Endicott (DMS 35) - Naval Cruise Book

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11 other officers were fortunate enough to attend. We set out not knowing what to expect, but returned with memories of a fine time. Admiral Soong and his chiefs of staff were on hand to greet us. The South Korean offi- cers, their wives and girl friends were there, too. There was a choice of American liquor that soon led to a, more congenial at- mosphere. At first, we were hesitant, even though the Koreans were as friend- ly and hospitable as can be imagined. Soon, we became more accustomed to the situation and entered into the spirit. Later in the evening, a very fine orches- tra arrived from Pusan. To our amaze- ment, the orchestra played American music, and played so well that they could easily put many bands at home to shame. It is a South Korean custom that everyone dance. By this time, we were well into the spirit of the occasion and were introduced to the wives and girl friends, and expected to dance. We soon discovered that only a few of the women could speak any English, even though most of the men could, but could they dance! Fox Trot, Waltz, Samba, Rhumba Jitterbug they could do them all After three hours of dancing and friendly conversa tion with the South Korean naval off: cers and their wom en we left again for Endicott The following morning Admiral Olsen reviewed the sailors from the training center shortly before our departure As we sailed from Chin Hae en route to Pusan we departed with a greater un derstanding and faith in our allies the South Koreans ENS J P CRUTCHER With Assistance from E R PITTMAN QM3 I I g I I . 0 , . I I Q . . . I . . - . . . . I

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lt was in the year i597 that Admiral Lee Sun Shin, affectionately called Admiral Lee today, wreaked havoc on a Japanese armada preparing to land on the shores of Korea. The Japanese were attempting to make a landing at Tongyong, on the southern coast of Korea, when Admiral Lee, with a single ship, repulsed the attack. His ship was the famous Turtleback, an armor-clad vessel, similar to the Monitor. lt was capable of partial sub- mersion to protect its oars and to place its reinforced bow below the surface of the water. As the Japanese ships approached, Admiral Lee enticed them into a confined bay. Once in there, he partially submerged and methodically rammed each Japanese ship, causing heavy damage that forced them to abandon the landing operation. Admiral Lee today represents the spirit of the South Korean Navy. Three times a year, the highest-ranking naval officers pay homage to his tomb in Tongyong City and celebrate his memory. At the gates of Chin Hae, now the principal naval port, a fifty-foot bronze statue of Admiral Lee has been erected. This statue was seen by many of us as we walked through the streets crowded by noisy, festive people. The Cherry Blossom Festival was especially colorful this day, as it marked one of the commemoration dates for Admiral Lee. Company after company of. sailors in full dress paraded through the streets, flanked by brightly-clad people of all ages. Elders, with small children, sat in groups beneath the beautiful, fragrant trees, watching the activity of celebration. The women, for the most part, wore white blouses and very high-waisted black skirts hanging to their feet in flowing pleats. The men were dressed in many forms of garb: army uniforms, western-style clothes of types and assortments too plentiful to describe, and the native costumes -of long kimo- nos and brightly-colored sashes. The children had on their school uniforms. ln the midst of the crowd, a strange ceremonial dance was taking place. Six men and a -woman with a baby st-rapped toher back .danced in a small circle. Two of the dancers provided music with a small drum and two plates that were banged together as they danced. At the end of a few completed turns about the circle, the dancers would stop and drink heavily from a large wooden tub. As the dance progressed, the dancing became less and the halts more frequent ln another corner of the crowded street, surrounded by throngs of noisy, tipsy people there was a small carnival. There were two types of entertain- ment One a simple swing and the other a variation of our teeter-totter. A plank rested on a mound of dirt, with a girl standing on one end. The game was for another girl to jump on the elevated end, thus throwing the first girl into the air The airborne girl would- then come down, landing on the now elevated end and throw the other into the air. lt was an amusing spectacle as the girls were cheered to greater and greater heights by the gleeful onlookers The high spot of the Chin Hae trip was a party given in honor of Admiral Olsen at the newly opened Officers' Club. The Captain, the Exec. and a few I ' I I - . . . - Q - I I . , .

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0 Yang Do scene of last year's aborted Communist invasion, proved a piece of pie to the Endicott this year. Beer parties ashore were the order of the day and the biggest fight all year was between a Marine Corps first Iouie and second louie, concerning the decoration of their mutually-shared hut with long dead but uncured, bird specimens. We weren't there for t-he final evacuation and wonder if those two places of worship still stand . . . the church on the hill . . . and the bar in the ravine. Those unnavigable shores added a third ship to their toll this year, the Canadian Huron apparently read feet for fathoms and made an unscheduled and disastrous visit at the cautious speed of I2 knots . . . for what we have avoided, Lord, we are truly grateful. Will we soon forget those friendly offers of octopus dinners, or the wonderful Crab-au-Yang Do lunches? Remember how they moved the young girls to the eastern island, and everybody started learning how to operate a sampan? And don't ever forget thatevening rush of the shutter- bugs up to the Ol deck to catch Yang Do Island, far eastern land of enchant- ment as it fades into memory in the beautiful rays of the setting sun. I I ' I . . . . 1 -1 -4 - -- - my ,V..-, , . ,. , M