Colahan (DD 658) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 22 text:

qur..,.,.-1:-.x:sg-f. - -ev Fm:---V 11 ' li l rl l l SHIFT THE CGLORS. Page Twenty Down came the call sign and steaming colors, up went the jack and ensign. Ofn the bridge, the quartermaster entered in the ship's log, Tied up, starboard side to US-S Shields, San Diego, California . Officially, DesDiv l72's Korean cruise was over. However, it isn't human nature to write off-to forget as easily six months of watches, and powdered milk, of loading ammo, and listening to the five inch guns sound off for days at a time, of walking down muddy Japanese streets, and buy- ing souvenirs with sign language, or riding rickshaws, and trying to coax some heat out of a habachi pot. You remember for quite awhile how good that first taste of fresh milk was or, how good the warmth of Pearl Har- bor felt after Songjin, or, that it was a pretty dismal day as we stood under cover smoking a cigarette, wait- ing for a tug to take us alongside the Shields. The band on the pier was playing Roll 'Out The Barrel-we could barely hear the melody as we stood there watching it rain. But finally the tug came alongside and we headed in. As we approached the pier, the band struck up a new song, one we had never heard before and that black wiggling mass at the end of the pier became the fa- miliar faces of wives and Sweethearts-parents and friends. ln the excitement of seeing them standing and waving rain soaked handkerchiefs, welcoming us home with all their hearts, we forgot the rain and cold for once. But, for a brief moment before we did, it struck a note -someone mentioned Sasebo, someone else mentioned Yokosuka, another one of the fellas added-and don't forget August 20, the day we left the States. Who could? A

Page 21 text:

v-l 4111.-.., 0 0 W N . Kb252S-B' X , - -uh -: - x TOKYO H A ' c-m.1.o . il X b . N: 621' Mg, .yonosuuq A6 g 5 'uszuvea me - ' WSL QQ? Q- Flu. ta up! 'BN I 5 5? 'Z' f iiw lf 'web 'le Quan A ---N Sqsewf Q? - 665 asf G! 0 5 Nnoasoni 5 Q RQ'-LJ 'X Q , 5 '. MlDwhY'1: Q ',- xi ,N A33 , - JS' PJ : N A? D' xx 459- S , ,,, : 529'-AS -444' -' KXZEVWZX s ww ri L 1 V 1 Q - ,I 'S-ffdb ,gi Jsggsbm . H ,959 ,254 Fokt-mosh -,.:,-he -A . 'Spf ' ' 5 , vemgnnneen--,3'5f9 ,y,sag,b. , zo' 9 X . 5 A r 12 XEX' .,,5g,SLfQp- X X-Q. P 4 , L L I N N 5 , . WW, .:.-,L,.,g.L.,:,i..f..i-:-44... -'. Z 40

Page 23 text:

And Don t Forget August 20th Up goes the call sugn Who could lt wasn t raunmg but at was sure trying As always there was some last mnnute scurrylng on deck as Innes were laid out a little neater or an lrlsh pennant secured However most of the crew had shltted into unltorm ot the day a little early and were either standing versatlon or was part ot the crowd which had gathered on the fantall to llsten to the Shields band Once speclal sea de tails were set It dldn t take long for the word to come down from the brldge to single up take ln all llnes down came the jack and enslgn up went the call sign and steaming colors We were under way lt was a quiet group of men that stood at quarters that mornlng as the Colahan made her way past Fifth street landing Fleet landing Llndbergh Field Ballast Polnt Ponnt Loma and headed out to open sea Pearl Harbor bound 61 C5083 ' Page Twenty One I with one of the groups making small con- l . ' t V . E f- I -J y s sv o