Columbus (CA 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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ENGINEERING OFFICERS A MEDICAL OFFICERS A ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS A OPERATIONS OFFICERS Y ik NAVIGATION OFFICERS V

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, .. sm 5-Q... ' bepartment M1444 CDR Edward F. Carl-Operafions LCDR John C. Herron-Supply CDR Ira B. Ramsey-Engineering LCDN William B. Dickson-Gunnery LCDR Alex Baker-Naviga+ion CDR Arflnur Slone-Denfal LT John F. McVay-Medical SUPPLY OFFICERS Y Y GUNNERY OFFICERS

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Nobody paid much affenfion fo fhe dark gray sky, nor fhe heavy downpour of rain . . . people sfood on fhe docks, frying hard fo smile, fheir arms growing heavy as fhey kepf fheir hands waving . . . fug boafs pushed and fauf lines slackened . . . sfrong bellows from fhe ship's whisfles . . . fog horns blasfed fhe affernoon air . . . wheels furned . . . and slowly . . . ever carefully . . . fhe heavy vessel leff her berfh and sfarfed ouf fowards fhe open sea . . . fowards fhe beginning of her five monfh . . . 01 editer ane n Cl-ui e If was a sfrong wind fhaf guided fhe sleek gray form of fhe cruiser CO- LUMBUS fhrough Bosfon Harbor, ouf fo fhe beckoning Aflanfic. She made a handsome picfure as she glided fhrough fhe dark green wafers, whife foam pushing up againsf her freshly painfed sides. Her guns poinfed up fo fhe darkening skies and seagulls, pushed by fhe sea winds, gracefully fol- lowed fhe ship's wake, calling in coarse voices for food. If was Sepfember 7, I954g firsf sea dufy for some men, lasf for ofhers. If was fhe beginning of a long period of fime . . . away from families and friends . . . away from fhe old haunfs, movie houses, deparfmenf sfores, Summer and Winfer Sfreefs, fhe Buddies' Club, Soufh Sfafion, Scollay Square, Beacon Hill, Joe's Pizza Garden, fhe Charlesfown Y , Bun- ker Hill Monumenf, Mercury Cleaners, and all fhe ofher places fhaf made Bosfon home. And in leaving fhe Sfafes, each man leff a liffle bif of his hearf . . . maybe wifh fhe friends who promised fo wrife af leasf once a week, or wifh fhe mom and dad who swore fhey wouldn'f worry . . . may- be if was enclosed in fhaf lasf-minufe leffer before ouf-going mail closed onboard' '... or maybe if was clufched fenderly in fhe small fisf held high so fhaf fhe flimsy handkerchief could be seen for along while. Crossing fhe Aflanfic was far from dull. The daily roufine was a busy one . . . early reveilles, condifion wafches, baffle problems, drone firings, Ex- ercise Blackiack, leffer-wrifing, movies, innoculafions, Sixfh Fleef briefings, and fhen. . . on fhe morning of Sepfember 22nd . . . quarfers for enfering por+ . . .