John McCain (DL 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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mooring. All of us were impressed with the important mission which faced us. . . it was within our power to strike a strong blow for fhe Western cause in one of the most powerful nations in the Far East. The reception of the crewmen from the MC CAIN was at once both friendly and cordial. The initially fine impression which each man made upon all with whom he came in contact proved to be the single most important factor in the success of the visit. Many of the men established fine lasting friendships with members of the Calcutta community. Because the ship was tied up at buoys located over one hundred yards from the landing, these personal relationships were of added importance as only a limited number of people could actually visit the ship. One of the first acts of good will carried out by the MC CAIN was the presentation of S5000 worth of anti-biotics to the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health which were to be used for the relief of victims of recent floods in West Bengal, lndia. Later in the visit, the men of the MC CAIN personally distributed over 3500 pounds of food to flood victims in nearby villages. The Indian people were most appreciative of each of these demonstrations of good will and understanding. The orphan party given by the MC CAIN for a group of sixty orphans from a local home was a most successful affair. The children loved the cartoons, the ice cream and cake and candy, the presents given to them, and the sailors by whom they were entertained. Many of us will long remember our cute, polite, and enthusiastic guests. The highlight of the visit to Calcutta for most of the men on the MC CAIN was the Charity Ball for the Relief of West Bengal Flood Victims which was held at the Great Eastern Hotel. Over l300 people attended the ball and contributed over ?'pl000 toward the Flood Relief Program. The DESFLOT ONE Band was never in better form as they played from eight until three. The MC CAIN men escorted young ladies from the Anglo-Indian community to the dance. All of those who attended the dance hated to see it end. There was little doubt in anyone's mind that the entire evening had been a resounding success and that it had contributed greatly to American prestige in lndia. As the ship prepared for its departure early on the morning of October 26th, everyone could look back on the visit and take pride in the fact that he had played a major role in materially strengthening Indo-American friendship. In addition he had an opportunity to visit one of the most unique ports in the entire world and to become acquainted with the people of India. The visit had been a continuing series of interesting people to people events and although we were all suffering from a lack of sleep, there were not many of us who wanted to leave. f f The most Welcome Gift-Food It will never outsell Chevvy

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,-4167177 KH AD Fw .px No United States warship had journeyed up the Hooghly River to Calcutta, India, for eight years when the MC CAIN began her trek early in the morning on 21 October 1959. The trip up the 125 mile river was a thrilling experience in itself as the Hooghly is one of the most difficult of all rivers to traverse owing to the extreme tides and heavy silting caused by the fall monsoons. The MC CAIN arrived at her mooring buoys at five in the afternoon after the eight hour trip up the river and began the extremely difficult task of mooring. During the fall monsoons, the Hooghly River has an eight knot tide which requires the use of heavy chains both fore and aft when I ,

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