USS Cambria (LPA 36) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 59 text:

CRETE r T 1 HE Natives of Crete will swear that it only rain? five or six days a year. We were there for those five or six days — and, incidentally, it ' s six. The sun did come out long enough for us to parade up and down the street, buying Greek vases, letter openers and fried egg sandwiches from the peddlers who had hurriedly set up stands for our convenience. When it was time to make a landing it was a different story. We got a day of good weather on our first landing on the tiny island off the coast of Greece. But then the wind blew and the rain fell. By the time we secured the three day problem and left the beaches of Iraklion we were a wet bunch. The second landing, although a one day deal, was none- theless memorable. When the first foot hit the beach, it must have pulled the plug. Again the rains came. This time accompanied by deep-freeze temperatures. Soaking wet in cold-stiffened fatigues we spent the night in a mud-puddle, and in the morning, just as wet and cold, we took down our shelter-halves, if we were ' - Hfe . • .; •- lucky enough to have them standing, and went to the beach to wait for boats back to hot showers. Entered in the unforgettable words column : Hot soup and coffee waiting for you on the mess deck — Commander Nelson. Zigzag streets . . . the bar of renown • . . and housewives loitering on the way to town.