Eldorado (AGC 11) - Naval Cruise Book

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,,..we visit Shimazu castle villa, the Satsuma China factory, and watch the bamboo artisans at work. we drape the flight deck with bunting and hold open house to 1,000 school children and their teachers....refreshments are in order on the fantail. The ship's Chief Master at Arms organizes swimming parties....and we cross the bay to a beach at the foot of the volcano. we are amazed at the 'floating lava rocks'.... as we leave this port we feel a certain success in our visit ....and know that our shining white uniforms have undoubtedly b1'011ght many second looks.

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On one of our treks to Sasebo, our flagship has acquired a mascot - a Japanese dog, or rather, puppy. He is seen strolling, quarterdeck to forecastle, at most any hour of the day or night ....he readily takes to this life at sea. And then one day, we find that he is nameless .... and as this will never do .... we rack our brains .... in the end .... he's called just plain 'Jug'. we move to the southermost port of Japan, Kagoshima, a city seldom visited by a Navy ship .... and we chance to gain a rare insight of the unchanged traditions of Japan. As our ship anchors with a hackdrop of lofty Sakurajima volcano, we take along Japanese-English phrase books to aid in ou quests of the city. 1

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Returning to Sasebo....we walk the streets in the warmth of su mer....and readily find refuge in the coolness of ' the cabaret. As we cross a bridge on our way into the city, we never fail l 7 , to meet a certain indigenous clown, rather unusually dressed .... with an 'eat at Joe's' placard around his neck . .... he hands us a card which brings forth a free drink at some place along the road, somehow or other we never seem to get that far.... most of us head for the beach or poolg those more athletically inclined, climb the diving board, while some can do no more than lie in the sun. A last look at Pusan before we start our trip back home to Tokyo Bay .... then we tie up to our familiar pier....and when liberty begins, we are off in a thousand different directions .... we reminisce in the familiarity of a city we know so well .... and as we hear the strains of a certain song, we decide it's not such a long time from 'May to .... '