Columbus (CA 74) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 18 text:

Even after only a week at sea, the lush tropical island of Oahu rising out of the Pacific was a welcome sight. Just seven short days before the Columbus had sailed from Long Beach, leaving wives, families and sweethearts behind, to plunge into the midst of high pressure fleet operations while steaming to the explosive area of the Far East. Oahu, the main island of the Hawaiian group, with Diamond Head looming clear and sharp over Waikiki Beach, with Hono- lulu and Pearl Harbor, was the big break in a long trip across the winter Pacific. And a most welcome stop it was, in spite of the rain and lack of Hula girls to greet us on the pier. Although pay day had been long gone and the next one not close enough to be of benefit in Hawaii, no one could stop the East Coast sailors of the Columbus from seeing the sights of the semi-tropical island. Although our stay was brief, only two days, it was the the refresher needed to start us out on the l-o-n-g trek to Japan. But as Diamond Head dropped astern, Hawaii was gone but not forgotten. In six months ' time we would stop in again, this time for a brief reindoctrination prior to our return to the States. The throne room, Imperial Palace The beach at Waikiki teimmt . :5j

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Columbus, Bremerton, St Paul and Helena, as CruDiv 3 relieves CruDiv 1 It was a long, rough trip from Pearl Harbor to Japan across a wintry, very un-pccific Pacific. Any pert would be welcome, and we found it a little im- possible to beli ve the fabulous reports of the warm reception awaiting us in Yokosuka. It was a relief to see the d rk green shores of Japan beckoning to us as we steamed up Tokyo Bay. And going ashore, we found that our reports were 100 ,, correct. What impressed us most was the friendliness of the people ar.d their eagerness to please. We walked and gawked at the gals in kimoncs and the houses with pagoda roofs that shone in the rain; the language was like nothing we had ever heard before, but everyone learned a few words, even if if was only baby-san . The week of ISE after our first four days in Yokosuka only made us more anxious to return. And when we did, for a full week, we had an opportunity to spread out and see some more of this fascinating country. But all good things (Yokosuka was the best we ' d hit in a long time) pass quickly. As we sailed again down Tokyo Bay, however, we knew that our sayonara was only temporary, that in three months ' time we ' d be back to this compact island paradise. So this is Japan ! We took our first walks down Thieve ' s Alley, learning how to drive a hard bargain