Cayuga (LST 1186) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 39 text:

SINGAPORE Singapore is a small island nation of park-like beauty which thrives as the trading center in Southeast Asia and is a point of contact between the Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. It was first settled by Malay Budhists then used as a base of operations by various pirates and then became a free trading post of the East India Company under the protection of the British government. As such it attracted the immigrants who make up its divers population; Chinese, Malays, Indian, Javanese, Arabs, Filipinos, Europeans, Americans and more. In 1946 Singapore was made a Crown Colony and in 1955 became a self- governing state. The three days we spent in its tropical climate were a welcome break from the busy routine of life at sea. The cosmopolitan nature of the city with it ' s large modern buildings was also a change from the posts we ' d visited previously. Much of the night life was too rich for our blood, but shopping could provide very good deals for the shrewd bargainer.

Page 38 text:

PHILLIPPINES AT 1600, FRIDAY, 31 MAY, WE MOORED AT SUBIC BAY IN THE PHILIPPINES. WE IMMEDI- ATELY BEGAN RECEIVING STORES AND SUPPLIES, AND EVERYONE WAITED PATIENT- LY FOR MAIL CALL. BOW RAMP OPERATIONS BEGAN TO OFF-LOAD OUR MARINE PERSONNEL AND THOSE THAT WERE GRANTED LEAVE WERE OFF TO REUNITE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WE BE- GAN TO PREPARE FOR A 21 DAY INPORT PERIOD WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN AVAIL- ABILITY WITH THE SRF FACILI- TIES TO MAINTAIN OR REPAIR OUR EOUIPMENT THROUGH- OUT THE SHIP. MANY OF THE CREW ATTENDED VARIOUS SCHOOLS OFFERED ON THE BASE. RECREATION FACILITIES WERE ABUNDANT, AND WE FORMULATED A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT COMPETITION WITH THE LOCAL BASE TEAMS. WE ALSO PARTICI- PATED IN BASEBALL TOURNA- MENTS AND MANY TOOK AD- VANTAGE OF THE INDOOR RACKETBALL COURTS. DURING OUR FIRST INPORT PERIOD, THE CREW HAD A SHIP ' S PARTY AT WHITE ROCK BEACH. THE PARTY WAS HELD FOR A THREE DAY PERI- OD TO ALLOW FOR ALL PER- SONNEL TO ATTEND. ENTER- TAINMENT INCLUDED CUL- TURAL DANCES BY THE LO- CAL ORPHANAGE AND MUSIC BY A LOCAL BAND. EVERY- THING WAS CATERED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT, AND THE SHIP ' S PARTY WAS A COM- PLETE SUCCESS. L ii OUR SECOND INPORT PERIOD WAS IN AUGUST. WE BEGAN PREPARING FOR OUR VOYAGE TOWARD HOME DURING THESE 12 DAYS INPORT. WORK CONTINUED BY SRF, AND MANY HOURS WERE LOGGED IN TO COMPLETE OUR LAST AVAILABILITY WITH SUBIC BAY. OUR FLAG SHIP, THE USS PE- LELIU. HOSTED A PROFES- SIONAL OLYMPICS, OF WHICH CAYUGA DID VERY WELL. OUR FIRST PLACE AWARD WAS RE- CEIVED BY OUR COOKS FOR THE CHILE COOKOFF. ALL RATINGS COMPETED AND CA- YUGA CAME OUT WITH A FAIR SHARE OF TOP SCORES. IN ALL, THE WHOLE CREW EN- JOYED THE FESTIVITIES AND AGAIN CAYUGA PROVED TO BE THE VERY BEST.

Page 40 text:

THAILAND