« r-« I J 1 U.S. S.COLUMBUS CA 74 OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY BY SPAULDING MOSS COMPANY BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, U S DEDICATION Dedicated fo refueling at sea, Dawn GQ, Field Day, Inspections, Fleet Operations, Watches, Our Chow, PO ' s, Sixth Fleet regulations, etc. etc. etc. and anything else you can think of. STATISTICS TIthough making the shortest cruise of its last three trips to the Mediterranean, the COLUMBUS steamed a total of 28,400 miles after leaving Boston for overseas duty on 25 August 1952. During the five month journey the ship visited 14 ports in 10 countries and had the unique distinction of flying the flag of both Admiral Lynde D. McCormick, USN, SACLANT, and Vice Admiral J. hi. Cassady, USN, Commander Sixth Fleet. Length — 674 feet Width — 70 feet Armament — Nine 8-inch guns Twelve 5-inch guns Twenty 3-inch guns Displacement- — 17,000 tons Top Speed — 33 knots Aircraft — One helicopter Personnel — Officers 63 Warrant Officers I I Chief Petty Officers 39 Enlisted Men 1226 Construction — Bethlehem Steel Co. Launched — 30 November 1944 Commissioned — 8 June 1945 l Oe9 iT et ov . oO , eO ' ,bov SCO ' .as qsT- Sep , et ' ,beT nbv SCO ' O ' ; o, V o ' ,T KaN as .ao Se9 , et be qsT- 9S Se9 Aet ' ,beT qS Oo ° be qsT- v:x ' von 9oT . o ;a u J ' ,s a S ov b .a oc ° be 9S Ge- noa a ' H aq Oc ' Aobe Ao ,vet ' vbe YAo erf beT ,qsa VAaT w .w a s an .bu . - oT •Ve ' a, .X ' ' AoV exf ' vbeT qs ?b Aevo ' e T VJ aN Veba ' Gvee ce ao .aA V ov ,beT qsi ,oO ' ab V oV erf beT Oe ' ,et ' beT qs VAap , ev ( M V o a ' fva ' oo® ' 9e ' S efO ' beT qsi Oe ' ero ' ,beT ,ce Oe ' evo ' be aT qsi qs at av qs3 , raoc ' a ' Tce ' ooa ' b . at l l y ,ev - S9a o. [an J « ' S9 ao VAot° ' CCO ' a-i o AoP. fe ' b ' avS .ab qs ' i a ' aT qs f tdc Z . THc wmcc ADMIRAL, USN Admiral McCormick. Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, broke his flag on the COLUMBUS on 20 September 1952 and the ship remained his flagship until 27 September. A veteran of 38 years of Naval service. Admiral McCormick gained his present rank on December 22, 1950. He recently celebrated the first anniversary of his high office. ( ' . ( l d icCef. VICE ADMIRAL, USN the U.S. Na Sixth long ca Fie ,e Adn wide al J. H. .riety ot A Veteran of 38 ye Cassady, Comman de assignments during his He transferred his staff to the COLUMBUS from the DES MOINES on 8 November 1952 and remained during the rest of the cruise. On 18 January 1953, he was disembarked and broke his flag on the NEWPORT NEWS at Algiers. film, yuCoK ampjieU CAPTAIN, USN t ap+ain Gordon Campbell, USN, has been Commanding Officer of the USS COLUMBUS since April 1952 when he relieved Captain F. B. Warder, USN, during the ship ' s latest yard overhaul. A veteran of 26 years naval service. Captain Campbell came to the COLUMBUS from duty in the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington. Among his other assignments since being commissioned in June 1926 were billets in the Gunnery Departments of the battleships USS PENNSYLVANIA and USS OKLAHOMA and the destroyer USS COLE, hie was then sent to Submarine School, New London, Conn., and duty followed on the submarines USS S-17 and USS S-43. Later he was placed in command of submarines USS S-23 and USS BASS, and from there became Operations Officer of Submarine Squadron 3. During the war he was in command at different times of Submarine Squadrons 53 and 45. After the war he was sent to shore duty with Naval Operations and then the Staff of CINCPACFLT. During 1950-51 he attended Industrial College of the Armed Forces and his next assignment was as Assistant Director of Training afBUPERS, prior to taking command of the COLUMBUS. In addition to the Legion of Merit, Captain Campbell has earned the follow- ing medals and awards: Silver Life Saving Medal, American Defense Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. IUh 7ft. COMMANDER, USN C ommander Nibbs reported aboard to replace Commander Presler as Executive Officer of the COLUMBUS while the ship was undergoing refresher training at Cuba last summer. Born in Portsmouth, England, Commander Nibbs spent most of his boyhood years in and around New London, Conn., before attending the Naval Academy from 1931 to 1935. He first served on the USS WEST VIRGINIA and then went to the PORTLAND, where he was at the outbreak of WWII. That ship saw extended service in the Pacific during 1942, participating in the Battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, Tulagi Landings, Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz Islands, capture and defense of Guadalcanal and Third Savo. He then reported to the USS MOBILE in 1944 and in 1945 went to BUPERS for duty. That was followed by a year at the Naval War College before taking command of the USS MASSEY (DD-778) in June 1947. Two years in that capacity preceded another tour at the Bureau of Naval Personnel before being assigned to the COLUMBUS. Commander Nibbs has been decorated with the following awards and medals: Bronze Star Medal (Combat Distinguishing Device), Commendation Ribbon (Combat Distinguishing Device), Navy Unit Commendation, American Defense Medal (I star), Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal (17 battle stars), American Area Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal (2 stars). W. G. HARTHORN H. C. BRAID L. V. M. WICKHAM , J. R. SHERMAN R. E. SEBHARDT W. C. SNYDER M- H. P. DEELEY S. E. ENGLEHART V.v R. R. ROGERS 4 A. W. LOWRY k, J. C. WHELESS C, J. MILLER W. P. BEHNKE J, L. McCREARY i ' V E. T. SULLIVAN W. T. CAREY r J W BECKNELL L A KEMPF R E, BRICKATES ' £ y E. M. CORDELL R. H, THAYER S. E. WATSON R, A. SRIEST R. L. FLUCKER J. T. McMENAMIN W. M. RIEGEL V : t L. K. MUMFORD . r ' 1- W. E. STRIPLIN L. H. CARPENTER W. D. HODGES h R. W. ANDERSON 1 J. D. McMURREY ( 4.. J. L. OBRIEN III S. R. POPPEN N. O. NELSON .J . l E. L. BALINSKY S. J. JONES A. A. CASANOVA M, OUELETTE J. L. McCarthy V W PHILPOTT N. R, PARKER W A BOGGS P, C. PINSON W. E. PERKINS W. McCURDY C. E. DAVENPORT R. G. KNUTSON P. J. HOSACK D X. CROCKETT I. F. WINELAND W. C. STAEWEN C. R. CLIFTON H. R, FLUHARTY E. T PEMBER ' r MEET ' SLICK ' MARTINEK, OUR FLYING GUNNERS MATE ON A USUAL TEST HOP PILLSY ADAMS BIDS ADtEU AT VtLLCFRfiNCHE THAT Q-ANQ- IH FIRST CLASS MESS MscOOUGflLL SHOPS FOR CLOTHES IN AL iERS. AUOtdtA Ak o, this is not a sanitorium for up and coming lunatics, though at times, one may be led to think so. Officially speak- ing, it is the First Class Petty Officer ' s Mess, but most of us have our own nicknames for it. Let ' s take a look behind those tin walls and see what goes on. There is a refrigerator, cabinet of canned goods, a grill, soup warming set-up, TV set, movie screen, two sofas, and the usual things that go to make life comfortable for your POI. But these are only material things; let ' s pour a cup of Joe and get with the gang. One would think that this clan of fifty-two members would tend to be dominated by a serious and settled group of individuals, but shipmates, you just don ' t know the half of it. When It comes to good (or otherwise) humor, having great fun over a trifle, telling tall stories, fun making, drinking coffee, or just being plain whacky, this group Is unparalleled by any other aboard! The first impression one will get after being in this club a few minutes Is one of friendliness and a happy spirit in the air. There seems to be no end to the humor, for new Incidents are constantly being enacted by the Inmates. If it ' s not big enough, then it ' s built up and glorified to the point where It is; for Instance, there was once Skull Kelly ' s election to the post of Mess Caterer for three months. Eisenhower ' s campaign managers would have been put to shame by that one. Then there was Pillsy Adams ' birthday party heralding the birth of his second hashmark with eight candles on the cake. Among other things, this gang is known for drinking enormous amounts of coffee. Let us all pause here to pay due tribute to that truly magnificent beverage. You would be surprised, me hearties, to know just how much ship ' s business and Inter-dlvislon arrangements are transacted over those cups by your leading PO ' s. If not to make life for your First Class happier, this Mess well serves a good purpose in being a sort of unofficial meeting hall. ■Well, sailors, I could talk for hours and hours on this mob, but words are too short. It ' s my personal opinion that the majority of this gang is the craziest, but best bunch of guys I ' ve served with, anywhere — but then I ' m prejudiced. Now let me swallow this coffee, and high-tail It out of here, for I fear that I ' ve just become the target for tomorrow!!!!! SKULL KELLY SEZ , DAWGONED! WHAT MAKE? THESE MAM ' SELLES G-0 FOR ME ??f „ , ' % n this Mediterranean cruise of 1952-53 we are proud to present the First Division under the direction of the division officer, LTJG McLean, the leading petty officer, E. L. Kelly, BMI, and the turret chief, N. R. Parker, SMC. Assisting them are the boatswains mates and gunners mates who carry out the various duties and policies of the division. The division ' s fifty-five men are divided into two groups, forty-three men on deck and twelve in the turret. The deck spaces include that part of the main deck from the stem on the starboard side to frame sixty-five, the star- board anchor and the Captain ' s cabin, as well as the Admiral ' s gangway and the quarterdeck. Needless to say, this area must always be in top-notch condition, as it is here that all visiting dignitaries and high ranking officers receive their first impression of the COLUMBUS. The ordnance spaces, which include Turret No. I , are the battle stations of the division and their maintenance and cleanliness is charged to the gun gang under the watchful eye of Chief Parker and his five efficient PO ' s. The division has always taken pride in its personal appearance as well as the care and cleanliness of the material assigned to it. At Captain ' s inspection we invariably receive high praise and are often cited as one of the best divisions . on the ship. At sea the First Division is often called upon to man the forward transfer station where a ship to ship transfer of personnel and cargo is efficiently accomplished. At this time, both the gun and deck gangs combine forces and work together as a single unit. All is not blood and sweat in the division as we always manage to get our share of fun and recreation. We have our own Softball team, and many of the men participated on the various teams and other activities throughout the ship. The men have taken advantage of the historical places and interesting ports we have visited. All in all, the First Division has had a very interesting and successful cruise and is looking forward to another trip on the COLUMBUS. f divisions on the ship were given numbers according to the amount of work done, long hours put in, ability to tackle a job and see it through, the Second Division would be number one. In case anyone doesn ' t know it. Second Division spaces go from the stem to frame sixty-five port side on the main deck. Among other things this area includes the port anchor and all the gear that goes to make it possible to get COLUMBUS underway, anchored and underway again, Tur- ret No. 2 and the main deck space aft to frame sixty-five. On the second deck we take care of the passageways from the wardroom to the anchor windlass room. On the third deck our spaces run from Warrant Officers country to the Sick Bay Treatment Room. Second Division has as its division officer, LTJG E. T. Sullivan and ENS W. C. Snyder as junior division officer. The main deck spaces owe their squared away look to the efforts of our LPO Ege, BM I and Lignowski, BM3. Turret No. 2, the hottest battery on the ship, is the pride and joy of Bob Knutson, GMC and Scott, GMI. Other petty officers in the division are Wilson, GM2, Puthe, BM3, Bostic, GM3, De Mauro, GM3 and Hamlin BM3, who are responsible for the cleanliness and preservation of our living compartment. Another Second Division man who made good Is Bob Marchon, SN, who is editor of this year ' s cruise book. So If It Is transferring cargo or personnel at sea, firing of the main battery, weighing anchor or mooring alongside a pier or even editing a book, see the Second Division to get the job done quickly and efficiently. i i i. , ' ■■t e, the salty and slightly sober sailors of the sleepless Third Division have had it, got it, and still don ' t want it. If there is anything on your nnind with regard to doing some- thing interesting, seeing something dull, or going someplace in a hurry, see us. If we can ' t help you it ' s useless to go on living. Let us say, for Instance, you wish to make use of our airfield. If you have some spare vehicles wandering aimlessly about, use our parking lot, alias, junk yard. If you feel athletic, then our ballfield is yours. If by chance you hear bells, our boxing ring is yours too. For those who have been bitten by the movie bug, our outdoor theatre is at your disposal, no fee, just bring your own chair. For those who are short, light, and homely, we have a sunbathing beach in warm weather, guaranteed to make you look tall, dark and handsome. For you who are already tall, dark, and handsome, we have enough work to make you crippled, pale and beat-up. Any barges, gigs, or motor-launches you wish unlaunched, there is a boot pool to accommodate them. If by chance you ' re city bred and long for the aroma of a city dump, we have that too. In fact it has been made possible for you by the consideration of the Third Division and our boss, the US Navy, to have a backyard on the fantail to go with this home away from home. Now I ask you, where could you get so much for so little? We may not be the smartest, sharpest or the smoothest running, but at least we are typical sailors. Presiding over this organized confusion is LTJG Deeley, our division officer, and his able assistant, ENS Carey, our junior division officer. Mr. Deeley Is a very quiet spoken witty man who is well thought of by the men under him. Mr. Carey is a man of great faith — that is, he believes that besides a large capacity for liquor and the female sex, the average sailor has somewhat of a mental capacity too. Our leading petty officer is C. K. Miles, a first class boatswaln ' s- mate who can be often found having a cup of coffee in the first class mess. With regard to having anyone outstanding in the division, we don ' t. If however, there is anyone who has time to oecome outstanding he can ' t be working very hard at his regular duties. he writing of this article for the Cruise Book reminds us that the memorable cruise is quickly coming to an end. Some of the boys in the Fighting Fourth are anxious to get back home, while the other steamers are wishing that we were going back to France or Genova. Under the guidance of LTJG Gebhardt as division officer and ENS Cordell as junior division officer, the Fourth Division had proudly held its title as a smooth and efficient working division. One might think that J. C. Cleary, BM2, LPO, is always cracking the whip to keep the boys working. We in the division know that it isn ' t like that at all, because the men themselves are striving for one thing, and that Is to uphold their reputation as a 4.0 division. Whenever you visit any of the Fourth Division spaces, whether It be the main deck, frames fifty-three to seventy-four, 01 level. Admiral ' s country, officer ' s country, living compartment, or as high up as the foremast, you will always find them living up to COLUMBUS standards. Our gun gang under the supervision of Ford, GMI, maintains the forward 5 battery. When we man our battle stations, have no fear of air attacks, for the smooth coordination of our gun crews, and excellent condition of the guns makes the forward 5 battery outstanding In gunnery throughout the ship. Engagement Ring D. Grow takes the spotlight In the lovers department. Whenever a bright moment is needed you can depend on R. Myott and J. D. Murphy for a hilarious laugh. J. P. Hennessy Is our shutter bug and we also have been blessed with our share of steamers or liberty hounds. A familiar threesome is J. C. Cleary, R. P. Russo and R. A. Watson. D. S. Champagne always cheers us up with his charming smile. If anyone happens to find a whaleboat floating around somewhere in the Med kindly Inform BMC Grace, for we seem to have misplaced ours. Now that this cruise is over, we can talk about the many wonderful places the COLUMBUS has taken us. This cruise shall forever be part of our fondest memories. ' .f ' f .■■f-vf w I M C ne morning at quarters LT McCreary announced that COLUMBUS was to produce a big Smoker on the fantall, boxers were needed, and a request was made for partici- pants. It was at this time that the entire Fifth stepped forward. The COLUMBUS boxing squad couldn ' t handle all comers and the Fifth ended up fighting each other. Thus we were dubbed the Fighting Fifth. Fifth Division spaces extend from frame sixty-two to frame ninety-six . . . including the Oh one level (not to be confused with Villa) starboard side, the number one stack and the forward starboard Sunday fueling station. Sam and his boys contribute greatly to the upkeep of the Turnpike passing by the Executive Officer ' s Office, and the Flag Operations Office in the absence of you know who . Air Defense Forward (lookouts ' mess hall) is under the able supervision of that versatile Boatswain ' s Mate, Gibbons. Aft we have mounts 54, 55, and 56 which proudly boast many compliments for their inside appearance and efficiency. The gun gang is second to none and operates enviably under the tutoring of that Overnite Specialist , Eardley. All in all we ' re quite proud of the Fighting Fifth , but no more so than we are of the name the good old Colombo sports throughout the entire Navy. We realize that we are but a strong link in that unbreakable chain that makes our home the envy of all other ships. Some of us came to the Fifth as boots, others came as salts — we ' ve griped and growled, laughed and worked hard, and yet we have learned a lot — both the hard way and the right way. As we look forward to future cruises we cannot help but remember those good days we shared with the entire crew of our good ship COLUMBUS. V i hose spaces run from frame 95 to frame 127 port, the 03 level, anj the mainmast? The Sixth Division, of course! We do our best to keep these spaces looking the best on the ship. Our duties also include the operation of No. 3 Motor Launch and the Captain ' s gig. We had the honor of operating the Admiral ' s Barge for Admiral Lynd D. McCormick, SACLANT, during the Operation Mainbrace exercises. Below decks, the spaces of the First Class, Ships Store, Crew ' s Lounge, and Post Office passageways, also reflect the hard work put in by the Rip-roaring Sixth. Due to the traffic in these spaces, they are some of the hardest to keep clean. We also run the paint locker. Without this the ship would not always be looking as slick as it does. There are a number of outstanding bluejackets in the division. The guy in the lover department is Ace O Keefe; then for the right joke at the right time we have hlotrod hHerrod. Who is it that gets stuck with the potatoes after every replenishment? You guessed it! The division is composed of eighty-one men and is one of the largest of the deck divisions. It is very ably run by Chief Jones with the help of Wolf, W. J., BM2, LPO, and his other PO ' s. It is supervised by the good guidance of LTJG Wallace P. Behnke and LTJG Loren A. Dubois. Now, a little about the other part of the division. We have the honor of running the port three-inch battery, which is our pride and joy. The gun gang consists of twenty-four gunner ' s mates and strikers, who are kept in line by Chief Jake Behar and Eldridge, GM I , along with six other trusty PO ' s. On one occasion while operating here, we had the luck of firing at the only small drone to be shot down. We have also had some very good bursts in firing at sleeves. On the next cruise we hope to do a lot better, when the three-inch will not be so new to us. We have in the gun gang what some people might call, the Three Musketeers. They are Cooper, Harper, and Kmg. The reason? They are sure to be at the gangway when liberty call goes. It has been said that the only times they stayed aboard was while at sea. Well, we hope we can keep up the good work and have many more cruises as enjoyable as this one. i fi 1 1 Bk r  H ■-. s m fiU HwBLiP ' ' ' lOltl r B ■S Hl iX Ktr l-f flpt: - .- .- ' - he Seventh Division, under the direction of LTJG Miller and Ensign Thayer, is considered one of the hardest working divisions on board the COLUMBUS. It can readily be under- stood if an inspection was to be held of the superbly kept topside spaces on the starboard side between frames 93 and 127. These spaces are under the supervision of C. B. Pursel, BM3. A word must be said for the expert handling of the Seventh ' s numerous fueling hoses and stations which are headed by A. B. Christofferson, BM2, the leading petty officer. Of course we must not forget the boys who work aloft on the 03 and 04 levels and the stack, and on the lower decks under Vanhook, C. C, BM3. As in every other division, we have our characters, such as B. E. Luke the drifter. Bishop and Daniel (Steel Mill) Gahagan. We are not left out of the lover department either. Such people as Bill (The Steamer) Dorton and Guy Ruscito take care of that. We also have our athletes, K. J. Triptow, boxer, and A. G. Kopsky, football star. And if you ever have a police case, by all means see Maxie (Private Eye) Drews. As a whole, and I ' m sure that we all agree, the Seventh consists of a wonderful bunch of sailors. What keeps the Seventh Division gun gang on its toes? Some of us know the answer. Maybe you think it ' s MacDoughall, GMI, or Boggs, GMC. But if you stop and think you will find that the men themselves take pride in their ship and in their work. They want their working spaces to look the best on the ship. They also like someone to appreciate their work and compliment them on it. You ' ll always find the guns ready for any occasion. You ' ll always find us ready to cooperate with all hands. Some things make it hard to achieve our goal. For instance. Mount 3010, on the fantail. These men take a lot of kidding about their mount being the garbarge barge. But you ' ve got to give credit where credit is due. Many mounts don ' t have to contend with a salt spray or the black soot that always appears when they blow tubes. Things like this always keep the men busy. And If you ever walk into the gun shack you will always find the men in a friendly debate. There ' s nothing they would rather do than argue. It ' s like an old ladies tea party, except that they drink coffee. The men are proud of their division and ship and will do anything to make them outstanding. he Machinist Mates, Enginemen and Machinery Repairmen of the Able Division are divided into five gangs. The steam heat gang under J. P. Stout, MM I can be seen anywhere from climbing the stack to the whistle and siren to fixing the potato peeler in the galley. The laundry, crane, steering gear and anchor windlass all come under them, too, as do many other parts of the ship. The ice house gang under C. T. Sayers, MM3, is responsible for the upkeep of all refrigerators, air-conditioning units and scuttlebutts. T. L. Evans, EN2 and his diesel gang take care of all boat engines in addition to forward and after diesel. The ship ' s vehicles are cared for by the vehicle repairmen under R. D. Jones, MM3. The fifth gang, the machine shop, under E. R. Heller, MR3, is called on to repair anything from pumps to chasing threads on a bolt. The tool crib which is found in the machine shop is well stocked, and supplies tools not only to engineers but throughout the ship. The division is represented in the log room by R. D. Bois, YNSN. The one who has the job of keeping the boys in line is Uncle Red Cromer, MM I, who is the LPO of the di vision. The division officer is Ensign R. L. Flucker who moved up from his role as junior division officer when LT F. E. Maguire was returned to inactive duty in the reserves, hie is assisted by C. A. Sedivy, MMC, and R. M. Crockett, ENC, who are the two Able Division Chiefs. Whenever a boat is called away, it ' s the Able Division who supplies the engineer. This includes every liberty boat, beach guard boat, and picket boat, as well as the officers motor boat and Captain ' s gig. Even such items as the operating table, dentists chairs, sterilizer and all such equipment used in the Medical Department is under the repair of the Able Division. When it comes to getting hot water for the crew ' s washroom, again it ' s the Able Div. responsibility. The heating system throughout the ship also comes under the Able Division maintenance. Yes, even the barber ' s chairs and pressers. All galley machinery and utilities are under the maintenance of the Able Division. The Division in which to learn most anything is the Auxiliary Division aboard ship, known as the good old A Division. ■ST - - -; l f ' f ' ,f D i ' - ' -ar W v - l:t ' if ;l l!4 ii.Mt.i-M aker Division can indeed be proud of the Captain ' s statement that whenever he rang up a bell, there was always steam available to make the desired speed. Whether with one boiler on the auxiliary line for in-port steaming, or, with two boilers for normal steaming, or even with three and four boilers for air operations and full power runs, B division ' s boiler tenders and firemen have been Johnnie on-the-spot with enough steam to keep the screws turning during the 1952-53 Mediterranean cruise. Boiler tending underway is just one phase of Baker Division work. Her able corps of Machinist Mates led by Chief Oueliette, have kept the turbo-generators rolling and the fire pumps in top working condition. The Oil Gang has successfully transferred and received oil in excess of thirty times and received water when necessary, all under the capable leadership of Chief Pappy Reed, the division LPO and one of the few remaining 30 year men in service. He ' s still going strong. Much of the cruise, especially during Mainbrace and Longstep , was hard work for the men of the firerooms; four on and four off was not unusual with three and four boilers on the line; and of course there was the never ending task of cleaning fire and water sides in order to maintain the ultimate in engineering economy, and a separate washing of coal-black dungarees by the laundry. Add to this the at-sea fueling at any time of day or night, usually during meal hours, the constant necessity of boiler and pump maintenance, and one has a fairly composite picture of B division work. There have been few growls though, because these men love their work as they love life and they have had the added compensation of a job well-done, a good cruise with the best of ports and the knowledge that soon they ' d be steaming up President Roads, home to their families and loved ones. The largest of engineering divisions, the boiler division has as its division officers, LTJG J. P. Waters, ENS W. M. Riegel and Chief Machinist L. K. Mumford, boiler maintenance officer. The fire rooms are ably managed by Chiefs Clifton, Dauphineas, Moon, Staewen and Townsend, assisted by Boiler Tenders 1st Class Ely, Giles, Smith and Weger. And of course, there ' s always Bill dinger ' s mustache. ' Nuf said? f Cff f f t f I ay back on the fantail, beneath the 3rd division, lies the CR Division. The communications gang, as it is so called, IS a grand bunch of guys run by a well liked officer by the name of LT Murphree. On such operations as Mainbrace and Longstep , the CR division has managed to keep up to its high standards as being an efficient and well managed bunch. We have our share of Petty Officers, Seamen and SA ' s, but we also have one other vital factor, and that is cooperation. Ship ' s communications is an important job which carries a great deal of responsibility. This responsibility must be handed down to men capable of doing the job, and so far there have been no complaints. When the flag came aboard we were swarmed with extra work, but we managed to keep our heads above water and carry out our duties as best we knew how. Our ship, the COLUMBUS, has a reputation that is hard to beat, but we as a small hand picked group of men strive to keep up to the high esteem set by the COLUMBUS and our fellow ship- mates. Soon some of our old-timers will be leaving, and we will be getting new faces on board. Our only wish is that they can fill the shoes worn so proudly by our old-timers. The COLUMBUS will sail many more seas, and see many more lands, and we ' re sure she ' ll never forget her cruise of 1952-53 and of the great bunch of Radio and Telemen alike, she had on board at that time. This article wouldn ' t be complete if we didn ' t mention the Post Office and the men who run it. They have done a grand job of carrying the mail, and getting it out to the crew as fast as they can. No one will forget the Christmas mail of 1952 and no one will forget the expeditious way in which it was handled. And so as we make our way towards the States and home, we will continue our work, for it is such work that makes the CR division outstanding. he signal gang — t-he eyes of the ship. This division consists of highly trained men specializing in many forms of the all-important and oldest type of communications, visual signaling. These men come under the rating of Quartermaster- Signalman, an almost invariably sea-going rate. Among the more important forms of visual signaling are flag hoists, flashing light and semaphore. Flag hoist is mainly used for rapid dissemination of tactical signals throughout the task fleet, force or group. The sharp command of stand by your bags alerts the signal v atch and instantaneously the flag bags are alive with motions of multi-colored flags being hoisted smartly in the air. Immediately visual responsibility is determined and expeditious closing up of signals together with sharpness of execution are all signs of a well coordinated signal gang. Messages of a limited text are distributed to the fleet by use of a signal lamp, the beam of which is interpreted to form morse code characters. Minimum lag in transmission of relays is constantly being strived for. Semaphore is a speedy method of transmitting messages by hand flags whose relative positions decide the letters of the alphabet. Its limited range restricts it mainly for use in port. In all methods of communication, reliability, security and speed are paramount. Training and general supervision comes under the competent eye of J. R. McCarthy, QMC, being closely assisted by the capable, harmonious LPO, C. C. Gouge, QM I. Training of hew men in the division is patiently and tactfully carried out by the divisional training petty officer hi. A. Watts, QM3. Ensigns Harthorn and Lucas, the signal and junior signal officers respectively, have the admiration of the entire signal gang for their complete willingness and sympathetic attitude towards the men, and one need never feel ill at ease in bearing confidences or requesting advice. The general consensus of opinion throughout the fleet is that the COLUMBUS signal gang Is tops, and despite a series of set-backs by the loss of many competent operators due to transfer and discharge it hasstill managed, through hard work on the part of all hands, to maintain a high standard of reliability and respect. Qfu.V ( ' nder the most capable direction of LT W. E. Striplin, CHELEC Hodges and Chiefs hHozak and Perlcs, Schnider, EMI, and J. Beckham, EMI, Easy Division operates and maintains most of the electrical equipment aboard ship. The division is divided into many different gangs, each handling certain phases of the intricate electrical system needed to keep the ship running properly. The first is the inter-communications gang which takes care of the maze of telephones, sound powered and ship ' s service, the gyro compasses, and signal and warning alarms in all engine and firerooms. Next is the distribution men who handle all motors, pumps, main generators and switch boards in all four firerooms and both Engine rooms. They operate emergency switchboards in the fwd. and aft. diesel spaces. Next we have the lighting gang which takes care of all lighting and battle lanterns, and rigs any emergency lights needed. They also repair irons, toasters, joe pots, hot plates and many other implements used to make living aboard ship more desirable for all hands. Next is general power handling all heavy extractors and dryers in the laundry and all galley equipment such as meat cutters, mixers, ovens and grills. Then there is ordnance and power which maintains motors, hoists and the electrical gear in the turrets, mounts and other Gunnery spaces. The next on the list is ventilation, taking care of vent motors and equipment used in keeping the ship cool and livable for everyone. Another important part of Easy Division is the battery locker which handles all batteries for liberty boats, automobiles and Captain ' s gig. Also they take care of search lights, ignition systems, starter motors and generators in all boats. E Division also supplies the movie operators, who are School graduates and can operate many different types of slide, silent and sound projectors. These chosen few show all training films and movies for the crew and officers — sometimes even for children ' s parties held aboard the ship. This is a short summary of the duties and capabilities of the men in E Division, and as you can see, we have a vitally important job in the smooth operation of the USS COLUMBUS in war as well as peace. he efficient operation of any machine is deternnined mainly by the efficient operation of its central power cir- cuits. This statement is also applicable to the brain, which, when it is deprived of its central nerve centers, becomes nothing more than a dead collection of cells. Every good machine therefore needs a good power circuit, and every capable brain an alert nervous system. In good faith to the same line of thinking, every effi- cient man-of-war must have an efficient EX division. Nearly everything that occurs on a ship of this type, whether good or bad, eventually finds its way through the offices and hands of the Incomparable EX division. COLUMBUS is certainly no exception. Beneath the guiding hands of LT W. I. Wellons and Chaplain M. E. Brenneman, ably assisted by LTJG S. L. Beck and ChHSCLK K. A. Neal and further supplemented by E. K. McGahan (PNC) and F. C. Wenzel (PNICA), we have managed to make this EX division one to be proud of. In its subdivided state, which consists of six major components, we see it as the Captain s Office, the Executive Officer ' s Office, the Legal and Training Office, the Chaplain ' s Office, (more familiarly known as the Crew ' s Lounge) Master-at-Arms and last but not least, our own Print Shop. Together they handle some of the most intricate tasks a Naval organization is called upon to perform: maintenance of all the records dealing with the officer ' s or enlisted man ' s entire Naval career — assignment of billets — leave and liberty — ship ' s official correspondence — morale and recreation — education and training — discipline — transfers — and a host of other detailed jobs dealing with sailors as individuals and sailors as part of a whole Navy. They often work many hours after the rest of the crew has completed the routine chores of the day — working to Insure a completely thorough justification of what every single man aboard Is doing and what every man has done. Relinquishing more than one liberty call themselves in order to provide a shipmate with as much liberty as is authorized, the EX division smilingly labours on. Call them the crew ' s loungers if you like .... Call them the Bureau of Information, the Pencil Pushers or even the Sea Waves, but remember this when you do: The boys behind the tapping machines are the hardest working loungers In the crew, the most informed bureau you ever saw, and together or alone they make the greatest bunch of sailors the rating and the COLUMBUS has ever had the pleasure to possess. VV Q Foxes are the biggest, proudest outfit in the Gunnery Department. We cover the ship fronn stem to stern and from keel to director top. For the most part we ' re right where we can see and be seen. In our steady grip rests the operation, maintenance and repair of all the fire control equipment on the ship, the armory and the gunnery office. Competition ' s keen among the various elements of the division. Throughout the cruise the 3 battery tried to hold the spotlight by keeping the temperamental 56 system whipped into shape. Although not winning any free games, they ran up some steadily improving scores and are now in pretty fine shape. The Foxes of the 5 and 8 batteries were not to be outdone in the struggle for recognition. Surface raiders were their meat, and meat they had a-plenty. Remember Operation Mainbrace? Remember the Quebec? Need they say more? And then there are the stray Foxes — the ones who count out the rounds of gun salutes honoring countries, kings, queens, ministers and military leaders of all the nations we have visited. There are the yeoman Foxes who fight and somehow emerge triumphant from the everlasting paper war of the Gunnery Department. Yes, there are a lot of us. And from us all — some now a little wiser, others a little thinner, some just plain tired, and all a little older — a universal sigh . . . La cruise est finle! EEOWl IT ' S THE DOCTORS LATEST •• , ' KlJ JiPit . = B I Ps ifl jt J ; fli 1 :j ii he pale nervous lad, clad in a towel, tensed himself and waited for the inevitable. As the cold sweat dripped down his forehead, his eyes widened, his heart raced madly, and fear had all but overcome him. Suddenly, without warning, it happened — ouch! The little needle had found its way under his skin and it was all over. Shucks, nothing to It after all, exclaimed the lad, regaining his sanity. This little drama was one of many caused by those guys down in Sick Bay; your hi Division. Besides just giving inoculations, there are countless other jobs and specialties this group performs in the interests of treating the sick and injured and preventing disease. Under the direction of C. Rich LT MC USNR and J. D. McMurray LTJG MC USNR of the Medical Department, and G. M. Drew LTJG DC USNR of the Dental Department, this division Is ready to cope with medical or dental emergencies that could arise at anytime. Now while it Is known to all, the usual functions and jobs of the Medical and Dental Department, which are typical of all H Divisions and Naval Hospitals everywhere, one may ask, What of the men In this division? Again we will say typical, because the men are typical of any division on any ship or station. We have our share of racketeers, brown- baggers, lovers, sleepers, bar experts, students, and just plain hard-working, conscientious lads. Sometimes, this group has to work long hours, then at other times, it has it easy; for one can never predict mother nature, accidents, and the number of people In the sick-call line trying to get out of work, but the job is always accom- plished. Between operations, inoculations, simple treatments, inventories and recording, and tooth yanking and plugging, this division manages to have as much fun as any on the beach. As If there were not enough specialties aboard the ship among - Division, already, there are many others when on liberty. But these are far too numerous to mention here, so we will just refer you to the gossip column of our ship ' s newspaper and let it go at that. In closing, let us say we ' re proud of our division, and more so, our ship, for we think the Columbo is the finest afloat, but naturally, we all look forward to getting back to shore duty In the USA and here ' s to it! CREW ' S CONCEPTION OF HOW DIVISION AT WORK •!!. ' Steel his group of smiling faces is known as the pip jockies or radar men of the King Division, operating the radar gear of the ship along with finding out all possible information from the pips such as courses and speeds and how close the contacts will pass the ship. These are those pale faces you see sneaking in and out of the hole or as it is called in the book, CIC . In our division the officers nearly outnumber the men. The division officer is LT Davies who has four able assistants in LT Randall, LTJG Chisolm, LTJG Moore, and Ensign Short. They were hesitant about tackling us in any sports as they are getting pretty old. They did do a good job, however, in keeping us on the straight and narrow although it was a hard and tedious job. Many of the men took advantage of tours that were available in the different countries. In fact, I wouldn ' t be surprised if the men that went to Paris are still vent to Switzerland to see if there really were mountains as he ' s from Florida where recuperating from it. Bi there ain ' t no such thing. Most of the men tried to buy out most of these countries and came back claiming they had got a real bargain. The fact that the vendres all bought new Cadillacs the next day didn ' t faze them a bit. They still claim they weren ' t taken. We learned- to speak several languages even though it was limited to the all important phrase hello baby . The mystery language was the one spoken by Van and Satch. As to this day no one can understand it. France was probably the best liked country of all of them. It did seem funny though, that Baham, Kaiswe and Olsen all had aunts too. Frenchy Gauthier was an official interpreter even though it looked like he only knew sign language. They claim however, that he could really speak it. One thing for sure was he didn ' t complain about permanent shore patrol nor did Mr. Chisolm who seemed happier with that duty. The division was represented on the ship ' s combo by ' hlot Lips Preissing with his trumpet, Billups with that trombone of his, and Jefcoat with his wild guitar. The ship ' s basketball team had Satch Kander who managed to throw quite a few points during the season. We ' re still wondering why they called him hog. For many of the men this was their first cruise and they looked forward to it while for others it was their last as they have reached the end of their navy career. I ' m sure this cruise will be remembered by all, regardless whether first or last. fft ' We Division, one of the six Engineering Divisions aboard ship has as its nriain purpose the operation and maintenance of the main engines and their auxiliaries. It plays a major part in the propulsion of the ship. Located in each of the two engine rooms are two main engines. Each one in turn has its own shaft and propeller which gives the ship high speed four propeller operation. Each engine is controlled by two valves known as the throttle valves. One controls the forward motion of the ship, and the other is for backing the ship down. The personnel standing this watch must be highly qualified. A regular steaming watch consists of eight men in each engine room. The officer of the watch, whose duty it is to see that all logs are properly kept and all safety precautions are carried out, is assisted by the chief of the watch. The OFT man has duties including the operation of deaerating feed tank and the constant checking of turbines and reduction gears. Two men man the throttles and their job Is to control the speed of the ship as ordered by the officer of the deck. The main propulsion plant must maintain proper lubrication and feed water at all times. This Is the duty of the booster and Lub. oil pump watch. These men control the pumps that feed and lubricate the many different systems. The recorder and messenger ' s logs tell the story of the efficiency of the machinery and whether they are running at the correct speed and temperature. The division stands four hour watches. The men have four hours on and eight off. On the off hours the men clean their respective spaces. I wouldn ' t say we don ' t get topside very often but the Engineering Officer is thinking of Issuing dark glasses to the men to protect their eyes from the bright glare of the sun in case they happen to get topside. There is a small unit of men In the division known to all hands as the Rain Makers . This group Is without a doubt one of the most important aboard the ship. It is its job to operate the three units of evaporators which supply all the water for shipboard use. The division, we feel, is run efficiently under the direction of Ensign llsemann with ChH MACfH Anderson as assistant division and maintenance officer. Iwl V « « ow go to your stations all the navigational sea detail . How many times during the past cruise have you heard this word passed? When it is passed the COLUMBUS is either entering or leaving port or transiting one of the many straits of the Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea. For the ship ' s control stations are manned by quartermasters. Whenever the ship is fueled or fuels other ships or transfers personnel while underway the helm is manned by either Jim Swickey or Joe Choiniere, the division ' s two Ace helmsmen. The rest of the time underway the quartermaster strikers stand their watches in the conning tower keeping the ship ' s logs or In steering aft standing by to take steering control In case of emergency. The rated quartermasters stand their watches In the chart house keeping the ship ' s position plotted. In port the quartermasters stand their watches on the quarterdeck keeping the ship ' s log and acting as right-hand men to the Offlcer-of-the-Deck. They also insure that morning and evening colors are run up smartly and on time. Also In the Nan Division there are three men who are responsible for those weird noises which come blasting over the I MC jarring us all from our blissful sleep or peaceful day-dreaming. These men are the buglers who sound all the routine and emergency calls. Another man who has an important and responsible job Is the Aerographer ' s Mate. His job is to predict the weather and keep tabs on storms and other weather conditions that may affect the safety of the ship. Incidentally he is the only Aerographer ' s Mate in the Navy who can predict the weather from his rack. The Navigator, LCDR Watson, is also the head of the department while LTJG Griest doubles as assistant navigator and division officer. Under the assistant navigator comes our leading petty officer, Dube Du Bois who can usually be found in the navigation office writing books to his wife or out collecting odd stories. Our chief chart man Is the well known man about town Chichi . oger Division is one of the ship ' s repair divisions, nnade up of special trained and skilled men. Their aggressive, willing spirit, and pride of workmanship make the Roger Division a division where skill and co-operation work side by side. The division maintains five shops, which are the Metalsmith Shop, Pipefitter Shop, Carpenter Shop, Repair IV (Shop) and the firefighting-C02 workshop, under the capable supervision of LTJG L. hH. Carpenter, ENS D. M. Snell, and Chief Carpenter Betes. Every man is considered a specialist in his chosen work, and the many and varied repair jobs throughout the ship, afford each man an opportunity to expand his knowledge, for either a successful Navy career, or a useful position in civilian life. Our pipefitter gang is both a busy and hard working group, and you can thank them for such luxuries as efficient shower service, clear drains, and quick draining wash bowls. Theirs is the job of maintaining all piping and plumbing systems through- out the ship. The industrious Metalsmiths, known to their friends as tin benders , maintain and repair structural jobs around the ship, and specialize in welding, brazing, cutting, and metal layout work. The carpenters, long known as wood butchers are concerned mainly with wood ; and that covers a lot of sawdust. Everything from making picture frames to the upkeep of our precious liberty boats. When it comes to wood and sawdust, these com shaw artists are tops! In the C02 workshop, the men carry the responsibility for the upkeep of our ever important firefighting equipment, C02 extinguishers, fog and foam systems, portable pumps, etc. In the event of an emergency, we can be thankful our firefighting equipment is the best in the fleet , thanks to the conscientious and all important work of the C02 workshop. Damage control is indeed an important and specialized job! These men maintain our watertight integrity, repair our watertight compartments, clean and inspect our efficient ventilation systems, and in general, keep our ship an important fighting unit of the fleet. Our key man , hiayward, is responsible for the repairing and the upkeep of all locks and safes throughout the ship. The Roger division constitutes the main strength of our fire parties, fire and rescue parties, repair units, and our helicopter fire fighting party. At General Quarters, you will find them standing ready to take prompt and efficient action to effect any required emergency repairs. ' ?3- A ' .f ■$ ? It ' , ' ; ► _ % . I $f t ' f ' f f ■J W+orekeepers and Disbursing clerks make up the S- 1 Division of fhe Supply Department. Ordering, stowing and issuing maintenance and operating supplies, keeping correct pay records and paying the crew are the chief objectives of this division. All this is done under the direction of LCDR O ' Brien, Supply Officer, ENS E. L Balinsky, Disbursing Officer and Division Officer, PACT S. P. Smith, Stores Officer and J. H. Thomas, SKI, Leading Petty Officer. If there is anything a sailor wants besides his chow, it ' s getting paid on time. The Disbursing Office Is the Infor- mation center when the subject is Money , questions from How much am I getting paid? to What ' s the rate of exchange in this port? are being answered correctly every day. When it comes time to start an allotment, getting pa ' d leave rates, longevity and reimbursement for travel or any other financial troubles the DK boys are at your service under the competent leadership of Adams, better known by his shipmates as Phillipe of the Med. To operate an efficient supply system aboard, records must be kept correctly. The boys in the Supply Office under the supervision of J. J. Reid, SKC, keep these records. Many times it has been proven that the Supply Office boys and their records are an important role in operating a man-o-war. SSK in the forward part of the ship, handles paints, cleaning gear, office supplies and spare parts. After GSK handles hardware and plumbing supplies, rags and aviation gear. These storerooms handle other numerous items essential to keep and run a smart ship. The men working in these spaces are a hard working crew and can be relied upon to stow quickly and efficiently all emergency transfers and replenishments necessary to keep a ship in an operating status. They also did a fine job of supplying emergency parts and GSK material to other ships during our cruise with the Sixth Fleet. A well done goes to the S- 1 Division et ' s look at the work it takes to feed almost 1400 men daily. From the storerooms, the dry provisions are sent to the issue room until needed by the galley. In the issue room the stores are checked out and the records are sent to the commissary office where they are filed and kept on record. The icebox men break the fresh provisions out of the Iceboxes and send them to their respective places to be prepared for the day ' s meal. Into the vegetable locker go the fresh vegetables where they are sprayed with disinfectant and cleaned, then made into a salad or prepared to be served at meal times. The meat is sent into the galley to be cooked. The bakeshop is divided into two watches. There is a day crew whose job is to make pastries and rolls. The night crew works mainly on baking bread. There are over 2600 loaves of bread baked in the course of a week. The galley is a hub for all the other spaces. With the items that all the other spaces provide, the knowledge that the cooks have, and the material on hand, such as coopers, oven, grills and deep frys, they prepare the meals. After the meal is inspected they serve it to you making sure that an equal portion is given to all. At night the night cooks can be found in the galley preparing hot food and coffee for the night watches. All these jobs take place under the watchful eyes of Mr. Nelson. Chief McCurdy is to see that a well balanced menu, expertly prepared hot meals and enough food is on hand at all times. K • S kx fe: v- i aMMMtMltMnit d V ' ¥ he ship ' s servicemen, 48 in all, are the morale builders of the ship. The heads of department are LCDR O ' Brien and LT Burke. Their task Is to see that the division is shipshape and service activities well stocked. The leading petty officer of ship service is Jack Edvv ' ards SH I . There are eleven different departments of ship ' s service which are: The BARBER SHOP, PRESS SHOP, COBBLER SHOP, TAILOR SHOP, SHIP ' S STORE OFFICE, SHIP ' S STORE, SODA FOUNTAIN, LAUNDRY, SMALL STORES, BULK STORE- ROOMS and the compartment. We will try to explain the duties of each department. First is the BARBER SHOP where we have six barbers to give you haircuts, in charge is Mearns SH3. Next you ' ll see the PRESS SHOP where you can get your clothing pressed and returned in the same day. The next stop is aft of the BARBER SHOP on the 4th deck where you ' ll find Clothing and SMALL STORES, The Navy ' s Men ' s Shop, where can be purchased the latest Naval styles, operated by Dick Tarr SKSN. Now we go to the BULK STOREROOM where all the saleable materials are stored and kept in readiness to distribute to service departments. In charge is Gommo SKSN. We now go forward and down to the 4th deck where you ' ll find the COBBLER SHOP. There you have your shoes repaired in a matter of hours. In charge is Martain SH3. Around the corner you ' ll find the TAILOR SHOP where all your rips and tears are soon fixed to satisfaction. The man in charge is Jackson SH2. We now travel to the SHIP ' S STORE OFFICE, where they have three able bodied men to keep all the ships store records and data up to date. In charge is Matthews SK3. Now let ' s go for- ward on the 2nd deck where you ' ll find the SHIP ' S STORE. There you can buy all the sailor ' s needs plus accessories. It is operated by Cecil Pierce SH3. Just turn around and you will see the SODA FOUNTAIN. Here you can buy ice cream and sodas. In charge is Hafer SN. Now go to the 3rd deck where we will see the LAUNDRY. Here they have the never ending and important task of cleaning all soiled clothing. They have a day and night shift operated by 24 men. In charge of this 24 man power house is Prescott SH2. Last but not least we find in the compartment Broadway Bill Rodgers and his assistant. Their job is to keep the compartment in 4.0 shape. So you all see the ship ' s servicemen have themselves quite a job. ► ■' m - . ■k. .fii: - «M  - ' 1 i Tnother cruise with the Sixth Fleet has ended and material and pictures have been collected and compiled to make once again a Cruise Book for men of the COLUMBUS, who might wish some day to look back on this cruise as a happy one or to bring back memories of friends aboard or old shipmates. The Stewards play an important part in life aboard ship from their service of coffee to formal dinners and help to a large extent, In maintaining a taut ship. Our work started the day we left Boston to join units of the Atlantic Fleet headed for a combined allied operation called Mainbrace. Carrying on with our military and special duties, preparation was being made to receive the Supreme Allied Com- mander Atlantic, Admiral Lynde D. McCormick. Beside having aboard the Commander of the fleet, during Mainbrace, the wardroom was host to six American news correspondents and the pace of the Stewards never slackened due to the extra people to feed. The gentlemen of the press were made to feel at home and upon completion of the operation had nothing but high praise for the Stewards who made their stay a somewhat pleasant one. Before leaving the ship, Admiral McCormick honored the wardroom with his presence for dinner and remarked upon the splendid service. Duties of the Stewards does not stop at service in the wardroom country alone. Over half of the Stewards have their battle stations, some in repair parties, ammunition handlers and loaders on A. A. batteries. After Operation Mainbrace the COLUMBUS moved over to Lisbon, Portugal to join units of the powerful Sixth Fleet for a tour of four months. During Operation Longstep the COLUMBUS was called upon suddenly to embark the Sixth Fleet Commander, Admiral John Cassady, and staff. The Steward group like other departments throughout the ship was quite .unprepared. There was a few hours In between zero hour before embarkation and the COLUMBUS crew went to work making preparations to receive the Flag. The Admiral ' s Cabin and Chief of Staff along with other rooms had to be made and ready, towels, linen, blankets, etc. had to be issued. Upon arrival at embarkation point the Stewards were confronted with what seemed like tons of luggage, but thanks to the rest of the crew who helped that night, made our burden somewhat lighter. Having the flag officers eating In the wardroom presented us with many a problem but soon the smooth running of things was under way and right about here I ' d like to borrow the phrase so often used by our Marines — The situation was well in hand. The Stewards have high praise for the COLUMBUS and all will say It was a cruise worth remembering. i Mjri r- 1 ' • 1 ¥ if ' • ! ' • ,, . Tlthough the Tare Division is one of the smallest divisions on the ship, it is still one of the important cogs in the wheel it takes to run a Man-of-War. On these men ' s shoulders rests the responsibility of installing, servicing, and maintaining the ship ' s electronic gear. Under the able supervision and instruction of LT E. S. BAILEY, RELE C. E. hHORN, and E. L. MchHUGhH, division LPO, the division has strlved to keep the ship ' s electronic gear in proper working condition at all times. The division has been sub-divided Into three smaller groups to increase Its efficiency. The men in fire control, with the assistance of George LeMaire, service the radar equipments which are used in the directors to control the ship ' s gunfire from the mighty 8 down to the little 3 . The men in the communications gang stand watches in Radio II and are responsible for servicing and setting up the desired frequencies on all the radio transmitters and receivers. They must necessarily spend much time up on the masts, repairing the transmitting and receiving antennae. There have been quite a few changes in the communications personnel, but the gang operates quite smoothly with E. K. Francis in charge. Lastly, the search radar gang, headed by Ray Thompson, maintains the ship ' s navigating and early warning gear. They too, spend a lot of time swinging round on the masts servicing their radar antennas. The quartermasters on the signal bridge run for cover when an ET goes up the foremast. It seems a couple of our boys have dropped cans of oil and paint from the top of the mast without paying much attention as to what was below them. The electronics workshop is located between the soda fountain and the crew ' s lounge and houses all the heavy test equipment and Important publications. It is here that the men repair record players and radios for their ship-mates and align and service the TV sets that are placed around the ship when we ' re in the states. The main home of the division Is Radio II — that ' s where the coffee mess Is located! All of the rated men have graduated from the Navy Class A School for Electronics Technicians. The school, which Is thirty-six weeks long, starts with basic math and goes right up through most of the complicated electronic circuits. he Victor Division is the smallest division aboard the COLUMBUS. The division consists of two pilots and five crewmen for maintenance work on the helicopter. Our duty is only temporary aboard the COLUMBUS, being sent out from HU-2 Lakehurst, New Jersey. Upon completion of each cruise we are sent back for further assignment to other ships in the fleet. In charge of our division is LT R.G. Mellin who is also senior pilot. Our junior pilot is an enlisted man, V.R. Sampair, ADI-AP who is one of the few enlisted helicopter pilots, hfaving full responsibility for the maintenance on the helicopter is the plane captain ' s job. Our plane captain hH.V. Peterson who has a total of twenty-five months aboard the COLUMBUS with different helicopters and crew, also claims that she Is the best ship In the fleet. Under the plane captain ' s supervision are four crewmen consisting of three Aviation Machinists who are J.F. Holland, AD3, C.C. Schllilg, ADAN and C.E.F. Farek, ADAN, also one Aviation Electronlcsman J. P. Kovacs, AT2. Maintenance consists of repairing any minor trouble, to complete helicopter overhaul. Our duties aboard ship consist of delivering guard mail, plane guard for carriers, gun spotting, anti sub patrol, mine spotting, and last but not least personnel transfer. Our passengers vary from military personnel to royalty. The COLUMBUS, being one of the pioneers to prove the windmill ' s usefulness to the fleet, has done so. The windmills are here to stay and the sound of Flight Quarters Is now a major operation. So heads up and stand clear, the rotor blades have never lost a battle yet. OLRlGHT, f)LH QHT FORQOl V AR A r n he Marine Detachment, the security guard of the illustrious COLUMBUS, although not the largest division on the ship, has m ade its presence well known. When ever you see the Skipper or the Exec you will usually see Whitman or Lettrich following close behind. A walk past the brig and Shanoian is sure to be around, or a visit from a high official and the honor guard is sure to be there to welcome him aboard. A day of drone or sleeve firing will find mounts 32 and 33 fully manned by Marines. For some of the detachment this was the first cruise to the Med. but for the salts like 1ST LT Englehart TOP SGT Fluharty and S SGT Barlow it was a familiar sight as we pulled into the different ports. Others, like CAPT Wickham, SGT Torti, and GPL Dubree, are boots of the Med, although they are certainly salts of the Pacific and the Orient. But even as boots the detachment has made quite a name for itself serving as orderlies for ADM McCormick on Operation Mainbrace . The experience we ga ined with Admiral McCormick assured our officers CAPT Wickham and LT Englehart that the detachment could cope with any situation that confronted it. When the COLUMBUS became the flagship for Admiral Cassady, Commander Sixth Fleet, the detachment was due for many inspections from dignitaries of the various countries which we visited. It is with great pride that we tell of the many compliments we received for being a sharp outfit. We were greatly honored to have Admiral Cassady at the celebration of the Marine Corps ' I 77th birthday observed at sea during Operation Longstep . We are also proud of the division ' s talents. We have PFC Bobo, our own Eddy Arnold, who took first place in the ' Happy Hour that the ship presented while In Sicily. We also have PFC Willis, the Billy Eckstine of the Med, who sings with the ship ' s combo. The whole detachment will agree that the liberty was good, the different countries were exciting, and the scenery was memorable. Although no man is sure how long he will be with the ship, we are sure that he is proud to have served with a fine ship, the USS COLUMBUS. NORTHERH EUROPEAN Pari of vi it fcrrivl ILS.A. Helenabur h. Scoltond 9- Si Rosyth. Scottand 9-l 52 (Mo. Norway 9-Z 2 Lisboiv Portu9«l W 3-52 CRUISE D«p«rtur MEDITERR NEAN SEA WINTER CRUISE LACK S E Z i HOMISC NUKJ.5I3A SCOTLAND ' Ts the music of the ship ' s band drifted across the har- bor, the COLUMBUS slipped from its berth In Boston ' s Charlestown Navy Yard and began its fourth European cruise. The date was 25 August 1952. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining brightly and hardly a cloud in sight. And that ' s the way it stayed during most of the 16-day trip across the Atlantic. Our first port of call was hielensburgh, Scotland, in the Firth of Clyde, where an immense NATO fleet was anchored in preparation for the forthcoming Operation Mainbrace . As we first passed through the colorful banks fringing the Clyde, ' twas mony on eye cauld nae belyve wha thy saw . The flowing landscape of Bonnie Scotland , with her massive forests and proud castles looming out at intervals high above the stately pines, was truly impressive. Near hielensburgh, the banks of the Clyde recede and form a large bay. A major portion of our task force pro- ceeded to their respective anchorages there and dropped anchor. COLUMBUS sailors found the town to be a scenic little resort with tree-lined streets and picturesque churches and homes. hlowever, a majority of the crew traveled to Glasgow for liberty, a distance of 21 miles. That city ' s mighty ship- yard, its throngs of people, busy shops and hum of am- bitious industry all lent an air of greatness and purpose. The ruddy complexions of the pretty lassies reflected the healthy consequence of Scottish air and the men wore countenances of rugged rural vitality: yet, these were city folk. English, naturally, is the native language of the Scots but the thick accent the people possess gave many sailors a bad time. The people were cordial, though, and wel- comed us warmly. Edinborough Castle Newspapers were filled with stories of the impending exercises and carried many pictures of American sailors seeing the sights of Glasgow. One paper quoted a taxi driver as saying that, They must have learned about English money from their wartime brothers. The tips are good but nothing like during the war. The city ' s dance halls were jammed and reported their biggest nights since the war. It was a wonderful opportunity for relaxation fol- lowing the many days we had spent at sea after leaving the states. And it gave us an equally good opportunity to get in shape for the then forthcoming Operation Mainbrace . After leaving Helensburgh on 13 September, we steamed into the North Atlantic and headed for the northwest coast of Norway. It was our job, as a unit of the Blue armada, to find the Orange naval force. This was Operation Mainbrace , the largest joint naval exercise ever held. The navies of Britain, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand and the U.S. utilized the services of 85,000 men and 160 ships in waging the maneuvers over an area of a half million square miles. One of the highlights of the exercises was the mythical sinking of an enemy raider, the HMCS QUEBEC, by the COLUMBUS. Even though the QUEBEC tried to pose as a friendly ship by using radio code employed by the Blue forces, Captain Campbell received a well done for his keen judgment in disregarding the trick and for the subsequent sinking. The operation carried us north of the Arctic Circle, into the Royal Domain of the Polar Bear, and that made each of us a member of the Order of Bluenoses. But as it turned out, our noses hadn ' t even begun to turn blue. We kept going until we reached a point about 1300 miles from the North Pole before returning to Rosyth, Scotland, to embark Admiral Lynde D. McCormick, USN, Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. Low Bridge Chimney Tops NORWAY Tfter embarking SACLANT at Rosyth. we returned to Malnbrace to spend the re- maining five days of the operation before proceeding to Oslo. Norway. The flagships WISCONSIN, MT OLYMPUS. SALERNO BAY. and hIMS EAGLE were present at Oslo and NATO leaders held conferences aboard them to talk over the recently completed exercise. Even though it rained almost every day we were there, the crew enjoyed the visit to Norway a great deal. The trip up the Oslo Fjord (pronounced fiord) was an experience that will be hard to forget. Its shores, lined with rocky cliffs interspersed with sheltered bays and stretches of level land, reflect the rugged beauty of the entire country. The 80- mile trip from the Skaggerak to Oslo, at the head of the fjord, took about six hours and every minute on deck that morning was an enjoyable one for salt and boot alike. Even though we anchored over three miles from the fleet landing, the liberty hounds throughout the visit. The first thing to catch the eye of the lens jockeys when they hit the beach was the magnificent new town hall building on the waterfront. In contrast to some ports, the waterfront in Oslo is not an undesir- able area. In fact, some of its better shops and businesses are located on Radhuset, near the town hall. That building, a handsome 13-story affair, covers a full city block and is a veritable museum of modern Norwegian arts and crafts. Cast in concrete and covered with a veneer of hand-moulded brick, its exterior is richly ornamented with detail work, bas-relief and statuary in hewn stone. Twenty years, including the period of the German occupation, were required to complete the structure. A large percentage of the people spoke English well so it was not hard to find such points of interest as the Viking ships, used by Leif Erikson and other explorers over 1000 years ago; Kon-Tiki Museum, where the balsa raft used in 1947 to make the historic 4300 mile trip across the Pacific is on display: Frogner Park, where sculptural project of one man Aerial View oi Oslo covers 74 acres of land; and the Royal Palace, at the head of the city ' s main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate. With a population of approximately half a million people, Oslo is the largest city in Norway and nearly half of the merchant ileet is centered there. Bearing in mind that Norwegian merchant shipping ranks third in the world, one can quickly realize that Oslo is the chief seaport of a seafaring nation. Many tours were arranged in Oslo, including one to the mountains which would have been particularly good except for the inclement weather. Those who selected the city tour reported that it was far above average. As one might imagine, a city with all these advantages makes an excellent location for the nation ' s capital. And therefore, Oslo has been the capital since 1814. Founded in 1060, the city was completely leveled by fire in 1624 and was replanned and built up by King Christian IV on a site west of the original city. It took eight years to build the new towa. The country remained neutral during World War I and from September 1939 to April 1940 tried painstakingly to do the same thing as hiitler marched into one country after another in Europe. German forces invaded Norwegian soil on 9 April 1940, however, and the German minister at Oslo demanded that the country be handed over. When the government refused to submit to the demands, the Invading armies swept across the country in two months, despite stubborn resistance. The king and the government fled to London and declared their intention of carrying on the war from there. Early in November 1944, Russian armies liberated parts of northern Norway from German occupation and she was officially freed of occupation on 8 May 1945. Now the country is a participant in the Marshall Plan and a member of the Atlantic Pact, which she joined in spite of a protest from the Soviet Union that It was an unfriendly move. Trygve Lie, the country ' s foreign minister became the flist Secretary General of the United Nations. The courageous and hardy people of Norway are a symbol for the free people of the world. Regardless of the fact that they are a small country In both size and population, they refused to surrender to the Nazis without a fight and will not be dictated to by the nearby Kremlin today. These were the kind of people we met when the COLUMBUS visited Oslo from 25-29 September. We ' ll remember it as a good city, inhabited by good people. The Monolith In Frogner Park New City Hall Scenic Norway PORTUGAL Ci OLUMBUS ahoy! , came the resounding roar from the ship we were relieving. As we steamed into the port of Lisbon, Por- tugal, the crew of the BALTIMORE turned out a gala welcoming committee for the ship that was filling her bill in the Sixth Fleet. Flags flew, posters were plastered from the forecastle to the fantail, some energetic members of the BALTIMORE crew clowned with feminine togs, and from the general attitude of the BALTIMORE sailors It was obvious they were happy to be heading home. Lisbon, according to an informal poll, ranks high In popu- larity among the sailors aboard. It isn ' t too difficult to under- stand why. The city affords a varied selection of entertainment, rivaling nearly any port in the Mediterranean. Many large movie houses feature American movies. While we were there such films as Francis Goes to West Point , Quo Vadis and The Three Musketeers ' were playing. The numerous parks and gardens which can be seen from almost any portion of the city relate a tale of a people who have a great deal of pride and affection for the city in which they live. The climate is mild and equable throughout the year, thereby securing favorable conditions for the growth of nature ' s finery. Just about every place where even a little grass is grow- ing, you can find flowers planted. Cobblestone streets and orange-colored roofs seem to be the trademarks of the city also. The Inhabitants are friendly to all and the street life of the city Is full of interest. The bare-footed fishwives bearing flat trays of fish on their heads; the bakers, bending beneath a heavy load of bread slung in a huge basket over their shoulders; the knife grinders, and the calls of the fruit vendors all contribute to the bustle of this colorful city. The tours that were provided proved themselves to be of great Interest and worth. Fatima and the hloly Shrines Indicating the sites of the visitations of Our Lady of Fatima offered many sailors an opportunity to see the actual vista of a miracle they ' d read and heard of all their lives. The tours to Sintra where the palaces and castles of ancient Portuguese royalty stand; where the relics of a dead era live perpetually on, instilled In us an experience that we won ' t soon forget. Even though the regular bull-fight season had ended when we reached Lisbon early in October, a special fight was arranged for the fleet. For those sailors who had never seen a bullfight before, the ancient sport proved to be as interesting as It was centuries ago. Many of the sailors present were so enthused that they relinquished all claim to their hats as they flung them into the arena, in honor of the brave matadors. In Portuguese style fighting, the bull is fought by a man in 18th century costume mounted on a beautiful, spirited horse, often worth over $10,000. The bull ' s horns are padded with straw and straps. Men on foot with capes help maneuver the bull into position where he can charge the horseman, who tries, each time he is charged, to place a decorated barb between the shoulder blades of the bull. The matador ' s skill is judged by the accuracy of the barb ' s placement. Unlike Spanish bullfighting, the animal is never killed in Portugal. Far more popular with the people as a whole are the many romar- ies, fiestas, and market-days. Romaries are pilgrimages to Catholic shrines, in which religious duties are combined with secular pleasures on an outdoor holiday, and compare with old-fashioned English county fairs. Brilliantly colored costumes are worn on these days. One of the main drags of Lisbon, the Avenida de LIberdade, s regarded as one of the finest avenues of Europe. Its tree- shaded sidewalk cafes and expensive restaurants are a favorite haunt of the city ' s society people. Less than a five minute walk from the Avenida, with all its wealth and prosperity, beggars and peddlers abound In the Alfama district, however. There, amid narrow, steep and winding streets and alleys is found the seamier side of Lisbon. The people there still maintain the medieval aspect which other parts of the city have lost , to quote the guide who accompanied at least one of the city tours by COLUMBUS personnel. Various other units of the Sixth Fleet were tied up in Lisbon during the COLUM- BUS ' visit, either being relieved to go back to the States or joining the Med Fleet. It was the early morning (In fact, before sunrise) of 9 October 1952, that the COLUMBUS left its berth at Alcantara dock in Lisbon and steamed down the Tagus River to the. Atlantic on its way to a week of fleet exercises before stopping at Augusta, Sicily, for replenishment. Portuguese Fishing Boat Customs Building ITALY GENOA C OLUMBUS men had an opporfunl+y on this cruise to explore the boot of Italy from top to bottom. Beginning in October with the toe Augusta, Sicily, the ship then visited Genoa In the north and later on, Naples, which lies in the central part of the country. Probably one of the best liked ports on the entire cruise was Genoa, the birthplace of the discoverer of our country, Christopher Columbus. The ship found her precarious way through the narrow harbor and moored, Mediter ranean style, close by the Maritime Building on 29 October. Those sailors who had been to Genoa before were quick to get ashore and renew old friendships while the first cruise men soon found the city to be everything that It was said to be. Genoa Is both a medieval and modern city, crowded and bustling. The old part of the city Is full of narrow, winding streets, often with stairs and bridges, and hemmed In by lofty old buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. It is a strange sight to see these alleys, left overs from a forgotten age, filled with small grocery stores, restaurants, and other places of business, with neon signs over their doors. Often an alley only eight or ten feet wide is an important thorough- fare crowded with people at almost any hour. Perhaps the center of town, at least one of the busiest places In Genoa, is the Piazza de Ferrari. A square with a beautiful fountain In Its center, It seems as though all the city ' s street cars congregate there. Traffic Is quite congested as the narrow sidewalks cannot adequately take care of the pedestrian traffic during the daytime hours, and the vehicular traffic has also outgrown Its streets. Many imposing buildings border the Piazza and the smart shopping district, of which the Via Settembre takes up a large part, is located right off it. We ' ll remember Genoa for the famil- iar bridge at the ship ' s fantail where the local people lined up each day to watch us at work(?). Actually, we ' ll remember it more for our frequent glimpses to see how many fair maids were there. Right, boys? COLUMBUS left Genoa on 3 Novem- ber to meet other units of the fleet and started Operation Longstep , which was smaller than ' Mainbrace but still the larg- T t .A ' .ti. ' i ' — NAPLES est joint exercise in the Med since the war. That carried us to the eastern end of the sea, near Turkey, and when the two-week exercise was completed we visited Istanbul. After stopping in Greece and Lebanon, the ship came back east again and made a call at Naples. We reached there 4 December and remained until the 1 0th. The country ' s third largest city, Naples disputes with Istanbul the claim of occupying the most beautiful site in the Med. The old Italian saying Vedi Napoli e poi muori, which means, See Naples and then die, is so familiar to tourists of all nations that it is understood by everyone. In fact, it conveys the fascination of this unparalleled city so well that it seems to reassume and exalt all that make a stay in Italy desirable. Mt. Vesuvius, famous volcano overlooking the city, is famous all over the world even though it has erupted only once in the past 23 years. The last time it was active was in 1945 when it caused only slight damage and killed a comparatively few people. Perhaps a more impressing, or should we say depress- ing, feature of the city in the eyes of the average sailor are the hordes of persistent street merchants and guides plying their trade. Naples seemed to have more than its share of them, trying to sell everything from cheap jewelry to imported seashells. Built at the base and on the slopes of a ridge of hills rising from the Bay of Naples, the city occupies one of the most beautiful sites the ship visited on the entire cruise. The bay, extending from Cape Miseno in the north to the Sorrento peninsula in the south, is dominated by Vesuvius and dotted with towns and villas. Near its en- trance are the islands of Capri, Ischia, and Procida. A beautiful view of the city and bay is possible from the cameo factory that is an almost inevitable stop on any guided tour in the city. The people are definitely ' American Navy conscious because of the CINCSOUThH flag stationed permanently at Naples on board the ADIRONDACK. That, coupled with the fact that almost every Sixth Fleet visit is made with several ships, makes the people much more accus- tomed to seeing U.S. servicemen than in many other Med ports. In WWII the city suffered tremendous damage. The industrial suburbs were heavily bombed by the Allies, but the worst destruction was wrought by the retreating Ger- mans in 1943. The harbor section, now one of the best in Europe, was demolished, entire blocks disappeared, and part of the rich archives and libraries were burned. Several overnight tours from both Genoa and Naples were conducted to Switzerland, Paris, Florence, Venice and Rome. As in the past, they were greatly enjoyed and can be termed highly successful ventures both by the men and the ship. It was in Naples, also, where the crew braved a chill evening to watch a talented USO troupe perform on the pier alongside the COLUMBUS. Even though Sicily is an island, it is actually a part of Italy and our visit there must be included in this story of Italian ports on the COLUMBUS itinerary. Sandwiched between our Lisbon and Genoa calls was an eight-day replenishment stop at Augusta Bay. Far from a good city for liberty, the stay there did afford a different kind of recreation with the daily beach parties that were held. Many took advantage of them to stretch their legs and most of the so-called ballplayers got a sore arm tossing a ball around. Mt. Etna, one of the famous mountains of the earth, stands only a few miles away and seems to be one of the few things of interest there. So you can see, the COLUMBUS did get a well- rounded view of every port of the boot on this cruise. The loyal sons of Italy who are attached to the ship, and there are many, really got a kick out of each trip ashore as fhey visited relatives and had a chance to try out the language they ' d heard at home. And even for those who couldn ' t speak the language, sunny Italy was a country where a good time was had byalL Modified Medife Docked At Naples AUGUSTA BAY, SICILY TURKEY Narrow Street Grand Bazaar he skyline of Istanbul, Turkey, where we ar- rived on 14 November 1952. was different than that of any other port we had visited previously. The many Moslem churches, called mosques, with their flnger-IIke minarets reaching skyward made It a city In wide contrast with those we d seen in the western part of the Med. Anchored in the Bosphorous as she was, the ship enjoyed the unique position of having a different continent on each side. Off the port side was Europe while Asia was less than a mile to starboard. The swift current in the Bosphorous makes boating rather difficult. Skillful work by the boat crews, however, prevented any serious injury or damage during our stay there. Cultural and educational center of Turkey. Istanbul ' s influence over the course of human affairs is rivaled only by Athens. Rome, and Jerusalem. Roman law, Greek literature and the theology of the Christian church are closely associated with its history. An amazing piece of architecture is the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, better known as the Blue Mosque. famous for its beautiful blue tiles and six minarets, it was built between 1609-1616, a time when the only mosque with six minarets was at Mecca. Sultan Ahmet silenced the objections to his sixth minaret by ordering a seventh for Mecca and keeping the sixth at his own mosque. Legend says the sultan was so impatient to see it completed that he came every Friday and worked in the midst of his laborers. The modernization of Turkey was started by the Young Turks in 1908 when they forced the grant of a constitution. Sultan Abdul hiamid was de- posed the following year. After the foreign military occupation of Turkey during WWI ended, the Turks under Ataturk cleared the country of its enemies and assured its complete independence with the treaty of Lausanne, July 1923. The Republic was proclaimed in October. The Sultana te and Caliphate were abolished and all members of the Ottoman Imperial Family left the country. The authorities of the new Republic, under the guidance of a surpassing genius, have brought about a surprising evolution in the outlook, morals and customs of a great Asiatic nation now enrolled, with deliberation and without reserve, in the family of world states. We ' ll remember with pleasure the excellent USO canteen In Istanbul which was staffed by cooperative American men and women living in the city. A touring USO troupe entertained during our visit there and were helped out each night by the able Sixth Fleet dance band. Several basketball games were arranged between local teams and the squads of various ships present which created a great deal of interest. And this was the case despite the fact that the navy teams usually held the upper hand. As was the case in several ports, a party was held on board one afternoon for children from one of the local orphan- ages. About 60 youngsters with chaperons were treated to a tour of the ship, followed by movies and refreshments in one of the mess compartments. Yes, Turkey was different all right, but our visit to Istanbul was one we enjoyed and will remember always. -— :; GREECE f you ' re an average sailor, you ' ll quickly remember that In Athens, Greece, there was a USO that gave away food and drinks free. What you probably won ' t remember Is the name of the nearby hill on top of which are a lot of broken- down stone buildings. But if you remember or not, Athens Is a city whose history dates back more than 3600 years. Naturally, therefore, the main points of interest are ancient ruins and the like. The Acropolis , the hill just mentioned, was a place of worship in the days before Christ. The Greeks erected temples there to the various gods in the magnificent 5th century B.C. Time has dealt hard with the Acropolis but man has dealt worse. Over the ages he has used it as a handy quarry, breaking up its statues and reliefs for stone to build new walls, hie stored gunpowder in some of the temples, Including the Parthenon, and it blew up. Later, when man ' s respect for the Acropolis returned, he carted off some of its finest sculptures to the museums of Europe in sheer artistic greed. But the attrition is done, and a great bulk of the works on the Acropolis survive, still radiant with bygone perfection. The country is chiefly an agricultural one, with little manufacturing. With American aid, however, industrial output last year was almost 20 percent better than the prewar level. Agricultural production has surpassed former output also. Greece rejected a surrender ultimatum from Italy in October 1940, and when attacked she threw the Italians back into Albania. Nazi support resulted in the defeat and occupation of the country by Germans, Italians and Bulgarians. By the end of 1944, the Invaders withdrew. At the war ' s end, Communists tried to seize power and civil war resulted. This brought help from the Marshall Plan and a special investigation by the U.N. ECA help stimulated economic recovery and civil strife was proclaimed at an end on 16 October 1949. The crew was to have manned the rail for a visit on board of King Paul and Queen Frederika during our stay there but choppy seas forced a can- cellation. One of the American Express tours, how- ever, gave a few sailors a glimpse of the Royal Palace at any rate. The USO canteen, which was mentioned ear- lier, was one of the better ones encountered in the General View of the Acropolis Steps Leading Into the Acropolis Med. Located on one of the main streets of the city, it pro- vided ample room for the large fleet present and there was music and dancing every night in addition to free chow. A good port or the tourist sailor, and the Good-time Charlie was Athens, Greece. Birthday at Athens Ancient Theater BEIRUT, LEBANON ' Lebanon is practically a brand new country, having celebrated its ninth anniversary of Independence from French rule just a week before we arrived on 26 November. Stopping in Beirut with the COLUMBUS was only the carrier ROOSEVELT and two cans ' , but still there were plenty of swabbles in the city and the USO canteen was crowded to capacity every night. Many Americans living in the city invited sailors to their homes also and these proposals were invariably accepted eagerly. Beirut was a good town for sightseeing, for It is a crossroads for air routes and old caravan routes. It holds a fair sample of the whole Arab world, together with the best of the new world, showing mingled influence of Arabs. Turks. French, British, and — as a glance at the autos choking the city will prove — Americans The ancient ruins of Baalbek, about an hour ' s ride from the city provided one of the best sights for the sailors who usua ly took the one-day tours in every port. Not only did that town contain the greatest and most photogenic Roman temple ruins in the Middle East, but the tour also Included a trip across Mt. Lebanon and Into the great inland Bekaa valley between Lebanon and Syria — a really unforgettable trip through the most picturesque region of all the Arab countries. In downtown Beirut, probably the most familiar spot was al-Borj, which is a long, narrow square with large and impressive palm trees waving overhead. But other sections that many sailors found of interest Included the gold market, a wide street flanked on either side with dealers in gold coins and jewelry. Much of the jewelry Is also made there. In addition, the big, open air fruit, vegetable and poultry market off Parliament Square was an Intriguing spot to see. The co-educatlonal American Uni- versity, which has been of importance in the Middle East since the li sponsored a dance and social hour for the fleet several afternoons during the visit. This gave the men a rare opportu- nity to meet some fellow Americans, thousands of miles from home. Although perhaps not the best port we visited, Beirut proved to be above average for the purposes of liberty and recreation. And Abe, vy else should ve go dere? Town Clock FRANCE prance, the land of beautiful women and wonderful wine, once more opened its hearts and homes to the sailors of the COLUMBUS when the ship visited Toulon and old, familiar Villefranche on this cruise. We were In Toulon from 11-15 December and then went on to Vllle for the holidays from 19 December to 5 January. As on previous visits to Ville, many found their way to Nice for liberty, the perfume factory for bargains, and Monte Carlo for sightseeing and picture taking. While in Toulon there was little in the way of recreation, since the port seemed to compare on a small scale to Norfolk as a sailor ' s town. The visits to the French battleship RIChlELIEU for dinner and supper each day did a great deal for morale, however. The people of Villefranche and the Riviera sector did their best to make our Christmas and New Year celebrations a happy occasion. Most of the night spots and many of the shops were decorated and in at least one Nice store there was a St. Nicholas on hand in person. A large group of French children were entertained on board at a Christmas party, where they watched movies, enjoyed dinner and received a small gift. Ville is a small but rather attractive town, rising in terraces along the rocky shore. The old town with staircase streets and dark archways is typical of the 18th century seaports. The harbor is one of the best between Marseilles and Genoa. Situated some three or four miles from Nice, Villefranche is provided with frequent service by electric tramways and buses. Nearby Nice, a city of a little more than 200,000 is a playground for European and American vacationers during the summer. Located on the beautiful Riviera as it is, the city makes an ideal resort. The surrounding area has many beautiful regions to be explored. A continuous series of tramways follows the coast from Nice to Mentone, the most beautiful part of the French Riviera. The Grande Corniche, which is part of the great military road constructed by Napoleon I in 1806, and connects the two towns also is an exceptionally fine drive. The distance is about 19 miles and it touches neither town nor village except La Turbie. It Stairway to Vll Liberty Landing follows the rugged oufline of the mountain face, high above the coast, and commands on the south a lovely and constantly varying panorama of the sea with its bays and promontories. Monte Carlo, a world-famous gambling center despite the fact that the town has only a population of 9,000, is located In the tiny principality of Monaco. The entire area of Monaco is only 8I 2 square miles, but its mild climate and magnificent scenery in addition to its gambling fame have made it a tourist resort and international confer- ence city of wide renown. Our stay in France was graced by very good weather for that time of the year, even though it wasn ' t quite warm enough to enjoy the sandy beaches of Nice and nearby resorts. We still had to take along peacoats but for mid-winter it was, shall we say, — warmer than Boston. For one and all, it was a visit worth remembering. One the like of which comes all too seldom in a sailor ' s life. SPAIN v ' ithout a doubt one of the ports most enjoyed on the cruise was Barcelona, Spain. A great many men termed It the best we visited but, of course, there were others who stuck faithfully by their beloved France. No doubt about it, though, Barcelona offered just about anything the liberty-loving sailor could ask for. Wine, women and song were in abundance and there were plenty of worthwhile souvenirs to be purchased at very reasonable prices. For those who like to just see the sights , there was an excellent overnight trip to Madrid and a ski tour to the mountains in addition to the city tour. Several hundred people came aboard each day to look over the ship and no doubt our visit fostered a great deal of good will. It seems fewer ships visit Spain than most of the other Mediterranean ports and the people are not accustomed to having American sailors around. Consequently, we saw few instances of price-hiking and it was possible to buy such things as leather goods, jewelry and clothes at costs especially low. There were instances in which five-course meals cost as little as one dollar. It was toward the end of the cruise, 9-15 January to be exact, that the COLUMBUS stopped in Barcelona along wUh lhe EVERGLADES, one submarine and two destroyers. Barcelona is the center of the chief textile manufacturing region of Spain. In addition, there are important manufacturers of foodstuffs and engineering products as well as aircraft facilities. Spain was neutral in World War II but Its relations with the Axis and Its Fascist character alienated the Western Allies. Spain was excluded from the UN In 1946 and the US, France and Britain recommended the withdrawal of Franco. Also In 1946 Poland, supported by the Soviet Union, demanded break- ing of relations with Spain by all UN members and In December of that year the UN recommended withdrawal of ambassadors from the country. This was heeded by the US and major powers, but disregarded by Argentina, which cemented closer relations with Spain. The International Trade Conferences denied Spain admission. After 1948 the West saw dangers to itself in Communist agitation. On the initiative of Latin American nations and the Arab League, the UN General Assembly removed the ban on Spain. The US began to consider the well-trained standing army of Spain as a possible asset In European defense, the US and Spain exchanged ambassadors and the canvass for possible American air bases in Spanish territory was made. Stafue of Columbus Barcelona Pier vv N. AFRICA V . ' i ' orth Africa, especially Algiers where the COLUMBUS visited from 16-22 January, Is a place where the old world seems to meet the new. A great deal of the ancient customs and culture of the Arabs remains despite the fact that WWII accomplished much toward the westernization of that area. The world-famous Casbah of Algiers Is a place of absolute filth, degradation and poverty yet It never ceases to attract tourists and It somehow lends an air of mystery and enchantment all its own. Hedy Lamarr and Charles Boyer made a movie there not many years ago. Algiers, It could be said, is made up of two distinct cities. The Arab section, made up mostly of the Casbah, and the European, or western area downtown are two widely varying sectors. The European section Is made up of fine shops, eating places and entertainment spots on streets not unlike those In our own large cities. Neon lights are abundant and the bustling crowds along the main avenues remind one of store night back home. It was in that port that the NEWPORT NEWS re- lieved the COLUMBUS and El Supremo did such a great job of welcoming It to the Med. Everyone agreed that the COLUMBUS outdid the relieving cere- mony which we received In Lisbon last October. The entire starboard side covered with gaily painted ban- ners and signs. Admiral El Supremo Johnston and his court, and the weirdly uniformed crew did much to put the NEWPORT NEWS crew right in the spirit of the day (from our point of view). We had expected to stay In Algiers until ready to return to the states but a last minute change in plans took us to Tangier to finish our Med cruise. The ship was there from 23-26 January. Tangier is located In an international colony con- Roofs of the Casbah ig pot for people ot turope, Asia, Africa and even the Western Hemisphere ' and a large amount of trade Is carried on there despite the fact that the harbor is a small one, filled mostly with small fishing boats. Smug- gling black-market goods into Southern Europe seems to be one of the main occ upations at present. Liberty was enjoyed in both cities, but by the time we reached North Africa a large number of men were thinking only of the states and consequently saving money for home and leave. Ancient Irrigation Holiday Routli PORTRAITS FUELING an FIRING TRANSFERRING a SEA VISITORS Soaring through the 1952 Softball season in the Medi- terranean Sixth Fleet, COLUMBUS ' gallant nine came through with record shattering momentum to set a stand- ard for future teams that can be expected to remain un- paralleled for a long, long time. Winning 18 games of which 14 were consecutive and suffering only one heartbreaking loss; that by the indecisive score of 1-0 rendered by the competent team members of the USS ENGLISH, COLUMBUS earned a title of honor to be respected by all. To the said mishap that was the USS ENGLISH we need only remark, either they were very good, or else they were very lucky. Navigated by the skillful minds of Armstrong and Johnston, COLUMBUS looked as good on the diamond as she does on the sea. The greatest captains in the world cannot run a ship-shape team without a ship-shape crew, and the boys who whipped the pants off the finest teams of the finest fleet were just that. Starting with Kromer and Castiglia sharing the honors at first base, Massey ruling second and Mearns covering third, a hot kid cooling a hot corner, the one, two and three made it look just as easy as 1,2, and 3. At shortstop: Covering a lot of territory in a little time we watched our own Mr. Shortstop, Tony Armstrong, play a wonderful game all season long. In the outfield with a motto of Send em, we ' ll snatch ' em we saw Albunio at left, making it look just right, Tron and Hen- drickson filling the right field bill alternately with all the aptitude that right field needs doing in making the team the great team it was, and in center, covering the area with as much ease as we might cover our own back pocket, Beattie, there to make sure that for the other team there was no such thing as a successful centerfield hit. On the pitcher ' s mound with a flip and a whirl that had our opponents thinking they were blind, hurled .the COLUMBUS pride — Pop Warner, winding up and run- ning out for a perfect season without one pitching loss. Running up with one loss came Simmons, who, though he had the hard luck to fliag against the USS ENGLISH, flung no less perfectly; the one game he lost was a one-hitter. Behind the plate and covering home was Fearless Flaherty and Vicious Vaughn who had the opposing team so scared that even if they did get more than a triple they were afraid to run past third base . For the highlight game of the year we chose the thrashing that was dealt to the American Community School at Beirut, Lebanon. They came out to play as haughty and as boastful as major leaguers bringing with them plenty of taunts and brags. They went home humble and quiet as mice bringing back with them a defeat that read, 18-1 . One word for our own private doctor, who pitched in with his scalpel when it was needed and who was not found wanting when it came to pitching in with his bat when that was needed too. Thanks, Freddie Mills. Nice going boys. You pushed COLUMBUS to the top in another field. BAITIM NEWPORT NEWS CRUISE BOOK COMMITTEE t this point in our book we would like to use a little space to give a word of thanks. All fine creations are a result of good creators and this, our Cruise Book for the 1953 Mediterranean Cruise, is certainly no exception. hHard work, constant effort and a real determination to have a good job well done were part of the ingredients necessary to make this year ' s Cruise Book the kind of book everyone aboard would cherish and remember for a long time to come. For the other part of the necessary ingredients to complete the publication we needed something that is a necessary commodity anywhere . . . talent. That ' s something COLUMBUS is never found lacking in. Primarily photographs had to be taken and gathered for the first phase of the job. This was handled with expert efficiency and a kind of persistent conscientiousness that ' s typical of experts in any field. He had to order, photograph, develop, choose, weigh and finally submit what he thought were the best pictures, the pictures that would satisfy the most and displease the least. For the ample fulfillment of a difficult job we give our thanks to the photo lab. Next came the little essays that are a contributing factor in any good Cruise Book. The little stories that have to say a lot; the little remembrances of events passed that are pretty well forgotten. For this tremendous task we give our thanks to Claude A. Rose and Onofrio F. Laurino. And in this case credit can be equally divided. They counted every word they wrote, each making sure the other didn ' t write one word less than he was supposed to. There ' s a certain quality most Cruise Books lack that cannot be directly pointed out. It ' s a quality that makes the difference between a good Cruise Book and an excellent one; it ' s a quality that makes the difference between a dull book and an interesting one. It includes cartooning, arrangement and countless little devices that determine the complete success of a successful book. One man supplied that quality; one man did the cartoons, ordered the arrange- ment and in general fulfilled the entire field of art with which the book dealt. For that mobt important phase well attempted and better executed, thank you Bob Marchon. As an added portion of the literary part of the work there came a most irritating task; that of typing all the stories and descriptive essays. Here Ray Cotterman volunteered his services as he had done many times before whenever COLUMBUS needed him. For now and for the other times, thanks Ray Cotterman. Last and most important of all was the job of management; the job of organizing, placing, fetching and carrying, sweating to meet deadlines and pretty much swearing to keep the boys producing. Here again we offer our gratitude to Marchon. I can safely say that without Marchon, we wouldn ' t have a book this year. 6 9 ) lev I m: f -ih. ' m. J M ' lW Mr ' l uHri iii ftir-
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