Gridley (CG 21) - Naval Cruise Book

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SUBI C BAK PHILIPPINES SUBIC BAY WAS OUR FIRST AND LAST PORT OF CALL DURING WESTPAC 'B7. POSSESSING OUR LARGEST BASE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN USED AS THE SITE FOR INCHOP AND OUTCHOP TO AND FROM SEVENTH FLEET. OLONGAPO CITY, SIT- UA TED ADJACENT TO THE BASE, HAS EVOL VED FROM A ONE-STREET TOWN LITERALLY CARVED OUT OF THE JUNGLE INTO A MUCH EXPANDED SAILOR 'S PARIDISE OF BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND NIGHTCLUBS. AL- THOUGH HIGHL Y DEPENDENT ON THE BASE, WITH AN ECONOMY THAT PEAKS AND TROUGHS WITH THE PASSING OF EACH BA TTLEGROUP, IT IS OF SUFFI- CIENT SIZE TO ACCOMMODA TE THE LARGEST OF LI- BERTY PARTIES. THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERY- BODY AT SUBIC BA Y. IF ONE DIDN'T CARE FOR THE BLARING NOISE AND NEON OF OLONGAPO, THE LA YED-BA CK A TMOSPHERE OF BARRIO BARRETO AND SUBIC CITY WERE BUT A JEEPNEY-RIDE A WA Y. IF ONE WAS INTERESTED IN MORE RESERVED ENTERTAIN- MENT, THE BASE ITSELF OFFERED EXTENSIVE RE- CREA TIONAL FACILITIES. OVERALL, BOTH OF OUR VIS- ITS WERE ENTIRELY TOO BRIEF TO TAKE FULL ADVAN- TA GE OF EITHER THE EXTENSIVE UPKEEP AND REPAIR FACILITIES OF THE BASE OR THE RECREATIONAL FA- CILITIES ON-BASE AND BEYOND, HAVING BEEN CUT SHORT BY A TYPHOON ON ONE OCCASION AND BY THE PRESSING DESIRE TO RETURN HOME ON THE OTH- ER. DANCERS REHEARSINO FOR THE EVENINCTS ENTERTAINMENT , CTL' L I ,IL O J- J x J MARKET PLACES WERE EXCITING PLACES TO BROUSE AND, FOR THE ADVENTUROUS, A GOOD PLACE FORA FRESH AND INEXPENSIVE SNACK. CARIBOU HORNS WERE A HIT WITH SAILORS, AND SAILORS WERE A HIT WITH VENDORS. 2 ..-1 ,l

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I v J- USS BUCHANNAN IDDG-141, GREYHOUND OF THE SEA . K, V V 1 F F A, ' , V V ,Q A ,K ,U V . USS JOHN YOUNG IDD-97.52 AND USS ROBERT E. PERRY IFF- 107.5l, BOTH PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE if WARFARE. ALTHOUGH NOT PART OF OUR BA TTLEOROUP, HMS WZEN fF91J CONTRIBUTED TO KEEPING THE -I I PMCE AROUND THE PERSIAN GULF. - I U S5 LEFTWWCH TDD-9841 USS LONG BEACH ICON-92, LARGEST CRUISER CURRENTLY IN THE U.s. NAVY

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5 HGAPORE UQUST WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO VISIT SINGAPORE. IT INA OT ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED, BUT SINCE WE HAD BEEN WASEH OUT OF SUBIC BYA TYPHOON, WE WERE UNEXPECTED- DRIVIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY. ESTABLISHED AS A BRITISH LY GQHY BY SIR STAMFORD RAFFLES IN 1819 AND STRATEGI- COLLY LOCATED ON THE STRAITS OF MALACCA, SINGAPORE CMSALWA YS BEEN A MAJOR COMMERCIAL CENTER. POPULAT- QSPREDOMINANTLY BY INDUSTRIOUS CHINESE AND MALA YS, THE CITY STATE HAS EXPANDED RAPIDLY SINCE OBTAINING INDEPENDENCE IN 1951. REFLECTING ITS COLONIAL PAST, THE CULTURE WAS HIGHLY VICTORIAN IN NATURE. THE CITY ITSELF WAS EXTREMELY CLEAN AND ITS PEOPLE ADHERED TO VERY STRICT DRESS CODES. BEER AND NIGHTLIFE WERE EX- PENSIVE, BUT THE SHOPPING AND EYEBALL LIBERTY WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CITYA HIT AMONGST GRIDLEY SAILORS. THE THREE DA YS WE VISITED THERE WOULD TURN OUT T0 BE THE LAST LIBERTY WE WOULD SEE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. E 1 4 ORIGINA TING IN CHINA, BUDDHISM IS PRACTICED THROUGHOUT THE ORIENT, FROM KOREA TO INDONESIA, INCLUDING SINGAPORE. ALTHOUGH T STREETS HESE BUILDINGS ARE SOMEWHAT RUN DOWN, THE CLEANLINESS OF THE - . AND WALKWA YS ARE TYPICAL OF WHAT WE EXPERIENCED. IN FRONT OF SINGAPORE'S GOVERNMENTAL BUILDINGS, PREPARATIONS ARE BEING MADE FOR AN INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRA- TION. K , fl A . ms... X .at-1-nr . , ,Y Q ..,. V , W- - .L i' ,., +- -V .--- --.1-A 1 'W' ff ,.. - 'i ,U--'Q-J- 1 1..4-- ':a:ip-,fa ' - ... - A ,,, L. ,. T ' -an--V,., - as-7 ,, 'L 4 - , . E ,4 Qds- Q ,- 1'q'. WH- - m. D,-vw, MC- My K, M It .fr A I, T 'L .,-. .. -,..-,+V 'yn - ff 5 - 1 4 4 1.-,Q ..z,-1:2-A.. 'A ' ' M' m 61 4, ,