John Stennis (CVN 74) - Naval Cruise Book

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ENDURING FREEDOM 461

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-A •- » -:, v ' C £ ' vjg,-? { ar 1 «ZSrT 460 USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) T i lV

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erth Fremantle AUSTRALIA The order came down from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the US would reduce the aircraft carrier presence in the North Arabian Sea from two carriers to one. With a Roger that, the bow of USS John C. Stennis soon pointed South and steamed towards AustraHa without looking back. Walkina around Freemantle felt like being in a time warp. Everyone was smiling and happy as they walked bare foot through the sidewalk cafes and perused the shops for authentic tastes of Australia. A quick visit to Q trolley staUon changed the scenery from a quaint seaside village to the hustle and bustle of a thriving metropolis. Beina Western Australia ' s sister city to San Diego. Perth felt almost like home. The locals were friendly the prices were reasonable and the fun was non-stop. The climate was perhaps the nicest part of the visit, after the breath taking heat and humidity that the JCS spent several months battling, the cool afternoons and comfortable evenings were refreshing. Street performers and tourists throng to Perth on the weekends, making the city come alive with activity. Hand walkers, sword swallowers and fire jugglers were in abundance. With Aboriginal paintings, dijeridoos. boomerangs and kangaroo skins, there were markets that offered just about any Australian souvenir ever imagined. Yet, if it was quiet solitude you desired, then a walk through the park or a stroll on the beach was ideal. To the crew of JCS the term Liberty seemed to have been coined after an Australia port visit. Sailors and Marines felt free to do whatever they pleased: be that enjoying the night life, tasting fine food, sampling the local culture or just Eelaxing with a pint. This port visit put it all together. ■n- .• iiiiii IIMll llllll llllll mill mill i 1 X V - ' 1? S JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74)