Nassau (LHA 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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After a few weeks at sea, land, any land at all begins to look awfully inviting. While some go to great lengths for a striking view, others go along for a well-deserved catnap.

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The Strait Gf Gibraltar Land At Last! All during the transit across the Atlantic, NAS- SAU has been a busy place to be. A large amount of time was spent indoctrinating our Marine shipmates in the basics of shipboard life such as basic damage control and firefighting techniques and generally get- ting acquainted with shipboard routine. Combat Systems Department was busy as well during the transit. Because this was the first time a carrier battle group had crossed with an amphibious group, it was an excellent opportunity to conduct various combined exercises and cross-decking of our AV-8B aircraft on Coral Sea. An historical first was achieved as well when Ma- rine lst Lt. McCluskey of VMA 231 made the 30,000th safe landing aboard NASSAU in AV-8B 354. As we approached the Strait of Gibraltar on the morning of the 11th of October, anticipation was high. Only someone who has spent several weeks out of sight of land can know how welcome the sight of land, any land, can be. All hands had been tracking the ship's progress across the Atlantic with maps on the Mess Decks and outside the AIMD offices and, when word was passed we were nearing the Strait of Gibraltar, everyone made plans to get out and get some shots of the Rock. At two in the afternoon we passed through the strait. Anyone who was not involved in the naviga- tion detail was encouraged to go topside and take in the beautiful weather and stirring sight of two conti- nents, one on either side of the bow. The straits behind us, it was time to head for turnover and assume the watch. ,Aff l '4 9 T 1 I l 1 1 I 8 4 9 5 1 ,ix

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Pian De Spille, Italy Land The Landing Force! 1 G v 3 s 4 9 u I Marines Go To Work After almost three weeks of being cooped up aboard NASSAU, the embarked Marines were more than willing to get ashore when we reached the amphibious training area known as Pian de Spille, Italy, on the 19th of October. The pre-dawn L and H-hours on the morning of the zofh go off flawlessly and the first operational test of MARG 4-87 Marines as Landing Force Sixth Fleet is an unqualified success. We also received visits from VIP's in the Pian de Spille area when the Chief of Police, Base Commander and Area Commander toured NASSAU. The backload also came off without a hitch as we spent hours washing caked mud off all the vehicles before stowing them below once more. But once all the gear was re-stowed, we were once more on our way for a similar exercise off the coast of Sicily and France before we get to our first port of call of the cruise, Toulon, France. 5 I + H 5 lu