Latimer (APA 152) - Naval Cruise Book

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-- :nm It My -1 ------ 'xg L I n --'U' 1 Lg , -I 122-2 -I l w u gg I 757.-IH if , A -X ... Q-Qae' Q 3 I Rn ii, 2 is-at - ell! 7 QE? lllt 1 Wag-X iz Arrival at Toulon, France occurred about 0800 on 17 December 1954. Site of France's oldest naval base, Toulon possessed a color- ful ',Main Street area just outside the main gate of the base. Beyond that lay an im- pressive shopping area with modern depart- ment stores and luxuriously furnished shops. To afford all hands an opportunity to attend, two ship's parties were held on 22 and 23 December 1954, respectively, in a Toulon dance hall. Religious ceremonies appropria- tely celebrated Christmas Eve and Christ- mas Day aboard ship. Clear skies and chilly temperatures pervaded upon the LAT1MER's departure from Toulon on 27 December 1954, but clouds hid the sun the next morning as the ship entered the harbor at Genoa, Italy, which undoubtedly ranks as the busiest Mediterranean port, Me- dieval and modern surroundings provided interesting contrasts in Genoa. The old part of the city contained narrow, winding streets with stairs and bridges, hemmed in by old buildings. Genoa appealed to sightseers for its rich hi- storical past. A monument significant to West- erners stood near the railway stationg it me- morialized one of Genoa's famous citizens, namely Christopher Columbus, the Great Discoverer.

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M! Q7 R X N lluring are LA'IiIMER's KW N visit, ships tourists tra- wl K T R N veled to such places as X X' Venice, cultural Milan , M' W and beautiful Garmisch, l by A ' the latter in Germany. F' xg K 13: 4 R ln venice, LATIMER- l xdlj ITES encountered the LJ S I X famed gondolas which ' ' glided quietly through calm canals amid spark- Xix N ling blue waters. Byzan- ik V tine and Renaissance pa- ,.......--- laces offered challenges to shutterbugs as did the wide Piazza San Marco and Doge's Palace. Gateway to the beautiful Italian lake re- gion, Milan appealed to the epicureans of the LATIMER. Other than its great cathe- dral, a massive masterpiece of Gothic art in white marble, Leonardo da Vinci's mag- nificent fresco, ,' The Last Supper , impressed observers as outstanding among the city's many incomparable art treasures. Traces of snow fell on 3 January 1955 as the LATIMER wended its way seaward. The next five days found the ship operating between Italy and Spain, just south of France. Keeping the LATIMER in fighting condition G G G G remains the primary job of the damage con- trolmen in R Division. They are the spe- cialists in the theory, techniques, skills and equipment of fire fighting, chemical warfare, carpentry, painting and general damage con- trol. Among other duties, the men of R division repair and maintain the woodwork aboard ship, including that of the small boats. In addition, they prepare shoring, braces and other jury rigs used in damage control. V.