Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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l f l 'll -'I I N 5 f-'J-'. i THE Lady Lou made her debut before Australian society in 1938, after an excit- ing new year opening. The crew had barely recovered from the Pasadena Bose Parade and the California-Alabama Bowl Game when the ship got underway from Long Beach, January 3, to attend the Australian Sesquicentennial Celebration as a representative of the United States Navy. After a brief stop in Pearl Harbor, the ship proceeded to Sydney by way of Pago Pago and Samoa. '6Their hearts were young and gay, was the best way to describe the ship's first visit to a foreign port. Tying up at Wolloomooloo Dock in the Australian port, Louisville officers and men found the city a navy liberty heaven. Beautiful Australian girls rushed them with autograph books, and to cap that, it's said the ladies preferred a tour in the beautiful parks to picture shows and more costly entertainment facilities. The Australians took the Yanks into their homes, held dances in their honor, and went on an all-out campaign to see that the visitors had a good time. The city gave the Lou's crew free fare on all bus and rail transportation. Sydney, like other Australian cities, had a '6Luna Park filled with carnival rides and many inter- esting beer halls, which our lads packed every day. The only thing that drew the Americans from the Utopian into which they had howing the F ag AUSTRALIAN CRUISE ascended was the call to colors each morn- ing. They not only stood at attention for our bugler, but also for the national anthems of the five nations represented in the harbor by French, Australian, Nether- lands and Italian ships. At the time of the Australian visit, the Italians were cocky, having proved them- selves conquerors by successfully invading little Ethiopia a few years previous. As a matter of fact, they caused so much trouble their commanding ofiicer had to restrict his crew to the ship. Louisville men, already popular with the Australians, had a natural desire to show up the Hcockya' boys. Our senior aviator, seeing the Italian cruiseris biplane in the air, challenged it to a mock dogfight and forced the opponent to the water. After an hilarious county faira' two weeks at Sydney, the Lou made prepara- tions for getting underway. Her crew had made so many friends among the people of the city that a sightseeing launch was hired to carry approximately 90 of the well wishers, principally girls, to wave the boys goodbye. As we pulled out at eight knots, the excursion launch, Rodney, approached the ship at right angles, making a sharp turn to come alongside for the Hnal farewell. As she rolled on the turn, her passengers rushed to the side of the ship to wave goodbye. The added weight to the roll of the craft capsized it, sending her down bow foremost. The Louisville dropped anchor as her crewmen dove over the side, and whale-