Mount Olympus (AGC 8) - Naval Cruise Book

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.Inspiring tributes' to fighting men of a later date were found in the Scottish National War Memorial. Located in the center of the Castle, the Memorial is dedicated to those Scots who died in World War I. v Second on the list of historic landmarks was the Palace of Holyrood House which was formerly the home of Scotland's kings and queens, and at present is the residence of Queen Elizabeth when the Queen is in Scotland. On the route from the Castle to Holyrood, many of us travelled the Royal Mile along High Gate and Canon Gate. One of the most famous streets in Europe, it is the thoroughfare which the United Kingdom's monarchs must travel when making an official visit. This centuries-old way has echoed to the tread of such famous Scots as John Knox, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and the later Robert Louis Stevenson. We discovered a modern side to Edinburgh, too. Strolling down Princes Street, we found one side lined with fashionable shops, the other with monu- ments, public buildings and verdant parks. Sailors and marines of Scottish an- cestry shopped for their clan tartans while others found buys in hand-woven tweeds, textiles leather articles, glassware, silver and wood. Princes Street Gardens, in the shadow of Castle Hill, offered us a quiet resting place among beautiful flowers, including the Floral Clock, where we could relax after hours of shopping and of dodging Edinburgh's clattering double- decked trams and buses, which all seemed to travel in the wrong direction. Here too, some of our lads met bonnie Scottish lassies who were bent on furthering the good neighbor policy. During our short visit to Scotland, we became accustomed to four o'clock tea and biscuits, popular throughout the United Kingdom. Although disappointed at the scarcity of food, we were surprised at the low cost of that which was available. Mount O movie-goers were amazed at the thick blanket of smoke and inces- sant click of cigarette lighters which accompanied each show. While the NATO fleet lay anchored in the Firth of Forth, some of us took a two-day tour to London. The hundred men from the Mount Olympus who visited the British capital made the most of their short stay, and could be seen every- where in the city -- Buckingham Palace, Windsor Palace, Tower of London, Tra- falgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and St. Paul's. by Joseph R. Ewing, JO2 16' September . . . Last night we upped anchor and sailed down the Forth to be in position this morning for a rehearsal landing of our forthcoming part in Exercise MAIN- BRACE. Many ships have already sailed from the Clyde for their roles in the exer- cise, which began 13 September. This morning our landing craft made a run to the beach in a heavy fog, but did not land their embarked marines. The rehearsal was covered by a delegation of Scottish newspapermen in a chartered boat. The stories they wrote for their papers showed they were well impressed by the amphibious techniques of the U. S. forces. Tonight we are back at our old anchorage below the Forth Bridge. 19 September . . . This is the Admiral speaking began Admiral Rose over the ship's speaker system --our first intimation of a change in plans. All hands listened attentively to the words the ship will not return to Norfolk upon the completion of MAIN- BRACE, but will go to the Mediterranean . Many letters were written. tonight, and many plans changed on both sides of the Atlantic. We were to participate in Exercise LONG STEP. Today officer observers from the United Kingdom, France and Denmark came aboard, also members of the press. 3

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::..-:SS-'B -as -M i 3 K 1:7 an U U -. I I I , +b fear- 2:35 I B MTX 'ewes ' rig ies.-E I ff ' N' s W W '17 EE H '65 so T, feb!! ,L r-1, X ' .,..,,, J dl l ' W J JK- :A Wwwwfli ililfjlv F M is lj dinburgh . Scotland 11 September . . . , u After dodging fishing trawlers and coastal steamers 'yesterday and sighting the lights of Aberdeen last night, we anchored this morning below the mile-long Forth Bridge, a modern wonder of the world , in the Firth of Forth. call by Admiral Rose on the Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, and his return call on Admiral Rose, and calls by other commanders of the MAINBRACE forces and units completed the morning's activities. Then the liberty party headed for the landing and Edinburgh, ancient capital of Scotland. 11 to 1.9 September . . . Hundreds of eager sailors swarmed into waiting buses waving crisp new one and five pound notes. Harassed conductorettes collected the large bills and stopped the buses several times during the thirty-minute ride to get change at local banks. Most of us were still mentally wrestling with the British currency system as the buses rolled around St. Andrews Square and squeaked to a stop in the heart of Edinburgh. For the more than 40,000 sailors and marines from shigs of the eight NATO nations participating in Exercise MAIN BRACE, Edinburg became hospitality headquarters , with Mount O crewmen doing their share of touring, shopping, eating and drinking. We found Edinburgh a city of contrasts-- ml-T5 'MDE contrasts between the ancient and the V- 'N 'WY TARVA modern, between the royal and the hum- f ble, and between the bustling streets ff Q and the quiet parks. up 1 . f Q iiggg,,,h Shutterbugs and culture seekers A CTE, A roamed about Edinburgh's impressive il ' -- M edifices and monuments, some of which 4. ivy, , X41 date back to the days of William the N 1 Conquerer. Favorite visiting spot was 1 ,W , the 1000-year-old Edinburgh Castle, f A 5 -. perched atop Castle Hill which overlooks fd M Q, Vg' the shopping center of Princes Street, f J 270 feet below. We found the view from LL F J the Castle well worth the climb. Beside i ' . ig, affording a panorama of the city and C0UI1Q1'Ys1de, Edinburgh Castle offered a 3 7 look into Scotland's exciting past--shim GITHOT, great swords, rich and color- S fu uniforms. tg M.. . wk?

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EDINBURGH-OLD CAPITOL OF SCOTLAND ST. GILES A BATTERY AT THE CASTLE E scow memonuu. uf ,W , PRINOES ST. 5.5 I T r ,,