Lewis Hancock (DD 675) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 72 of the 1957 volume:

vr NORTH AMERICA- ' ARSENTIA NEWPORT AZORES o C3 o o 50UTH AMERICA. CROSSING RETURNING l V ASIA EUROPE a VENICE AFRICA I1ASSAWA .,. ... _ . _ a m ■ ' uaa letoU kanccck 44 67S USS LEWIS HANCOCK DD 675 was launched by the Kearney Shipyards in Kearney, New Jersey. She was commissioned August 1, 1943 by Captain Joy Hancock USN(W) in honor of her late husband Lieutenant Commander Lewis Hancock, who perished with the airship USS SHENANDOAH in 1925. The Lewis Hancock is a 2100 ton destroyer, 376 ' 6 in length, capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots. The armament includes the main battery of five inch guns, several 40 millimeter anti-aircraft guns, and various anti-submarine weapons. HANCOCK earned eleven battle stars in the Pacific. She was there with Task Group 58.2 at the Marshalls, Carolines, Truk, Palau, Yap, New Guinea, Wake, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and the Philippine Sea. Later with Task Force 38, she saw Luzon, Formosa, Okinawa, the Philippine Liberation, and the invasion of Iwo Jima. Decommissioned on 10 January 1946, she hoisted her pennant once again on 19 May 1951 and was ordered back to action in Korean waters. Detached in January 1953 from the Seventh Fleet, she returned to Newport via Southeast Asia, the Mid-East, and Europe, thus completing the circumnavigation of the globe. In the four years since, she has continued to log sea miles. Completing four more foreign tours, two to Northern Europe and two to the Mediterranean and the Mid-East, plus keeping her commitments to the Atlantic Destroyer Force have made her one of the operatingest ships in the fleet. On 6 May 1957 the Hancock left Newport, Rhode Island, for her second tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet within a period of twelve months. The following pages depict that voy- age. Now this much traveled, much decorated lady is due for another rest. She will report to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for decommis- sioning to take place in December 1957. U.S.S. LEWIS HANCOCK DD-675 FLEET POST OFFICE NEW YORK. NEW YORK 30 August 1957 From: Commanding Officer To: All Hands Tod y marks the end of an interesting and eventful cruise to the Mediterranean = nd Middle East. During the past four months, La ' .JIS HANCOCK has logged what may be a record 27,328 miles on her engines, the equivalent of one -nd one-eighth times around the world. Included in the ports of call were many of those far away places with strange sounding names - Ronta del Gada, Raima, Athens, Aden, Bahrain, Umm Slid, Massawa, Spetsai Island, Venice, Barcelona, Gibraltar and Argentia. The international situation that prevailed at the time of the ship ' s emergency deployment a year ago had improved considerably by the time we left the States on May 6th, although the Suez Canal was still the subject of much controversy. The rospect of another tour in the hot, humid Middle East was not too pnealing, but the idea of rounding the Cape of Good Hope with stops at Cape Town and Kombassa was eagerly looked forward to by all hands. Our plans were changed in mid-Atlantic however by decision of the United States to resume use of the Suez Canal, and we ended up being the fifth U.S. man-of-war to transit the big ditch after its reopening. Thanks to new air conditioners, a full set of awnings, no water hours, good fishing and tropic 1 working hours, this 5-week portion of the cruise turned out to be more pleasant than anticipated. For many of you, this Cruise Book will be a reminder of your second tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet in less than a year, including two cruises to the Rad Sea-Persian Gulf Area. For the HANCOCK, this cruise also marks the end of a colorful and glorious career, for just before returning to the States, word was received that she is soon to join the mothball fleet for the second time in her career. One thing can be truly said of the HANCOCK, or the Leaky Lewy as we affectionately call her, she has been an operating ship and she has never failed to meet a commitment. For two years in succession, she was next to top ship in the squadron competition. In the next few months we will be scattered far and wide. Regardless of where we go, I ' m sure that all of us will carry with us fond memories of association with a fine ship and a fine crew. In years to come, as we thumb through the p-ges of this cruise book, old stories will unfold themselves and many pie; s nt experiences relived, and cerhaps a few eyes will become a little misty. To all of you as we are about to p rt, I wish the best of luck in your new = ssiimments, and I hope that our paths may cross again some day. A.H. GALVANI Commander, U.S. Navy Commander Amedeo Henry Galvani gradu- ated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1942, and after a short tour as an instructor at the Officer Indoctrination School at Dartmouth Col- lege, reported for duty to the USS BURNS (DD 588) which made an enviable combat record in Pacific waters during World War II. At the war ' s end, CDR Galvani decommissioned the BURNS as Executive Officer. After further destroyer duty as Executive Officer of USS DENNIS J. BUCKLEY (DDR 808), he attended postgraduate school in ordnance engineering (chemical) from 1948 to 1951 at Annapolis and Lehigh University, receiv- ing a Master ' s degree in Chemistry from Lehigh. In July of 1951, he reported to the staff of Commander Carrier Division Four aboard the USS MIDWAY (CVA 41) for a 2-year tour as Gunnery and Readiness Officer. Duty at the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, Hawthorne, Nevada followed next until August 1956 when he took command of the LEWIS HANCOCK. v u« ' - -.. CDR Amedeo H. Galvani, USN Commanding Officer LCDR Clarence H. Howard, USN Executive Officer -- f Tie if ff ' - LCDR C. H. HOWARD was born in Batesburg, South Carolina on 8 October 1921. He graduated from high school in 1939, and then attended Clemson College for two years prior to his entry into the Navy in September 1942. He was com- missioned an ensign in the USNA at Pensacola, Florida in December 1944. During World War II he was attached to Air- craft Squadron VC-13, and since that period has had duty with Underwater Demolition Team Two, explosive disposal and deep sea diving. When the Korean war broke out he served on the USS BAYFIELD (APA 33) as the boat group commander, and took part in most of the am- phibious landings. He reported aboard the USS LEWIS HANCOCK on 31 January 1957 as the Executive Officer, and will probably stay with the ship until it is deactivated. First row: Ens. Sackett, LTJG Sympson, LCDR Howard, Capt. Galvani, Lt Dussault, Ens. Biggs. Second row: Ens. Kalil, Ens. Orski, Ens. Troast, Ens. Galinsky, Ens. O ' Leary, Ens. Brooks, LTJG Gale, Chaplain, Ens. Hager. vMicetA and ckiep + y LTJG Kilpatrick First row: Weston, EMC, Stahl, MMC, Sherman, FTC. Second row: Wallace, GMC, Holloway, BMC, Grunow, PNC, Cassady, HMC. P «.. X 9 1 ■ jHI FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIANS First row: Osowski, Grondberg, Simmons. Second row: Bramhall, Schafer, Henke. Third row: Plym, Becker, Ehmke, Sherman. gunnery SONARMEN First row: Dennis the mennace, O ' Leary, Frederick, Woods, Emond. fei- BOATSWAIN MATES (1ST DIV.) First row: Kitchell, Allen Shaw, Court. Second row Mixon, Sims, Schnable, Na pier, Hallewell, Young, Mar kos. Block, Wilkinson, Lang ford. BOATSWAIN MATES (2ND DIV.) First row: Via, Stroup, Hum- phrey. Second row: O ' Dien, Ehrenkranz, Mocciaro, Ayers, Behr, Brode. Third row: Williams, Jackson, Buffington, Lamare, Kubits- chek, Burkett, Timmons, Malmberg. GUNNERS MATES First row: Buck, Leverett, Dudley, Sherrctrd, Shoemaker, McClary, Rollins, Isard, McCuen . Second row: Sims, Navarro, Minardi, Eastridge, Lovgren, Plympton, Wallace. V, jpi£- x TORPEDOMEN First row: Dumesnil, Savage, De Armitt, Johnson. MASTER-AT-ARMS Longford, Baker, Holloway, McCuen, Plympton. tf ■ unt Ir (i 1 Pf) RADARMEN First row: Hallenbeck, Rigg, Ray, Cellura, Crews. Second row: Pierce, Brugnolotti, Wainwright, Adkins, Aftosmes, Roberson. cpetatbhA ELECTRONICS TECHNICIANS First row: Sutterfield, Pagkos, Kazmer, Albright. Second row: Woodbury, Claffey, Balm, Stafford. . • £ ' ' QUARTERMASTERS First row: Andrews, Siliphant. Sec- ond row: Lobeck, Cesario, Dilling- ham, Elsass. pro u - 1 ! YEOMEN AND PERSONNELMAN Adams, Brock, Lewis. RADIOMEN Traynor, Rhuda, Hughes, Holman, Reed. I ; ' 5 ' ? ' f 77M i Ml STOREKEEPERS, DISBURSING CLERKS AND HOSPITALMEN First row: Pearson, Pachino, Brown, Rothe. Second row: Hudgins, Anderson, Mavroudis, Hook, Kays. Auppllj 8=T 7 o K 5 STEWARDS First row: Arnaldo, Smith. Second row: Watson, Jones, Rogers. COMMISSARYMEN First row: Jones, Reinke, Miczenski. Second row: Estes, Car- roll, Cromlish, Murray. Third row: Hill, Hines, Rogers, King. MESS COOKS First row: Grondberg, Jones, Whitaker. Second row: Dilling- ham, Daudelin, McMahon. Third row: Anderson, Bramhall, Ancona, Marine!!:. i V if r y - ■ engineering BOILER TENDERS First row: Honey, Molloy, Brown. Second row: Hall, Sperber, Buch- ner, Wiggins. BOILER TENDERS First row: Fiest, Button, Myers, Hall, Wargo. Second row: Buch- ner, Reamer, Sperber, Thompson, Druck, Orsini, Colvin. MACHINIST MATES First row: McLaughlin, lapalucci, Robinson, Voghell, Hood. Second row: Dobson, Mullenax, Clesse, Bonner. ENGINEMEN AND MACHINERY REPAIRMEN First row: McLornan, Bowman, Elam, Daudelin. Second row: Mor- gan, Newell, Leed. ELECTRICIANS AND INTERIOR COMMUNICATIONS ELECTRICIANS First row: Spence, Laggis, Larmay, Seubert, Lauck. Second row: Chiu- sano, Schweighardt, Ziroli, Walsh, Taylor, Weston. METALSMITHS AND PIPEFITTERS First row: Mottern, Rollins, Robin- son. Second row: Hicks, Baker, Potter. ' T £ T C K -j r. JSb , i ■ ! ?.■ TRUPEES 46 PESETAS 30E5CUOOS 7 SHILLINGS 2A ETHIOPIAN 30 DRACMWA 625 LIRE 5 7 E. AFRICANS i ' ,, mm - JS. . liimJv MB Ifrfctf i f f 6TH MAY Slowly small groups began to form around the Quarterdeck as men tried to cram into the few remaining minutes the things that would go unsaid for many months. The word was passed, last goodbyes were said, and the crew reluctantly returned to the ship. As the last line was cast off and our fully armed and provisioned ship headed out into the stream, there was a moment of sadness in the hearts of many. To some, it meant months of separation and longing for loved ones; to others, it was the final step of an abbreviated Navy life. But at 1030 we were officially on our way to countries and cultures yet unknown to us. Soon the excitement of the departure was over and everyone settled down to a monotonous Atlantic crossing. The Atlantic was its usual exceptionally calm self and, at times, at least half of the crew could be seen manning the rails. AZORES 11TH MAY- 12TH MAY After five days of sea and sky, the fog-shrouded green hills of the Azores came into view. Soon we were moored in Ponta Del Gada on the Island of San Miguel. The contrasting, and constantly changing scenery here offered vistas that seemed to have come from five different continents. Many pictures were taken of its beautiful lakes, green mountains, and fields that seemed to be multi-colored checkerboards. With the coming of dusk, the picturesque landscape disappeared to be replaced by sparsely glimmering lights that called out the virtues of German beer and the Gar- den of Eden dance hall. But as Cinderella ' s Fairy God Mother warned her to return from the bell at twelve, so did we return. Life! You speak Joe! Now where to? In your Easter bonnet • Ponta Del Gada. No, Spence didn ' t catch these. Furna Una Caldeira Hot Springs. 12 MAY- 14 MAY On 12 May we headed for Freetown, resigned to a cruise around South Africa. Soon Shellbacks appeared from the Mess Decks and hidden beds to plot a dastardly fate for the Pollywogs. But as the best laid plans were changed, so were ours and at 0456 on May 14th we turned around; headed for a Confidential Port known to the crew only as Palma, Majorca. 22ND MAY-26TH MAY Palma, which lies off the coast of Spain on the island of Majorca, is a city of 140,000 people, the most prevalant being tourists and beautiful women. The city seemed to be split up into two definite sectors; one, consisting of colorful old Spain, and the other, of a miniature Miami Beach. The first few days the crew spent enjoying the quaint city with its beautiful cathedral, old cars and motorbikes, horse drawn carriages and above all, Spanish dancers. Many never mastered the art of navigating the one way sidewalks. Several went on a tour that visited the Monastery with the apartments of Frederick Chopin and George Sand, and finished with an exhibition of Spanish folk- dancing. Sailors could be seen swimming at the pool and dancing under the stars at the Victoria Hotel; and enjoying all the comforts of New York night clubs in Spain. The bars seemed to do a rushing business, possibly because most of the bartenders were of the opposite sex. Many friends were made in this international vacation land and everyone seemed a bit sorry that on May 26th we had to leave Palma. Palma ' s fishing fleet and the Cathedral Main Street. Spain ' s Miami Beach. Old amongst the new. Amigos. That Fatherly touch. Heaven on Earth. 29TH MAY - 30TH MAY 11TH JULY- 16TH JULY Piraeus, the gateway to Athens, saw few Yankee Oolla as almost everyone ventured forth to the center of our western civilization. Athens was surely a cameraman ' s paradise as was John Bull ' s a man ' s paradise. The splendored ruins, the Palace guards, and the almost forgotten modern car became a source of amazement to everyone. Soon Athens became a memory and as was our custom, we headed for the open seas on the holiday; Memorial Day. The Hancock Odyssey called for a return to the Aegean where for three days we exercised with units of the Royal Hellenic Navy. And the Greeks spake winged words to them saying ' Peegment Eediom theese ees Amphora Omega. ' In addition to a return visit to pleasant but expensive Athens, we got to see a part of the hinterland in pretty little Spetsai Island. Parthenon A woman ' s work is never done They must have had a rough audience! Theater at Dionysos. Omonia Square. Approach to The Acropolis. A Cosmopolitan City. i A ' . A .v ..«••. m FLOOR SHOW 5- « f. « V ARTISTS And over there we have . Headed for transfer. Had a hard day at the office. Foreign beauty. Fleet Landing. Greek sailors. Strong arm of the law. £ - f 1 I Port Suez Entrance. Now rig awnings. -.- iei 4B Signal Station, Port Suez. 31ST MAY - 1ST JUNE 9TH JULY- 10TH JULY The aftermath of the recent war was still quite evident as we arrived at Port Said, Egypt. There were several partially sunken ships, but from the number of bum boats around the ship, busi- ness seemed as usual. Many will remember the Condition Three Watches and the pungent odor com- ing from the city. As we passed through the Canal, the Egyptian Hospital with its several nurses were a pleasant relief from the rising temperature and ever present sand, but we were soon shaken back to reality by the sight of armored cars, Russian MIGS, and Egyptian soldiers constantly train- ing. At dusk we came into Port Suez and tied up alongside the USS MURRAY DD 576. Soon we had relieved the Murray and were officially a part of the U.S. Middle East Force. In the torrid days and weeks to follow, East of Suez, we came into emphatic agreement with Kipling that indeed, here the best is like the worst. Greeting our relief. Nasser slept here. J CARAVAN jj 6TH JUNE-9TH JUNE Although the heat seemed unbearable before, we soon found that it had not been too bad up until now — the now being the port of Aden in Aden Protectorate. We were on tropical hours, and sleeping topside at night was the rule. June 6th saw the Leaky Lewie anchored out, a short distance from the British and French destroyers also anchored there. After refueling, liberty com- menced for the usual third of the crew or those few who cared to go ashore, for liberty meant wearing a full uniform. Those who made the effort found bargains galore in this Mid-East free port. The shrewdest buyers returned with wonderful purchases in cameras, binoculars and other usually high-priced items. At the local oasis, the Rock Hotel, many beach-goers spent long hours in an attempt to quench their thirst. Afternoon swimming at the R.A.F. Beach was popular, and in the evening the shops opened up again until about 10 o ' clock. Shopping was the only night- life to be found. On 9 June, we swallowed another salt tablet and welcomed putting to sea again. Anybody got a drink? Prince of Wales Pier. Outpost of Empire. New signalman striker? Local super market. The Crescent. jJ6 -£ 2«r X£$£P 15TH JUNE- 19TH JUNE 25TH JUNE- 27TH JUNE On 15 June we anchored in the Persian Gulf at Bahrain Island, a land of sandy wastes, camels, and that magic stuff, oil. We found that oil has a nasty habit of being found where there is little else attractive to man or beast. Bahrain meant more days of terrific heat, sand, and the familiar beer and softball liberty of the Mid-East. We finally got mail. Forty-one bags of it brought letters and care packages from loved ones back home. Some men went ashore to buy very fine tailor- made clothes or exotic handicrafts from India and the Far East while others went merely for the wonderful taste of the fresh fruit juices available there. On the way into the town of Manama, an eight mile drive through the desert, we saw men washing clothes on the river bank and drying them on the ground (the original laundromat). Mr. Sackett and his tour guides played host to some of the British school children who visited the ship, and the Wardroom expanded onto the fore- castle to have a party for their parents. Several men took the Babco Oil Company tour of its re- finery and afterwards were treated to a feast of oxtail and tea. On June 19th we departed Bah- rain temporarily for the mysterious port of Umm Said — mysterious to us and to most map makers. r Main street. Mail at last! Visit to Babeo Oil Company. You can cross now. No, no Jackson, its not for the Quarterdeck watch. Sea front road. __ 1 , j| n ■ ■ ■ • It ' s a real bargain, Abdul Typical Side Street. Native quarter. - . : Honest weight — no springs. Manama Pier. It ' s 105 in the shade, but we ' re going to play Softball! Saftftrr , Twin Minarets. l z ' V f jg£fj Waterfront. take that one. ill i i iH|y ■ i American Mission. SAID 20TH JUNE-23RD JUNE After a trip of one hundred and forty miles through, around and possibly over various channels we finally arrived at the port of Umm Said in Qatar. From the scanty information available, we expected to find an oil well and sand. Instead we found a sizeable community of British oil com- pany personnel who regarded our visit as quite an event and went out of their way to entertain us. Many of the crew were invited into the homes of the Oil Company Officials for a visit and dinner, while others enjoyed the parties given for them by the Oil Company. Thirty-six children toured the ship and thirty-seven left; a muster of the crew was in order. A fishing contest was held by the Captain and was won by Spence and Emond. Another party was given by the officers. We realized that from now on we would retrace our steps. We had withstood the heat and the dust this far, and now we were beginning the long journey back to Suez, the Med , and Home. tf The reading room. Our school teachers were never like this. I I i J ■ Sam-withoot-pants. NoflF Said. (Solar) Heated pool— a comfy 90 On the house. nit Brass! Visiting Potentates. Ik I N o we can ' t fire it right now. Waiting to parade the guard. Each an angel. Soccer anyone? •- % c 3RD JULY- 5TH JULY On 3 July after a storm tossed trip through the Arabian Sea we arrived at the African port of Massawa, Eritrea. Our corner of the dark continent was very bright and hot and the liberty consisted mainly of beer and Softball on a field next to the pier. A small group hired a taxi and guide for a hunting expedition west of the town and Bwana Dussault emerged as Great White Hunter of the Safari, bagging a genuine gazelle. July 4, Independence Day meant full dress ship, but it was just another working day for the deck force as they waged their never ending battle with the rust from our heavy weather enroute. Some of the crew enjoyed the holiday too exten- sively, and the following day Jerry Rigg hired two native skin-divers who successfully recovered his false teeth from the bottom of the bay. We finally received our first fresh milk here since leav- ing the States and 2600 pints disappeared in a matter of a few days. On July 5th we departed Massawa with a feeling that things were looking up. The Mess Cooks said we would be stopping at two classified ports in the Med which were referred to only as Venice and Barcelona. ' , He sure can throw it! l r P? ! What do I do now, coach? ■, Heavens!! Does your mother know you ' re out? «■ Going native. . H f ■ ' ' ' ' What is it? and I might buy it. 4F, Come on fellas! asp - - tj iHliS! II it ii : iM M st. Full dress ship on the 4th. Shore Patrol Headquarters — Nerve center of the bustling metropolis. Massawa side street. tnokw Which way to the pool. Hello Mom! 7TH JULY 1957 Pop-guns. As a substitute for poor liberty ports it was decided that we make our own entertainment, and so a smoker was to be held on the fantail the first Sunday afternoon after leaving Massawa. A call went out for any and all people who could act. Soon voices could be heard straining to stay on key, musical instruments were broken out and the local acting talent emerged from hiding. The day finally arrived and the crew responded with enthusiasm. A mysterious secret group known only as the Sigma Tau Fraternity were present at the proceedings. Several skits were given with both officers and crew taking part. The band played numerous songs and a vocal group known as the Crewscendos showed good rhythm and harmony in the selections they presented. Cake and fruit juice was served on the Mess Decks after the curtain had been rung down on the two hour show. Everyone agreed that Mr. Sackett deserved a vote of thanks for his efforts in organizing and presenting the show. Gimmie my music. Exec. WW Spurkle sparkled as Salome. 1J Raw sex. Short timers. Oh! there you are. 25TH JULY- 1ST AUGUST On July 25th we arrived at Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic, our best liberty port since de- parture from the States. Spirits were raised by the prospects of receiving mail and the fact that we were to moor downtown in the middle of the main street — the Grand Canal. The first two days were spent in frantically prettying up the ship due to the insistent demands of SOPA, but then half of the crew was allowed to go ashore, and at last we began to see Venice as the wonderful city we had heard about. There seemed to be an equal number of tourists and natives. Many dates were made with the beautiful Italian women and with the seemingly hundreds of American college girls there on vacation. Lido beach soon became the place to spend an afternoon and in the even- ings San Marco Square was the rendezvous where everyone gathered to feed the pigeons and listen to the beautiful violin music. If we didn ' t choose to walk on the cobblestoned streets we could travel by vaporetta (water-bus) or rent a gondola. Almost everyone ate in the outdoor cafes, but we were surprised to find that pizza is not as well known there as it is at home. While in Venice eight men went on a three day tour to Rome and returned without a lire between them, testify- ing to the wonderful time they had. Others took leave to visit relatives they had never seen be- fore. Finally we left the fleet landing for the last time and after a wonderful visit we were under- way for fleet operations and then Barcelona, Spain. .m r % V..« £ . A . Mil Italian Army. Local bus. Cathedral and Bell Tower. San Giorgio. Feed the pigeons, please! u Times Square — Venice style. I rani 1 1 - ifU- ■ H Venice Grand Canal. iUu ;-•■■■ f • • i . Liberty at last! il;jw. .,,.,.,.. •■- M _ ' i .« ■ fi7 You were there. | n  . ' St. Mark ' s Square. A Hollywood Vine. - 1 Taxi. 4£ u I I i g0m m 9TH AUGUST- 17TH AUGUST On 9 August we Med-moored in the harbor of Barcelona, Spain; the port from which Christopher Columbus began his historic journey. At Fleet Landing a replica of the Santa Maria was anchored — only a fraction larger than the liberty boats from the carrier USS F. D. ROOSEVELT. On the main street of Barcelona, we could find almost anything from a small sidewalk cafe to a brassy night- club filled with hostesses. Spanish dancers appeared in most night clubs with the exception of the Colon and Tabu, where almost every type of dancing could be seen. Souvenirs and enter- tainment were more plentiful in Barcelona than in usual liberty ports, however, many of the crew found time to visit the several beautiful parks and fountains. At one end of the city was the old world fairgrounds, and at the other, the arena where bull fights or corridas were presented three times a week. The death of two men from the USS ROOSEVELT when their helicopter crashed into the bay cast the only sad note on our 8-day visit. From the ship we could see the statue of Columbus pointing out to sea and, to us, showing the way home. As Columbus departed with a feeling of anticipation, so did we as we headed west. The Gardens. OH! it ' s so heavy. Chris shows the way. Santa Maria. This crossed the Atlantic? Main street. Palacio del Arte Espanol — Many saw the colored lights on the fountain by night. Mm s; mm] I Ps Templo Exp. De La Sagrada Familia. Ole!!! el twt No visit to Spain would be com- plete without a trip to the Plaza de Toros. Outside, the crowds mill in holi- day excitement, red and yellow pennants flutter, and souvenir vendors hawk their wares in shrill voices. Inside, the band blares the tra- ditional music that accompanies the memorable spectacle of bril- liantly garbed matadors pitting their dangerous and graceful skill against the deadly power of the great fighting bulls. y ■ W GIBRAJJAR 21ST AUGUST -22ND AUGUST The last stop on the Hancock Odyssey was Gibraltar, The Rock. As ours was to be an abbrevi- ated stay, liberty was granted for only a few hours to each section and many took advantage of those few hours to buy clothes and gifts for the loved ones just a few days away. Some took a tour to the top of the Rock to see the apes and take pictures of the panoramic view; others visited the Wintergarden and the El Trocadero. Though the food ashore might have been good, almost everyone was found back aboard to feast on Stan Miczenski and Mike Mavroudis ' spaghetti and pizza -which was well worth the lost liberty time. Everyone took advantage of our last port away from home and it was a happy crew that returned to the ship that night. At 1243 on the 22nd of August, the word The Officer of the Deck is shifting his watch to the Bridge was passed and we were at last on the final leg of our journey home. With the exception of a brief fuel stop in Ar- gentia, Newfoundland, we would have steady steaming all the way to Newport. The Rock. Strong as Prudential. Main South Gate. . I .....«■;....- Our recruiting campaign was vigorous. Main Street. c a a CO « o £ r EX v 2 - . .. o ° 2  E ° CO w CO . o -.2-0 4) g E c .9- ' T m 5 „ v 41 41 ' 5.- Si E S« =■= ' ° -o « « O) CO « ;§ §, ; pj = 1 :kco a p o ,o£o ■0 4) u t; -O d) 0 . 4) 0. Z o IE o si 3 11 3  «: uSo-1 k K . Z x a u- n _ • O §;of -oil .a FT ' s at work. There ain ' t nobody here but us chickens. v4 Captain Howe COMDESDIV 202. Ahipbcar4 lift Hey Charlie, here ' s something else for that stew. Who said we ' re getting a 3 inch conversion? Leaky Lew basketball team. Halley and his boys. Frank Buck goes to sea. J. i y i Who swiped the Directions. Only 140 more lbs. to go. Ground Hog Da I say it was a submarine. ' Any person knowing the whereabouts of Block ' s mouthpiece, lay to the bridge. Taking on fuel from NEWPORT NEWS. - %  Stroup ' s sea stories. ■ Boiler compound and grade two. S I Actually, it ' s run by rubber bands. Now where did I put that bottle? Life gets tedious, don ' t it? Fueling at sea. «r They ' ll never find it in here. Holiday routine. The fish are eating well. see no evil, speak no evil. • • 0$ tfV Have a reefer. I want you guys acting as lookouts. ' •■in If you don ' t like it, see the Chaplain. i_ Knock off the black smoke. Do you have a booboo? If J ■■ - ) ml See how this E-Z swab H whisks away dirt! Wow!! 36-22-35. Tube gang. -L, ■ . r Kissin ' Jack. How can I see with these darn things on. People are no Damn good. Geniuses at work. Hair stylings by Jones. ' Now you will tell me the combination to the safe. Director 42 manned and ready. ' But how could she do it to me. Coke machine ' s working again. When the Bahrain bubble burst. That ' s funny. It worked at Gitmo. Second Division — Where are this man ' s shoes, Mr. Orski? All Sashay. ihtyectichJ lr autarfo i V t Chins in, men. Grady ' s little black book. I forgot to shine my shoes. ' E Division, Tensh-Hut! Congratulations, Boats. Now you ' ll salute with the right and shake with the left. Ouch!!! Clesse earns his G.E.D. diploma. arrival On August 30th the USS LEWIS HANCOCK passed Brenton Reef Lightship and the welcome sight of Newport came into view. Since early that morning men had anxiously paced the deck, dressed and waiting for the word that would signal the end of months of separation. The thoughts and dreams that had gone unheeded for months soon would become a reality. Ours was what the old sea dogs among us might dismiss as a routine cruise, but we ' d all had our share of work and sweat and then some perhaps, and we ' d had the good times with our buddies too. Remember that night in Barcelona? — Yeah, but that afternoon in Massawa! Now those memories were erased by thoughts of loved ones waiting on the landing and at home. Quickly every- one fell into divisional quarters and in a matter of minutes we were finally there. At 1606 the word Shift Colors was passed and the USS LEWIS HANCOCK was officially home from its last cruise. Soon the quarterdeck was filled with camel saddles, bags of all sizes and descriptions, and impatient sailors anxiously awaiting the word that every sailor waits for. That word Liberty Commences finally came, and men hurriedly departed the ship into waiting boats that would take them to home and loved ones. USS LEWIS HANCOCK HAS SAILED HER LAST CRUISE FOR SOME TIME TO COME. THIS GALLANT LADY WHO HAS CARRIED THE STARS AND STRIPES THROUGH TWO WARS WILL BE DECOMMISSIONED IN DECEMBER 1957. SHE HAS PERFORMED HER TASK WELL BUT THE EFFECTS OF WAR AND PROGRESS HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL. NOW HER GUNS ARE STILLED, HER DECKS ARE SILENT. WE ALL HOPE AND PRAY THAT NEVER AGAIN WILL A TIME OF INTERNATIONAL ALARM AND TERROR DISTURB HER REST. vro NORTH AMERICA- AR ENTIA NEWPORT o 3« AZORES O 50UTH AMERICA CROSSING RETURNING -AA ASIA EUROPE BARCELONA « £■ • £ AFRICA BAHRAIN I1ASSAWA 1 £