Princeton (CG 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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Qopposite pagel We stand tall and proud in the naval tradition ofmanning-the-rail. Cbelowj Battle Ensign fright? Current warnors salute those M ofthe past. A look back f to the uDay of Infamyw, 7 DEC 1941, reminds all of our historical call to defend now against another 9-1 1 . of tears, hugs, kisses, waves, and not long enough goodbyes, before pulling away. As Princeton leaves, loved ones ashore stare and strain to see until she is out ofsightg sailors take their last look back A busy pier i knowing time and distance must pass before their reunions. Leaving the bay, we entered the Pacific Ocean heading West toward history, even mirroring another generationis experience. leaving San Diego... ...to begin WestPac '03 From home we traveled to Hawaii where we paid tibute to former naval heroes laying a wreath in Pearl Harbor as we passed by the Arizona Memorial, then we went onto honor a former Princeton CCVL 235 warrior by burrying him at sea near WWIl's Battle of Leyte Gulf and with his shipmates who died there in 1944. if ,, 7+- 9 K mg-.Q 1 , . tysfqgk, f , , , V, 52f2'agX ff!g ,, P I ' iz

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So It Begins. . . . . .Cff To War For the crew of USS PRINCETON, this voyage began many months before with the work-ups, training in school houses, repairs in the ship yards, and in anticipation of separation amongst families in homes. With the country on the brink of war, shipmates and loved ones said final L good-byes'. Every emotion was freely shared - from happiness, knowing this was definitely the day of deployment after weeks of uncertainty and delays, to sadness, not knowing when reunions would take place. One emotion was commonly experienced by every crew member who manned the rail... standing true and strong, all felt pride in themselves, their ship, and their country. And that same pride was felt by every loved one on the pier. When the mooring lines were cast offi a whistle blast let all across the naval station know that PRINCETON was underway. Moving patriotic music began to play and brought emotional intensity to peak and tears to the eyes of many, in that moment, all hands stood a little taller, breathed a bit deeper, and a wave of honor and courage swept over the ship and washed away all fear and worry. The ship pulled away from the harbor mouth and into the Pacific Ocean. And with the vision of home and loved ones still fresh in their mind's eye, the topsiders slowly drifted inside the skin ofthe ship. The daily routine began slowly with thoughts on the future - 'truly it would be an epic journey'. On the third day, ofthe third month, in the third year, ofthe third millennium, the crew of US Warship 59 left behind family and friends to set out on an historical cruise. Loved ones wondered where PRINCETON would go and what would happen, aboard, even the crew pondered what would come. But all knew the mission involved going into harms way. The mission of PRINCETON, paralleled and was tied to that ofa former PRINCETON in another generation - the light carrier CVL 23. As this Princeton set out to respond to a September I 1th attack on U. S. soil, she carried with her cremated remains of a crew member ofthe former carrier whose mission had responded to a December 7th attack on American soil 62 years before. So, when CG 59 made its way out of Pearl Harbor nearly two weeks after deploying, she laid a wreath passing the Arizona memorial honoring those who sacrificed to defend our nation years before, the visitors viewing this on the old Missouri battle ship cheered recognizing the present mission's parallel. Days later, the cremains were scattered in a fantail burial-at-sea ceremony in Philippine waters - near where many CVL 23 shipmates lost their lives when that PRINCETON was sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf USS PRINCETON CCG 595 steamed on to participate in the Global War on ' Terrorism in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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