Lowry (DD 770) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 56 text:

Above 'io 'rhe lefl is a sho+ of +he direcfor wifh L+. Kelly and Smyers looking out There musl have been a blonde around somewhere because usually +he conlrol officer was reading a magazine and +he lookouls looked oul' wi+h +heir eyes shui. Above 'lo 'l'he righl' is Mounl' No. 2 swung our wifh +he direclor. Lower lefl' is Brown waiching in+en+ly while +he Tor- pedomen sei' up some mysrerious problem on lhe compurer, The lorpedo gang was hor as a lire- cracker and sei one of fhe besl records ever fired by any deslroyer on Shakedown. Lower righ+ is 'rhe Mark Sl Direcior for Mounl' No. 4I. Thar is probably Hughes a+ +he wheel , Looks like everyone is looking for lhe largef sleeve. Tha'r's +he way i+ usually was and i+ always seemed fo end up wilh rhe plane coming in fasf from +l1e wrong side laccording io our calculaiionsl.

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We were off for San Diego and shakedown. This isa glimpse we had of San Pedro. If shows Befhle- hem Sfeel Yard, where we were builf. The shake- down seemed like a sorf of vacafion and a chance 'fo save up a liH'le money for our refurn. This shoi' of Chapman and fhe bridge boys slrug- gling in+o lheir gear was snapped a+ a pracrice firing. H seemed iusf a li++le hard +o really gel inlo lhe swing of +hings af firsf. lr seemed impos- sible 'ro keep frack of your life iacke+, gas mask and helme+ and have fhem ready when fhe bell rang. Bur +ime and pracfice brough+ abouf many changes. Here's 'fhe crew of 43 'rossing fhem out Our shooiing was preHy poor and we were mosfly willing and liHle else on +he firsf runs. ln fad we all had one heck of a lime when Mouni' No. 3 lrained around and lei go. A nice quie'r spo+ in fhe magazine looked like fhe besl' deal.

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Hep-e's an acfion picfure of Crum and Emery. This is as close as eifher of fhem came fo moving during fhe cruise. However, if any experf advice as fo how fhe ship or Navy should be run was ever needed, you could always wake fhem up and fhey would be glad fo inform you. ln 'I'he cenfer picfure we have Chrisfner, fhe Chief Yeoman and dean of fhe office force. Nofice fhe Gay Nine+ies. musfache he's sporfing. We had a confesf on board for musfache growing and fhis was one of fhe winners. Shakedown was abouf over by now and for fhe shorf fime we'd been operafing fhe Lowry began fo look and acf like a real man- of-war. Shoofing became darn good, our seamanship improved, and fhe engineers were doing a real job. Admiral Denebrink, fhe Commander of fhe Operafion Training Command af San Diego, inspecfed us before we leff fhe San Diego Area and rafed us above fhe average. Th-en we were on our way back fo San Pedro for our lasf few liberfies before shoving off for fhe forward areas.. Those were fhe hecfic days wifh everyone frying fo clear up 'rhe lasf minufe defails on fhe ship and eifher geffing married or frying lo gef fheir wives and families hom-e before we leff. Then came a.liffle gear 'rrouble and we were held up for anofher monfh. Finally like all ofher fhings fhaf are good, fhis vacafion came fo an end and we moved on fo Pearl Harbor. Everyone figured fhey had Seen fhe lasf of fhe Sfafes for quife a while alfhough some of fhe en- Qlneers puf ouf fhe sfraighf dope fhaf fhe gears couldn r possibly ldsf over a monfh. They did fhough, and quife a few more +oO. Qn fhe way fo Pearl we did a liffle fesf and surprise firing. On fhe '9l1l' is Bowe, fhe Chief Gunners Mafe giving some fafherly advice +0 Mounf No. 42.