Gurke (DD 783) - Naval Cruise Book

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Sign your life away... Back in the old Navy... SITREP Look I Weil... I think. What, me worry ?

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PARTIES J « dr Jf «f . M ■vl S 1 Tj ai: ' i«i ir 4K ' ' 1 L Mi lfi B B iU H

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THE TALE OF CTF 74 Listen, my children, and I ' ll tell you more of the cruise of Task Force 74 Hardly a man can forget the commotion We caused when we sailed to the Indian Ocean The world was surprised and the people got mad From Peking to New Delhi, from ! loscow to Vlad In Dacca, Calcutta, and old Singapore They followed the movements of ' 74. Our carriers, auxiliary, and seven small boys Made quite a strong force and caused lots of noise They did not know why we had come to this sea (Nor did they know that neither did we!) They asked many questions, but no one asked more Than the officers and sailors of 74 But there were no answers, no messages of cheer To brighten our Chirstmas or greet the New Year And so we sailed on ' round these far distant lands Doing field days and flight ops and contingency plans We watchecd for supply ships who came out and met us And wondered if one day they might just forget us. The days dragged on by and our own sense of humor Carried us through each discouraging rumor We watched and we watied and hoped for a word To go back in Subic, but nothing was heard. That ' s all there is children, I ' ve no more to say Just write to your sailor and hope that one day The story I ' ve told you will then have an end If the mail ship arrives I will write you again.