Horne (CG 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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•THE CRUISE OF A LIFETIME” It was a warm Saturday morning when we departed San Diego on July 15th. We left with mixed emotions. The sadness of saying goodbye to friends and loved ones combined with the excitement of the unknown. Anticipation hung in the still summer air. None of us knew what to expect over the three months and 20.000 miles that lay ahead. The South Pacific! Enchanted islands and fabled ports ... a world of contrasts . . . the quiet beauty of Bali Hai and the hustle of cosmopolitan Sydney. Officially designated SOUTH PACIFIC EXERCISE 1-78” and unofficially nicknamed THE CRUISE OF A LIFETIME our mission was to show the Hag of the United States to friends and allies throughout the South Pacific. Many of the ports to he visited had not seen a U.S. warship since the days of World War Two. With the Coronado Bridge far behind us. we set course for the legendary lands of Robert Louis Stevenson. Captain James Cook, and the domain of King Neptune. 73