Gurke (DD 783) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 C' A- wr' VI- 'U W LT. Plyer opening the fruits of victory. 4:-4:13 .Ui-s,x X Lk ,asv- -11 'JS .nA '- ... Coxswain BM2 Amos

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V' r. A... .... COWBOYS FROM THE GURKE While USS GURKE plunged through Pacific swells off Japan one day this fall, two of ner crew were west of Tokyo aboard the rolling, twisting backs of bucking horses. The unusual swapping of deck plates for horse flesh was made by enlisted men Ron Ford and Gary Jenkins. For about three weeks while the GURKE was operating with the U.S. Seventh Fleet, they were Fiodeoing with the Casey Tibbs Wild Western Show 20-miles from Tokyo. lt was a life every sailor turned cowboy could enioy: plenty of bucking horses, street brawls, pretty girls and all the Sukiyaki a strapping six-footer in cowboy boots could eat. The Tibbs Show was making its second appearance in Japan on a tour that will even- I 1 tually take it to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand. Tibbs is a six time winner of the world title for Bronco Riding and has iwice captured the All-Around Cowboy Crown. Tibbs' Show is made up of more than 100 American Cowboys, Cowgirls and Indians, as well as live stock and reproduction of a frontier town and indian village. Ford and Jenkins managed to sign on with Tibbs' outfit with the permission of CDR. Holland and through the Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. They were allow- ed to participate in the show on no cost temporary additional Orders. They appeared before tens of thousands of Japanese people of all ages. Both Ford and Jenkins were born and raised in Texas and were not strangers to the show's 120 horses and ponies, 12 cows and calves, and three buffalo. Ford is from Springtown, by Fort Worth, and Jenkins comes from Pampa, near Amarillo. Each claims to have been astride a horse before they could walk. They carry boots, hats and spurs aboard GURKE, where Ford is a machinery repairman and Jenkins is a hull technician. Along with riding horses, steer and buffalo twice a day, seven days a week, Ford and Jenkins filled in as the Bad Guys in simulated street brawls, handed out pamphlets to visitors, and gave pony rides to wide-eyed children. The Wild Western Show wasn't exactly like being back home in Texas, but the two GURKE sailors felt they had found the best of the West in the Far East. ,',u. SU?