHINA AND A JOLLY OLD England. Just about every- one ELSE has two cents IN HONG kong also the french , the Indian, the Dutch, the Germans, THE Italians ANDTHE Americans whose spotted presents and in- terests lend the city a truly cosmopolitan Atmosphere. In many respects the city re- sembles OUR own city of San Francisco, with its steep hills, fine harbor, and BEING A BANKING AND TRADE CENTER. To US IT WAS A FINE LIBERTY PORT. We bought everything IMA- GINABLE FROM CLOTHING, SHOES TO TATOOS . We INVESTIGATED EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY BY FOOT, RICK- SHAW, AND TRAM, BUT NO MATTER HOW REMOTE YOUR FORAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN BE SILENT AND LIS- TEN FOR A MOMENT AND SOON ENOUGH YOU ' LL HEAR IN THE JUMBLE OF CHI- NESE CHATTER A TEXAS OR OKLAHOMA DRAWL YA ' LL COME OVER MY PLACE SOMEDAY AND WE ' LL HAVE A REAL FINE TIME THERE TOO. American SAILORS seemedto be EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERYTH I NG , SO MANYOFTHOSE OLD SEA STORIES ARE TRUE EVEN IFTHEY SEEM UNBELIEVE- ABLE . Our fun and frolic did not blind our eyes to the hordes of refugees in their daily state of poverty and hunger. these who AREWORTHYOF our pity and CHARI- TY MADE US POINTEDLY AWARE OF THE SUFFERING COMMUNISM HAS WROUGHT ON MANY OF THE WORLD ' S PEOPLES, AND OF THE NECESSITY OF OUR PER- SONNEL AND NATIONAL SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE FREE NATIONS AS THE MASTER OF THE WORLD ' S SEAS .