Princeton (LPH 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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,,4n?c, W, LTCOL E P DUNN COMMANDING OFFICER ,., ,X -f f T X Q 5 r , f y 1 ' 'E s . 5? f 'N ,ff ,f , 'f qw ' -- 'wg r x film xi, MAJ J E GIBSON EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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A www 0 P2555 W . . .WAX ...- NSU WN N NM MQNQNM ,K gf . .. I TOUR DE FARCE 1 CMC clears HMR-362 To the Far East, via San Diego, Honolulu, Yokohama, Oppama, Yokosuka, Tokyo, Okinawa, Borneo, Manila, Cavite, Cubi Pt., Numaxu, Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Iwakuni, Misawa, Itazuke, Itami, Laos, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sasebo, and Futema. Climb to and maintain 500' over the terrain. Bon voyage and takusan happy landings. Thus was established the itinerary that would take the officers and men of the 362nd vertical-rising, all-weather, loose-wing, pursuit-interceptor squadron on a memorable fifteen- month tour of the exotic Orient. On a warm and sunny afternoon, a faintly exuberant group of bleary-eyed Marines is poured aboard the busses which are to carry them to their rendezvous with the USNS SHANKS in San Diego. Bob Norton sleeps too soundly and has strange dreams. One more for for the cruise at the Mexican Village and we board our MSTS luxury liner. It is 14 April 1959. The sun pulls away from the shore and our ship sinks slowly in the West. CONUS disappears over the horizon ...... and YOU are NOT there. Pollywogs unite!, echoed throughout the passageways of the USNS SHANKS, as the uninitiated made a valliant effort to withstand the ruthless tortures of King Neptune's wrath. The cause was hopeless, however, and those of us who had never crossed the 180th meridian were forced to suffer humiliation and degradation before the powerful Tribunal. The ordeal was soon over, and the Royal Domain of the Golden Dragon had many new and loyal members. This was the highlight of our trip across the Pacinc, although a dissenting vote or two might be cast in favor of our one-night stand in Hono- lulu. The hit-and-run tactics of our first oiiicial liberty established 'a precedent that was to be followed throughout our tour. In highespirits, we said, Aloha, to the swaying palms and grass skirts, and then cast our leis into the wake of the ship as she set sail for Yokahama. Morale, however, was somewhat deflated when We reached our destination, in spite of the WELCOME TO JAPAN sign andithe rain-soaked Air Force band that greeted us at North Piergand Whhyyyy NOT ?, with an ETD of July 1960. Our wet and dreary bus ride thr0ugh the indescribably ugly streets between Yokohama and Oppama did not improve our initial impression of our new home. After tossing our bags into our' living quarters at Oppama, our disappointment was slightly alleviated, how- ever, by a 30016 cab ride to the captivating heart of Yokosuka, the Alley de gazaimas. Wediscovered that you CAN buy happiness ...... for 18055 a bottle. We had fou d a h ' n e away from home. ADAPTABILITY became our maxim. And Sisters' Cisco's The Bljandk Cat, The Kanko, The Black Rose, and Mon Petite became ready replacements for The Jamaica Inn, The Village Inn, The Sandpiper, and Wood's Cove. Much too soon, we boarded the USS THETIS BAY CLPH-6 alias CVHA-15, pride of the U.S. Naval Services, and departed Japan for Exercise Saddle-Up, which was being staged in the Kota Belud training area of British North Borneo. On,our wa s th ' d d , . y ou , we inva e unsuspecting Okinawa. The 362 raiders, brilliantly led by big Ed, borrowed a few Samurai relics from that world-renowned museum of natural history, The Red Shoes. The treasured items, one 1nv1ncible turtle shell shield one hallowed three legged stool C2000 B C d , , , ' f . .D, an one genulne G011gh1S Khall headgflpper were presented to our glorious Emperor, Lt. Col. Hot Damn Dunn, with great pomp and ceremony. Sm KN S-kk M R NSR KKK