Catamount (LSD 17) - Naval Cruise Book

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Much liberty time was spent on the base at Subic Boy; facilities were more than adequate. Probably each member of the crew also went to Olongapo, the town just outside the main gate. There the twist was in style and Oro ' s introduced one and oil to the mashed potato. New Year ' s Eve, however, was spent on the base. Each club had its own party — some went to all of them. U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay. . . W ' In mid-November, the ship had two parties at Grande Island, a small particle of land in the Boy. Although many seemed to enjoy Softball and football, more appeared to enjoy the beer, and there was always enough for everyone. Sunday afternoon in the back 40. One trip was scheduled to Manila, but the mon- soon created complications. After a 4-hour trip through flooded countrysides, there was just time to buy pesos, eat, see two historic sights, and return. Tomb of on Unknown Soldier, Manila. 14

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Pepuenc OF Phiutppinsc, The Philippine Islands The Philippine Islands, discovered by Ferdinand Mag- ellan in 1521, are located in the South Pacific between Japan and Indonesia. There are 7,107 islands in the Philippine Archipelago with a total of 116,000 square miles, an area comparable to the state of Arizona. In- vaded by the Japanese in 1941, the Philippine people were granted their independence on July 4, 1948. During the months in WestPac, the Catamount was in Subic Bay during parts of July, August, September, November, December, and January. The July upkeep period coincided with the summer monsoon period, and the last six days there we saw 144 consecutive hours of rain. For the most part, however, Subic Bay and the Philippines was hot, especially at the end of December and early January, as we made preparations for the return home. When it rains, it pours! 13

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Nou -ka V ' ' ' ' Hong Kong Hong Kong, a British Crown Colony, consists of 236 islands and islets and a portion of the Chinese mainland. The total land area is 398 miles. Hong Kong island is the most important island; it has an area of 29 square miles and includes Victoria, the City commonly called Hong Kong. On the mainland opposite Hong Kong island lies Kowloon. North of Kowloon, stretching to the Chinese border, are the New Territories, leased from China until 1997. From the top of Victoria Peak one gets a spectac- ular view of the harbor. Victoria is in the foreground, Kowloon in the background. Tram ride to the top takes 20 minutes, costs the equivalent of 30 cents. Hong Kong, city extraordinary. Total population of Hong Kong Colony is 2,918,000- 99% of the population is Chinese. A sidewalk in Kowloon. Street scene, Hong Kong. ting homes, Aberdeen. 15