Mount Vernon (AP 22) - Naval Cruise Book

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The fense feeling didn'f lasf long. Even wearing a life iackef can be fun. Ward came from fhe medical sforeroom wearing 'fhe busfle fype. Piasf fied fhe fop and boffom fasfeners of each side, furned if wrong side ouf, and wore if looking a visifor from Mars. Someone discovered fhaf fhe kapok linings made excellenf pillows. The canvas cover was much easier fo carry wifhouf fhe insides, especially since fhe insides felf so comforf- able under fhe maffress. News came from fhe radio shack fhaf fhe Brifish ship Dorchesfer had sunk fhe German submarine supply ship, fhe Pyfhon . The vicfim had been refueling and supplying subs in fhe vicinify of Sf. Helena. Thai' is- land was near! Halfway around fhe world, Hell broke loose fhaf day. 7 December I94I. The kapok refurned fo fhe life iackefs, and fhe life iackefs refurned fo fhe men's backs. The Masfer af arms wenf abouf keeping all hands away from fhe rail. The sighf of land had drawn everyone fopside. The ship's policy was fo keep fhe rails clear of draped men. McKibben never undersfood why he couldn'f sif on fhe fence . Cape Town reminded many of California. Closer inspecfion, how- ever, revealed fhe lack of rain. The modern cify disappoinfecl fhose who had expecfed naked savages and mud hufs. High above fhe cify sfood

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do somefhing abouf if. They fried! One morning Lassifar, fhe phar- macisf's mafe wifh fhe salesman's soul snealced around fhe corner wifh a ' ' ' d h f new hair cuf. One half of his hair was cuf scalp hugh. He reporfe f a denfal fechnician Bunfing and himself had spenf fhe nighf in fhe brig. Ofher polywogs looked over fheir shoulders more offen as fhey wandered fhrough fhe darkened passageways. 'The librarian Ravahel had published sfafisfics proving fhaf Crossing fhe Line had been fafal fo some. ' ' ' Th F' f Wafch sfanders appeared in uniforms wifh subfle changes. e urs L' f nf Commander Wilcox wore diving shoes, raincoaf, and fire neu ena , helmef and carried fire axes as accessories. Some of fhe ofher officers reporfed fo fhe bridge fo fesf fhe visual qualifies of nozzles in place of binoculars. Af l300 fhe nexf day, King Nepfune came aboard and held courf. Salf wafer flowed freely. Arms, as well as rumps, ached from fhe swing- ' ' ' ' h b lc of a addle Ing of paddles. Lneuf. llgi Wilder caughf f e ac sweep p and s nf several days in siclc bay. Sfifches closed fhe wound in a Pe sailor's scalp. lnifiafes begged fhe immediafe insfallaflon of fhe exfra high mess hall fables lwifhouf benchesl. Th b d a few days lafer when fhe Capfain fold fhem fhey e crew so ere were in dangerous wafers. All hands were ordered fo carry life laclrefs.

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v1.- A ly .LL Table Mounlain, elernal guardian of lhe cily climbing al ils feel. Cloud formalions spread clorh-like over +he lop because of 'rhe conslanl wind. Devil's Peak, beside Table Mounlain, was fhe Townspeople's poinl' of vanlage for lhe convoy enlering lhe harbor. The Capelowners look lhe deluge of soldiers and sailors in 'rheir slride, providing +ranspor'ra'rion and lours. The cars followed a roule 'rhrough lhe gardened cily, around Devil's Peak, info lhe Cecil Rhodes es+a're, down lhe valley lhrough Rondebush and Wyndcoup lo lhe Dulch selfle- menl. Whilewashed houses wilh 'rhalched roofs lined lhe road 'ro Ker- sfenbosh, lhe wild flower preserve. More exciling, perhaps, was surf- boarding al lhe beach al' Musenberg wilh i'rs nine miles of while sanded beach. Supplies were received aboard labeled H.M.S. Mounl Vermin . Wilh regrel, lhe convoy lefl Cape Town, rounded +he Cape of Good Hope and sailed info lhe Indian Ocean. Where nexl? The scu1 rlebu+'f said, Bombay . And Bombay il' was-for all 'rhe convoy excepl lhe Moun+ Vernon . Brilish Naval passengers aboard were 'rransferred al' sea +o lhe Bri+ish escorl. The M.V. lurned about Chrislmas in 'lhe lropics was new 'ro lhe men. Their memories of lhe day had included snow and lighled frees, holly and +he snapping of logs 3-. 'Ewa