Mount Vernon (AP 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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building, Radio cify, and Times Square, buf fhey saw fhem alone or in groups of fwo or fhree, nof in fhe large parfies which grew in smaller and sfranger porfs. Legifimafe fheafres augmenfed fhe movie programs, music and mu- seum fours were available. To fhe sea-weary men of fhe ship, however, if was counfless small bars, fhe dinner in scaffered resfauranfs, fhe bawdy floor shows of fhe nighf clubs, fhe horse-drawn buggys in Cenfral Parlc fhaf af lasf formed fheir memories of New York. One sfeward's mafe shiffed his weighf uneasily from one foof fo fhe ofher as he sfood before fhe capfain af masf. The capfain briefly scanned fhe charge sheef, rubbed his chin, and loolced fhreafeningly af fhe man. You're charged wifh being absenf over leave. Whaf have you fo say for yourself? l missed fhe subway, suh. When fhe man furfher explained fhaf his home was in Harlem fhe cap- fain gasped, and re-examined fhe charge sheef. He musf have misread if, buf no, fhere if was in clear, black prinf .... Absenf over leave for a period of 'fhree days, I7 hours, and 45 minufes'.

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isiiillfif l:!li ii ull!! 5953? iiiii Eggs fini I a':ii Glazed wi+h ice and cuHing +hrough fhe freezing winds of fhe Norl'l1 Allaniic, fh M e ounf Vernon a+ lasl found her course plorfed for New York and home. Bur 'rhe frip was 'ro be inierrupfed. Through lhe fog came ihe d' + ' ' is ress signals of a burning Norwegian ianker. The homewarel course was alfered as preparaiions for rescue began. Blow iorches were needed +o mel+ +h ' ' e ice holding +he lifeboais 'ro 'rhe davirs. Fire and Rescue crews assembled 'rheir equipment Fog was hugging fhe surface of ihe wafer and slee+ was driving againsi lhe declcs as fhe burning vessel came info view. For +wo hours +he Moun+ Vernon s+ood by, leaving only affer assisfance was on +h ' ships. Enfry info New Yorlc harbor was made in lhe early morning: spefllal sea de+ails wer 'r e se a+ 0200 and for four hours fhe crew shivered while ice-covered lugs maneuvered fhe ship up fhe ice-jammed harbor and alongside Pier 5l. e way in fhe form of Coasf Guard rescue New York became a cily of individual memories for +he men of llle Moun+ Vernon . I+ ' ' s size swallowed lhem up m 'rhe affernoon and sep- arafed ihem uniil morning. Here a+ las'r ihey found liberfies suifable +0 every +as+e. Of cour fh ' ' se ey saw The slghis of fhe criy-+he Empire Sfdfe ll .- L I I . I i . I :ilu H' ': a . ll' ll is:

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More +han four years had passed since ihai day in San Francisco when Navy crews firsl came aboard lhe Moun+ Vernon --years speni in con- slanl' sailing, as a conneciing linl: beiween porfs ihroughoui ihe world. Through +he sub-infesied warers oi a world ai war she logged lhe amaz- ing +o'ral of 363,000 miles of iravel. On her declcs and rhrough her pas- sageways have feemed more ihan 3I5,000 iroops, casualiies, prisoners, and refugees-bound for ihe fighiing fronls or re+urning home from fhe realiries of war. The end of hosiilifies did no? compleie ihe faslc of The Moun+ Vernon . Her du+y as one of +he Navy's largesi iransporls became The reiurning of millions of vicforious lroops home-a fiiiing raslc fo close her Naval career. Coming years will change her appearance and de-commissioning will b 1 o 0 egm fhe mefamorphosis fhal will cover fhe dull Navy gray wifh while and black brilliance. New rhousands of passengers in 'lhe furure will en- ioy +he pleasures of peace lime voyages. Bui lhey will nof lcnow 'rhe real Moun+ Vernon . H will be ille Sweallflq. milling soldiers whom she carried +0 The eX- + . . , remihes of 1'he earfh, 'rhe grim veferans whom she refurned home, 'I'he men who iended her boilers in fhe heaf of 'rhe Pacific 'rhe men who manned he' QUUS in fhe Qfdy chill of +he A+Ian+ic dawn, men whose com- radeship and indomilable ' '+ f shaped fheir exisfence- spurs ound in her in+angible personalify wl'IiCl'l