Abbot (DD 628) - Naval Cruise Book

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X M ft: f. , , f ' , 2-ffff g . ix , . A Q . 'Y i f , B left f-we t' The sea is so wide and my boat is so small . -Prayer of the Breton Fishermen Engulfed in a typical Newport fog, we cautiously stood out ol Narragansett Bay at 1030 on ll july, our voyage already delayed two and a hall hours by the zero visibility. There were eight ol us then-all the ships of Destroyer Squadron I0-steaming in a double-diamond forma- tion en route to Annapolis where we arrived at noon on the twellth. Most of us spent the evening in XVashington after surmounting the ortleals ol a sudden squall on the Severn B r r r . l . y noon of july 14, 35 midshipmen had descended upon us, bearing enough additional gear to cause the DC.-X some concern, Soon the squadron was headed down the Chesapeake in an orderly column, out through Hampton Roads and to the open sea where we set our course for Bermuda. This was to have been an enjoyable cruise-stops at Gibraltar, Cannes, Trieste, Ancona-all on this visit to the Mediterranean.

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U 'F ll: I . an 1 WZ, Left to Right: Lewis, R. W., SN, Bow Hawk, Beiu, SN, I-Qnginecr, Roddy, SN, Coxswain MAILMEN GIG CREW Left to Right: Blackbuurn, SN, Howard, SA.

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WHS Th ' was 0045 on 15 july. The Captain was in his sea cabin, Mr. Simonton e time the OOD, Dazey had the Quartermaster watch, DCl'1l1S was at the helm. Stubblefield was watching the steam pressure in Nam Control. Everything was running quietly and well. And then a messa e was flashed to us from COMDESRON 10-we had been ordered to proceed 3 back to Norfolk. At the moment, no one was sure why. But the Chiefs picked up a news broad- ' ' ' c ' Ad S cast on TV before breakfast. It talked about a revolt in Iraq and the fact that the Unite tates had landed troops in Lebanon. It all htted together when we arrived in Norfolk and read the press. The prospects were not good and we all knew it. Our squadron was put on our l e ulated that we were hour alert and much scuttlebutt naturally ensued. The Norfo k papers sp c to escort an amphibious force to the eastern lNI ed.: there was talk ol disembarking the midship- ' ' ' ' A d water- Nleanwhile we loaded to l00U capacity of ammunition, fuel, food, stores, an men. . . L U we were ready to go at any moment. Liberty was granted on the base in Norfolk. but even this went by the boards when there was ammo to be loaded on l7 july. r f f ' ,: ,, . ..,. ,V .f . .,,., t H W , sl 51: 5: ,awre-W f f.lvfg,E,1y.--'-': ' Y- . -'.,1f :j' 4- lg A f r f' . ' 'ilff i s .. . '.'t' . ' .a i ,,.., I I ...,- 1 l :.k if 'h ' iw if ,'.' ft 1 if ' ' lf T. ..,. - ,.. xl- T A , V AA-. .llb ,W t f- 5 l 'Q 20 1