Mount Vernon (AP 22) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 79 text:

Nothing compares with BOSTON. As a home port, she reflected her many facets upon the ship. She was Beacon Hill and Back Bay; Scolley Square and East Boston. She was damp fog; she was musical moonlight; she was a sunny afternoon on the Commons, hier music was the sym- phony on the Esplanade or the jive at the Lighthouse. The Statler, Essex House, and Imperial knew when the ship arrived. They missed us when she left. We missed Boston, too. Arrival in Boston 22 May 1944 marked the beginning of the ship ' s Atlantic operations. Summer had not yet arrived in Boston, and the day seemed doubly cool after continued exposure to tropical and southern Pacific climate. Commonwealth Pier was to become the welcome mat and the scene of fond farewells. Boston is a bank in which much of this country ' s historical richness has been stored. One can reflect the pre-Revolutionary Days of the Massa- cre, of Paul Revere ' s ride to destiny, of Redcoats and red blood in the snow. The State House still overlooks the Commons and the antique stores around its base. Paul Revere ' s Home, Old North Church, and the fields of nearby Lexington and Concord lead one into the past, along roads lined with field stone fences, once gun supports but now quietly ivy-covered. One of the quartermasters had not learned of the lifting of the black- out. He distinguished himself and saved the darkness by climbing the hundred foot mast and personally blowing out the light which was burn- ing there. Such action, of course, followed arrival aboard from liberty.

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Two all hands evolutions which caused no griping were the Ship ' s Dances at the Bradford Hotel ballroom. Continuous dancing was made possible by the alternate use of two dance orchestras. Chiefs Jenny and James played hosts at the dance supper. In addition, dances held by the steward ' s mates proved extremely suc- cessful during the stay at Boston. Because she was a troopship and des- tined to carry hundreds of passenger officers and officer status civilians, the number of stewards and steward ' s mates assigned to the Mount Ver- non was large. Chief Steward Wilson returned from the Fleet Reserve to take charge of the first group who joined the ship at commissioning, and was on the ship at the time of the Boston party. Before he was to retire sometime afterwards at the end of thiry-three years service, he and his stewards were commended for their efficiency in caring for the pas- sengers. ' Vhtj ' W