Puget Sound (AD 38) - Naval Cruise Book

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I TRANSITI G v 3 T s 3 1 1 1 s K 2 514

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STEAMIN G TOWARDS THE EYE OF THE STORIW Rumors of our CRUISE OF UNCERTAINTY buzzed around the messdecks - not why we were going, but where and for how long. After all, CNN provided all the images we needed to assure us it really was a war we were sailing into. The dangers lying ahead were underlined by the unspoken thoughts of the crew, especially when it became mandatory to carry our gas masks. We carried them to chow, to the showers, we slept with them by our sides. At Captain's Call, fwe still had those gas masksj Capt. Maloit explained that we'd be just outside SCUD missile range. That was comfort- ing... The mood aboard ship became noticeably more serious crossing the Atlantic. Training became the number one pri- ority. Times for reaching the required condition of material readiness were reduced during General Quarters. CBR drills didn't seem like mere simulations anymore. Each became a rehearsal for the very real possibility that PUGET SOUND would be subject to a CBR attack. Fire drills were no different. Of course the possibility of a fire on board always exists, but the mood carried over. Response times improved as the crew fine-tuned each drill. PUGET SOUND was preparing for the worst - and hoping for the best. fv- N

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THE BIG DI TCH ' The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The canal extends approximately 105 miles, from Port Said to Port Taufiq, shortening the trip between England and India by 6,000 miles. It is a lockless sea-level canal that allows ships to steam northbound or southbound. Since the canal only allows for one lane of traffic, the convoy of ships anchor in the Great Bitter Lake, located north of Port Taufiq, to allow the other convoy of ships to pass. Beginning the 15-hour journey from the Mediterranean, the canal tapers down to 302 feet wide at the Red Sea. Construction of the canal, built by the French, cost 392,414,000 and took nearly 11 years before its com- pletion on November 17, 1869. The Suez Canal was closed twice due to wars. The first time was in 1956 to 1957 and then again in 1967 to 1975. The canal was nationalized in 1956 by Egypt. PUGET SOUND transited the Suez Canal Feb. 18 and May 3. Dur- ing the Hrst transit, Egyptians man- ning anti-aircraft guns served as quick reminders of our impending and uncertain voyage into Operation Desert Storm.