Columbus (CA 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ciiy Cenler Plymou'l'l'l Piccadilly Circus, London The Hoe Plymoufh Boy meefs girl Plymouih if

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Early In December C1nCNELM relurned ro London Leavnng Naples December 7+h nmfh anniversary of Pearl Harbor was a happy day for rhe COLUMBUS we were on our way home Plymourh England Jrhal ns On Jrhe I3lh ol December al+er a slormy sux day passage rhe Columbus was again swungnng al Buoy No 9 Faiher Chrlsfmas gnvnng ou? presen+s a+ Children s Par+y Our slay al' Plymoufh was a pleasan+ one for If gave many men a chance 'lo be wulh lhexr famnly for lhe holldays and many more a chance for a l1'Hle deserved leave On December 2ls'r a parly was grven for lhe chxlolren of ships personnel and 'rhe followung clay +he COLUMBUS broughl' a lrH'le cheer ro 55 Englnsh war orphans who came aboard for a Chruslmas parly given by members of lhe crew The COLUMBUS was underway for 'rhe Mednrerranean again on lhe 5+h of January l95l 'ro resume Irs achvlhes wllrh 'rhe Suxlh Fleer and on lhe IO'rh of January was anchored a+ Villelranche. I+ began ro look as if lhe COLUMBUS was nolhing buf a ferry belween Plymoulh, Villefranche, and Naples, excepr Thar H' clioln'l' hir Ply- moulh offen enough. I. All for me? 2. The Lone Ranger perhaps? 3. Merry Chrisfmas 'lo all

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FRA E dur lirsl experience in France was lhe arrival ol Cin- CNELM, Admiral R. L. Conolly. on lhe lOlh'ol'July, I95O, and we gol underway lor Bresl. Aller a log-bound passage across lhe English channel, lhe COLUMBUS enlered lhe harbor al Bresl on lhe morning ol lhe lllh. and exchanged salules wilh lhe French ballleship RICHELIEU which was lorpedoed in lhe harbor during 'lhls pasl War. Slrolling Through Bresl began as a Roman lorlress in lhe middle ages, and gradually developed inlo one ol lhe maior naval bases ol lhe Iolh cenlury. ln lhe Isl World War, Bresl became lhe disembarlcalion porl lor all American lroops. Laler. in lhe second World War, lhe Nazis eslablished a submarine base in Bresl. Unlorlunalely in deslroying lhe sub base. lhe Allies also removed a maior porlion ol lhe cily. Bresl has been a lishing porl 'For cenluries, and is now one ol lhe maior bases ol lhe French Navy. There was lillle lo see or do in Bresl. and il would have been poor liberly excepl lor some line games by lhe baslcelball learn. Then loo, a parly was given by lhe French Navy which was enjoyed by all lhal allendecl -- no doubl helped along by liberal porlions ol line French wine and champagne. On our nexl voyage lo France lhe Sixlh lleel arrived al lhe famous Cole D'Azur or French Riviera, on lhe 22nd of Augusl, and splil up - lhe COLUMBUS anchoring al Cannes. Allhough lhe folks al home were begin- ning lo plan for Aulumn. COLUMBUS men were enioying lhe sandy beaches ol lhis famous resorl cily, and hav- ing swim call on lhe ship every allernoon. Camera lans held lield day on lhe lilm supply. and souvenir hunlers relurned daily wilh lresh loads ol perfume, ololls. and a dozen-and- one olher lhings lo send home. There are a number ol places nearby worlhy ol menlion. Firsl is lhe very elile resorl al,Anlibes. where lhe very rich ol lhe world have buill beaulilul villas. Second is lhe small lown of Grasse, in lhe mounlains norlh ol Cannes. whose perfume laclories ship lheir lragranl bundles all over lhe world. Originally noled lor ils glove laclories, lhe perfume induslry slowly began edging ils way inlo prominence in lhe lblh cenlury, when Calherine de Medicis, an llalian noblewoman, was queen ol France. She could nol sland lhe smell ol lhe lealher-lanning process, so eslablished a small labora- A Parl: in Nice lory lo manulaclure perfume, which was used lo counleracl lhe slench ol lhe lan- ning. ll was from lhis modesl beginning lhal one ol lhe largesl perlume cenlers in lhe world was crealed. A small place. bul quile well lcnown. is Monle Carlo. parl ol lhe liny princi- palily ol Monaco. which was founded in 50 B.C.. by lhe Romans. The chiel induslry , n . t ol Monle Carlo is, ol course. gambling. and il supporls lhe bullc ol lhe populalion. Visilors and gamblers lrom all over lhe world visil lhe Casino every year. lo ef'l0Y lhe moiof and YaClW'f VBCSST Swimming. sailing. parlies. and opera. The Casino employs aboul 3.000 people. ol which 500 are croupiers in lhe gambling hall. They are highly skilled and allend a school for six monlhs lo learn lhe lrade. Nice is iusl a len minule bus ride from Villelranche. ll is silualed on lhe Baie des Angles , and is a highly lrequenled summer and winler resorl lcnown all over lhe world. Nice is lhe largesl cily on lhe Riviera, and whal a cily! Wilh ils balhing beach all along one side ol lhe famous avenue Promenade des Anglais . ils gardens and Tlowgrs eVe YWlTeVer il is V10 WOnCleI' lhal ils quarler million inhabilanls considerlhemselves so lucky, ancl lhal ll rales high on lhe lisl ol good liberly porls. There is much lo do and see in Nice. and lhe nighl lile is lhe linesl' on lhe Riviera. Reminds me - anyone hear lrom Chrisline lalely? Cannes in all ils grandeur