McGinty (DE 365) - Naval Cruise Book

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SAPPOHO Perhaps the high point of the entire tour was the visit to Portland ' s sister city of Sapporo. The McGinty was welcomed by the mayors of Otaru and Sapporo, by the American consul, and by a small band of left-wing agitators. An estimated 11,000 visitors swarmed aboard during open house, mainly wild-eyed youngsters getting their first look at a man-of-war. Sapporo being a city not frequented by foreign tourists, few people spoke English. This became an advantage, however, since the attempts at expression proved so humurous, the wonderful magic of laughter formed a warm bond. The city was open to us, and the crew received the hospi- tality with gratitude, and reciprocated by behav- ing in a grand manner befitting good will ambas- sadors. Communist demonstrations increased, but were more than cancelled out by the good publicity stemming from a number of public relations acts — the donating of blood in Sapporo, the blood transfusions that helped save the life of a mis- sionary that was attacked, the attention given the girl who fell off the pier. Here indeed is a memory we will cherish. I ' M