Columbia (CL 56) - Naval Cruise Book

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of being surrounded by more beer than you could possibly drink. A further item of acute interest to USN transferees was the fact that civilian clothing was somewhat cheaper and more plentiful than in the States, and more than one eager Ensign was soon with arms loaded with slacks, sport coats, and tan-and- white oxfords-in preparation for the next twenty years in the Navy, no doubt. But as always in port, tempus fugits. Had it not been for the fact that we were leaving Quebec for home, either through a leave or discharge, we would have been sorry to go. As it was, when we Hnally pulled out into the river on the 24th, it was with gratitude to the people of this beautiful city, and particularly to the oilicers and men of the Canadian Armed Forces, who had made our stay so comfortable and helped us see the town. The next few days were spent in the limbo of boredom, waiting to reach port, passing through the dayis routine, listening to the squawk boxes blaring, with automatic reactions and mechan- ical reflexesg only the mind geared up, and that far ahead, in Philadelphia . . . but all comes to those who wait, and we waited, and we came to Philly. As we walked off the quarterdeck of the COLUMBIA for that last time that day in the latter part of June, could it be that there were a few fond memories with us?-Of the Ber- muda beaches, the Hoods down in B-3l2L, the companionship in travails that came as the squad cursed as they 'heaved to and triced up' to scrub the deck, the fun at the Charleston dance, cranking in a five mil correction at Casco Bay so that we would actually hit the target, the derisive chuckles we had at Navy efficiency, the watches, the fantail sun club, the beans for breakfast, the Class Z movies, the laundry with its little machine that tore buttons off the shirts and fired them through the socks . . . Could be, could be. it -l 1 y N g 2 1 1 Va 1 i , l fifty-one

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on that high school French with some seductive little mademosielle from Quebec. It soon became obvious that this was going to be like no other spot we had seen. With the citizens babbling their sibulant French, it was like being in another nation, and yet it seemed to epitomize the whole tour: the antiquity of Charleston, the greenery of Bermudan or Maine countryside, the Hne stores and restaurants of New York, the neighborliness of Nova Scotia. The lust for local scenery had many men wear- ing their shoeleather thin as they tramped about town seeing such famous spots as the Chateau Frontenac where Roosevelt and Churchill held one of their historic meetings, the Church of Notre Dame des Victories, the Ramparts, with its old muzzle-loading canon standing guard ,,, Q over the city and menacing our ships, the Hrst Navy pilgrimage to Sainte Anne de Beaupreg Montmorency Falls, higher than Niagara, Dia- mond Cape and the Citadel, all these made Qqebec a fairy city for their wanderings, and for those who could find pretty feminine guides -and word has it that this was not impossible- it was even more enjoyable. iffy But with more of the generosity and for- sight already seen in Canada, there was much more available for us than roaming aimlessly about: dances, where we learned at least the very pertinent bits of French, and were relieved to find that the young ladies divined that we wanted to dance when we approached with something gleaned from our pocket dictionary which probably meant, I love you passion- ately, will you marry me? We are happy to state that there have been no breach of promise suits. Not all things were changed in the French language, however 3 cab drivers knew what dol- lar meant, and Scotch and gingeralen was still Scotch and gingeralefl Also arranged were a picnic at Lake St. Joseph, baseball games at the municipal stadium, and the pilgrimage to Boswell's Brewery and that delightful feeling

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i' -K 'K -K -K -K -K fifty-two ir 'k ir -K ir 'k nl' 421 ememzm We stop to pay tribute to two departed com- rades, both of whom were killed in the Zine of duty during this Training Cruiser. WILLIAM LEON WOODRUFF, Ensign, USNR one of the oiiicers in training aboard the Colum- bia, and GEORGE GERDWOOD CLARK, JR., Ensign USNR, one of 'the Columbia's ship,s company 4 4 4 4 4