Monrovia (APA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 27 text:

THE 'sv -:-.11-.3 ko i e-res 1 -Nw-r., ., CRUISE Early in Nlarch, 1956, orders were re- ? ceived for the Monrovia to return from Caribbean operations and prepare to join the United States Sixth Fleet in the troub- led Eastern Nlediterranean. With a typical Can do spirit the im- posing task of making the manifold prep- arations lor a Nlediterranean cruise were begun at at feverish pace and completed in lour days. Hurried farewells were said and the ship sailed lrom Norfolk on IS Nlaich. 'llte crew relaxed their aching muscles briefly while enroute to Nlorehead City, North tlarolina, and then activity began anew as some 600 men of the Second Battalion, I-Qighth Nlarines and their equipment and ve- hicles were embarked. Finally on 20 Nlarch, the Nlonroxia in company with the l'.S.S. 'l'aconic, U.S.S. Rockbritlge, U.S.S. Rankin, U.S.S. Bassett, and I'.S.S. I'IymoutIi Rock began the ten-day . .... I . n 1 . ll l Atlantic crossing with its drills, seemingly interminable ninnunuation shots .ind thc niuita i e mal de mer. The imposing Rock of Gibraltar was sighted III March and the long-awaited first liberty ' ' ' ' ' is is thc Iirst intinrite look 'tt lfu- call was at last made at Cafrliari, Sardinia, on fi .XpriI. I Ins x, - . . . . D rope as liberty parties alighted and were greeted by the Iirst ol many accented Iley, lloes ' ' ' ' ' -'-s in 'I'he Med. and Hallo, llohnniesf' those familiar vestiges of piesions ,Xinc-iitaii libeitic Cagliari wasn't the ultimate in liberty ports but there was the promise of better things to come. There followed, at Porto Scudo, Sardinia. the lirst ol Ionr amphibious landing exercises. then the many operations, repetitions and tedious at times, but essential to the readiness of the shi . The cruise was not without its disappointments and frustrations, but there was consola- P tion in the esprit de corps and in the knowledtge that a nselnl role was being performed as a member of the Sixth Fleet in the smoldering Near East. Clonsoling, too, and refreshing and informative, were the interspersed opportunities to see much ol Europe first hand and to make fleeting but pleasant friendships from the mosques and minarets of unique and mysterious ' ' ' ' - l'ttreas- Istanbul to the awe-inspiring ruins of ancient Greece: from Italy with its gaiety ant ar ures and gracious France with her beautiful and well-groomed mademoiselles to the exciting bull rings of Spain. This book attempts to capture in part som -xl ., aday activities that constituted the cruise and life aboard the Monrovia during her nearly six months of service in The Med. 5 23 e of the tx Jeriences impressions and work-

Page 26 text:

B I I X . CO, QND BATT. fREINF.j, 8TH MARINES .KND STAXFF First Row: MAJ Dixon, LTCOL Stallings, INTIAAI Schwzxrtl. Se'rmzr l Ruzu: CI,-Kl'T Kiracofe, lst LT Hagerty, lst I,T York. EMBARKED MARINES fi v I , i .X X XY xx . - x-.NX 4 I .51 7 !.f1 ga is I 4,52

Page 28 text:

J H9 ff' -gm f lm Z' - ,, Q, , - ,Q ,MZ 5 og. il QW X E Loading at Mo'licad K M v- Q-A, f 4' First of Many wk Down Two! I 4 D N Early Morning Farewell . . . . . . And Then To Sea