Essex (CVS 9) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 264 text:

' f Lf ' ' ' , 1 1 1 1 x fer'-W-m -1-,-.J-4,127 . 1. .-vp. -..fr I 1 'f Nyvmyz, giwgswfij I-V I 4 ' W ' , U ,ff , -' The Rock. In just a few more days . . . we'll be home

Page 263 text:

. -.,. M. 1... sw., Gi brallar A shopping spree aT Hercule's Pillar mind for The bumpy return To Conus, World War ll monumenf. 256 puT us in The proper frame of broke buT happy. JusT as The sighT of The greaT Rock rising sTeadily ouT of The misTs aT The enTrance To The Med, signals The beginning of a cruise, so To ESSEX, The Tinal, brief sTop aT GibralTar signalled The end of a cruise .and The beginning of The journey home. IT was a Time of lasT minuTe souvenir hunTing, of warm sun, of curios, and liTTle shops, and shuTTered windows. MosT of all, iT was a Time of waiTing. In a Tinal shopping spree, Those who had any money leTT spenT iT. . .and ThoughTs Turned from The exoTic sighTs iusT leTT behind, To whaT was ahead. Home we Turned. . .ESSEX slipped inTo The seas once more, and headed wesT. The world lay be- hind . . . and home was iusT over The horizon. Lasf chance.

Page 265 text:

2 . . . but we're finally here. , ,,, ,,r l l It was a long wait . . . Homecoming It was a cold December day in Quonset Point, but no one. seemed to mind. There was snow on the ground and frost on the breath, and the air was chill and damp. But over the horizon came the ESSEX, advancing straight for the pier, her men lining the flight deck for a first glimpse, and warmth broke over the waiting crowd. lt seemed an eternity before the ship was tied up, and the gangway in place, and then the long lines of blue clad sailors, and the welcoming shouts, and the smiles, and even tears. In the arms and eyes of her loved ones, ESSEX was home at last.