Floyd Parks (DD 884) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 31 text:

Km-W ' The PARKS came to call Kao-hsiung the in and out port, for it seemed as though we never spent much time there but always stopped on the way to or from patrol or an operating area. The name Kao-hsiung goes back many centuries and originally meant beat the dog gracefully or some- thing to that effect. An interesting fact about Formosa is that it is said to retain some of the true Taiyal Men, a cannibal race of an ancient strain of Chinese. The word Taiyal means Real Men. Not knowing how real they were, none of the crew ventured to find out. The Formosa Patrol consisted mostly of a battle with the elements as it rained so much some of the men claimed they were growing web feet. But our real rea- son, that of acting as an instrument of United States Foreign Policy, protecting Formosa from threat of inva- sion was never overlooked, and it was a worthwhile experience just to operate in such a focal point of world tension. Next stop - Subic Bay.

Page 33 text:

WWW Hong Kong-gateway to the Orient, is a city of con- trasts where a cosmopolitan atmosphere and elegant homes seem out of place with the teeming harbors of junks and sampans, The population of Hong Kong ap- proaches 21Ai million which is a sizeable increase from the 500,000 inhabitants the island had in 1941 when the Iapanese seized it. No one really knows how many peo- ple live on the junks and sampans choking the harbors but the count is increased weekly by refugees swarming over from the Chinese Communist mainland. Hong Kong, which is actually only the name of the island whereas the city itself is called Victoria, is a place of beauty with its breath-taking views from Vic- toria Peak and Repulse Bay and the grotesque attraction of Tiger Balm Garden. Fine beaches and swimming re- sorts provided many hours of enjoyment, followed by a quiet dinner in any one of the world-famous restaurants scattered throughout the island. The PARKS found shop- ping in Hong Kong and Kowloon, across the harbor, rewarded by purchases of tailor-made clothes, gold work, jewels, pure silks and intricate lacework-basic elements of centuries of Oriental trade. When we put to sea again with our lockers laden with Oriental treasures and our pockets empty, we said good- by to an exotic, friendly, and fascinating world of people living inside the dark shadow of the mountains to the north - mountains of Red China, and sailed to Tsushima Straits for ASW operations. Coming soon - our first stop in Iapan . . . Sasebo. 31 ,