Pictor (AF 54) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 54 text:

'F 4 W Y f 1 , lx . , 1 I, l, 1 w f il V. Ml lr lx r l gi I rl gi ,H '4 H A E1 .N C il 5 vt li N W X, i 4 4 i 1 P F n..p.rx....,.. v . - . -. . .

Page 53 text:

PORTS OF CALL The magic of the Far East was drawing us to our ports of call. The sound of the recruiters words ke t rin in ' our ears as we remembered him telling us about the adventures that he had as a sea-going sailor. At last wie wogldieg the world that we, until now, had only heard about. The old Salts were telling stories of Oriental wonders. The new members of the crew were absorbing memories destined to last a lifetime. Our first port was Yokosuka, Japan which after 17 days of sailing looked mighty good The new comers were bus dodging traffic that ran the wrong way while others were looking forward to going to the popular city of Tokyo. The bargains of the Far East gave many PICTOR sailors gift ideas for home. But the short stay in Japan was halted and we headed for our first swing. Our negct port was Subic Bay, Republic of Philippines. We were met with anger by the rain god who dispelled hopes of liberty. Three other trips were made to this country later and better insight was gained. A common sight was the multi-colored Jeepneys that, miraculously, got us from place to place. One of the best places for libert in Subic y was the EM Club where there was good food to remind us of home. The more adventurous of the crew visited the capitol city of Manila. Others were content with crawling back from the port town of Olongapo. A total of four visits was made to Subic and it became one of the most familiar ports. Of our ports least visited by tourists was Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This island off the mainland of China gave us a real look at the simple people of the Far East. There were ox-driven carts and people carrying food in baskets suspended on their shoulders. A pleasant ride could be taken in a pedicab for a small sum and provided a means for looking at the cit first hand. yThe most romantic port visited was Hong Kong. This British crown colony was our supermarket and department store. Many of us thought of how our wives and girlfriends would have enjoyed being turned loose here with a credit card. Cameras, pearls, cashmere sweaters, and suits were some of the items purchased. The sales personnel with their English accents charmed us. Victoria Peak gave us a view of the harbor many of us will never forget. The days spent in the colony of Hong Kong were some of the most enjoyable. I Our last port before arriving home was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This was a pleasant blend of the United States and of Island charm. Waikiki beach and Honolulu were the most popular places, although many rented cars and toured the entire island of Oahu. Many a gift was purchased at the International Market Place. The sights of the Islands will never be forgotten, but if channel fever hadn't developed its first symptoms by Pearl, they were evident upon de arture. p The port that every sailor looked forward to was the port called homeport. The Golden Gate Bridge and finally Alameda were the best sights. Our recruiter hadn't let us down. JAPAN

Page 55 text:

VIETNAM