Edisto (AGB 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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home ffm There is something about returning home after a long voyage that loosens the most carefully hidden emotions of the cynical. It is clearly evident in the faces of the men as they crowd the rails for a first glimpse of their home skyline and an anxious searching for their families Waiting on the pier. It is especially moving to see the faces of the older men Who, in truth, have done this many times before and will do so again. And yet, for them, each time is like the first. They are momentarily brothers with their youthful companions. This cruise had been very personally theirs, their reactions, their impressions, their experiences were inviolate things. And yet the greatest pleasure would come in the attempt to explain to those who loved them what those things were which had happened to them in their encounter with the ice.

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mn- Mu wx-wx 1, ,, x ,1 .,,, wa, v- 7 mayport, florida Miles of white beaches stretched out on either side of Mayport, Florida but the Exotic hotels we had seen in Hawaii were conspicuously absent here. Here we awaited the arrival of the inspection party which was to ride the ship to Norfolk. The stay in Mayport was uneventful except for Mallett's running over and crush- ing of five fifths of airdale liquor which had been moved to the pier. Returning to the ship after he had parked the whiskey- encrusted ship's vehicle he commented that some of it might be salvaged with a wet sponge. EDISTO got underway for Norfolk with the ever-present inspecting party watching over the sea-detail procedure. They lost no time in commencing the examination and records and files were combed with fine- toothed regulations in mind. Personnel were stopped for Geneva Convention Cards, ABC warfare cards, and other parephenalia of norfolk, virginia officialdom and were regularly asked ques- tions concerning emergency procedures at their posts of duty. Davis, CSSN, was alone in the galley one afternoon when several inspecting officers crashed in an announced that the galley was on fire. No kidding, man? Where? was Davis' casual reply. When pressed as to what he intended to do about the disaster, he finally conceded that he probably would get Ballard out of the sack and ask him. After a rain-threatened personnel in- spection, EDISTO departed Norfolk and turned north and homeward.

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'Hu 'Fw 'his lin: id pin abil li! nh irk T17 avril ,al 155' :Will nfl, NV 5' V gif? :fp L s summing up TO ALL HANDS USS EDISTO has, in, the few years of the DEEPFREEZE operation, established a reputation based on achievement. Her ventures into Moubray Bay, which resulted in the location of Hallett Station, and into the Weddell Sea, where she became known for her ability to operate independ- ently over an extended period of time, have created a tradition for this particular ship which would have been a source of pride to this ship's company, or to any other group who could claim as good a reputation. Had your efforts this year only equalled this tradition, you could be proud of your achievement. But this year you did more than simply equal the past, and in doing it, established new traditions that will live as a source of pride, first to yourselves, and ultimately to those who work in or with this ship later. By your can do approach to all problems, you achieved recog- nition as the Workhorse of Antarctica' in an unglamorous role of routine support, where recog- nition was most unlikely to occur. By your perseverance and gallantry, you took this ship through a perilous, post-season operation and brought her back into port when the odds were opposed to this success. With all this, you established a record of conduct and friendship in overseas ports that will remain a tribute to you yourselves for many years to come. In absolutely every respect it has been a privilege and an incomparable experience to have been a shipmate with you. It is with the utmost ,happiness that I join with the others who have had the pleasure of seeing this ship in action by adding my heartfelt WELL DONE to their sincere and lavish praise. , C f Q ' GRIFFITH C. EVANS, JR., CDR, USNR . . . .-.. ..-f--,.,,...,,-.,.,..Mv,....,,.,, .-.M ......,.,,..,..-...,-,....,,,..-..,,.,, c....,.,,,,-,,,.,,,,,.,,,g,,,1N,x,g,,. gm V, il 5,11gj:f.jjjQ:':g1j:jf Q'QQft ff1:t-if