Antietam (CG 54) - Naval Cruise Book

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INTRODUCTION 2 PORTS OF CALL 10 THANKSGIVING 24 FACES 25 CROSSING THE LINE 26 OPERATIONS 31 DC DAY 46 CPO INITIATION 47 DESERT SHIELD 48 MORE FACES 50 MAIL CALL 51 TABLE OF COnXEMTS COMBAT SYSTEMS 52 HALLOWEEN 66 BEER BARGE 67 ENGINEERING 68 AIR DETACHMENT 78 SUPPLY 81 SHIPS WE HAVE KNOWN 87 SHIPMATES 88 AWARDS 91 OPERATION TIGER ' 90 92 HOMECOMING! 94 CREDITS 96 f h

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c« INTRODl PORTS ( THANKS FACES CROSSII OPERAT DC DAY CPOINIl DESERT MOREF MAILCi

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IMTRODUCTIOri Why the sea? What can posess a person to leave behind his family and home for a life of hazard and hardship? it is something that cannot be put into mere words; it must be experienced. Maybe it is the travel; to visit places only told about in storybooks and old sailor ' s tales. Or maybe the comradeship that develops between a sailor and his shipmates. Or the challenge and satisfaction of overcoming the hardships that make up the sailors dally routine at sea. Some men choose the sea to answer the call to duty; to serve their God, flag and country. Others need a change from their everyday life; from the boredom and restlessness that tends to overtake the unwary. And there are still others, biding their time to save money or prepare for school or the outside world in general. Some may seek the excitement of going into harms way; to feel the rush of adrenaline and the smell of gunpowder. Sea-Fever I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky. and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, and the wheel ' s kick and the wind ' s song, and the white sail ' s shaking, and a grey mist on the sea ' s face and a grey dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; and all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, and the flung spray and the blown spume. and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life to the gull ' s way and the whale ' s way where the wind ' s like a whetted knife. and all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover. and a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick s over. It is a totally different life at sea. The envi- ronment is fast paced and dynamic with no two days the same. Then the routine may become boredom and monotony. But, as a sailor there are always things to do, places to see, and people to meet. Things that few civilians may get the chance to exper- ience. For countless generations before us, men have answered the call of the seas. Whether to explore and discover, trade or fish, the seas have always known man. And as long as there is an ocean, man will continue to answer that call. So why the sea? The answer is not tangible without experiencing the salt spray on your face, seeing the sun set over a calm ocean then watching the stars come out in the cry- stalline sky as the Milky Way unveils before your eyes. Only a sailor can answer that question. i