Charles R Ware (DD 865) - Naval Cruise Book

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LEAVING NEWPORT 6 May 1957 was the date. lt was one familiar to every man aboard the Charles R. WARE for it marked the commencement of a summer's tour of duty in fhe Mediterranean Sea. lt was a date, which for all of us meant sad leave-takings from those we loved, but be- yond this it had a special and exciting flavor, and the lure of that which lay before us became ever more com- pelling as the hour for departure approached. Our mis- sion was primarily one of maintaining a high degree of preparedness for any eventuality with which we would be called upon to cope with. Implied in this is training, and that'is what our schedule provided. But in our minds the emphasis was turned more towards the countries and peoples which we would see and learn to know during our three months in foreign waters. For others a returning to places well-known and eagerly anticipated. But for all the prospect was an exiting one. On that date at 1105 colors were shifted and we were underway from Newport's Pier l, at H45 we passed Brenton Reef Light Ship abeam to port and cast our eyes back for a last glimpse of land. We heard the shrill call of the boatswain's pipe secure the special sea and anchor detail, and as we steamed into deeper water the roll of the ocean swell began to be felt and the WARE and her crew settled down to the business of cruising... The 1035 for Gibraltar is late again

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UNDERWAY Ji . .....On the bridge the Quartermasters no longer took bearings from landmarks but navigated by the sun and the stars. On deck the anchors were drawn into the hawsepipes and mooring lines were stowed. Below decks the black gang secured the in-port Cold lron watch and super-heat was lit off in preparation for meeting the demands of ten days steaming. The Radar and Radiomen double check. ed communications, and Combat was once again lit only by the eerie glow of the radar scopes., Each man's activity was specialized. No spec. ialty could be overlooked, for the variety of jabs were part ofa greater one, that of getting a United States fighting ship to her assigned duty. The crossing was a quiet one and it was good to be at sea again, especially, having dropped south and hit the incredibly blue, blue of the Gulf Stream. The sea is vast and its expanse gave us a feeling of freedom over a far greater domain than the tiny limits of our ship. But as the days piled up the WARE became impatient for land. On the tenth day at sea, just at dusk, a thin dark rim appeared along the Eastern horizon, and at midnight, lights became apparant on what was the South coast of Portugal. Our goal was near at hand, and as we pushed on into the Mediterran- ean through the historic Gibraltar Straits we were well pleased, and ready to be on with the business at hand.