Quincy (CA 71) - Naval Cruise Book

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FIREL SS . 1 1 AV , 1 . IO -4 I ,n,a--f 7 4 1 . S T Z 7 --' k .Pun-.'. A I ' ' '2.,ifqcf.3i1'x . 5 W , gfh . ,JC Sm LOAD AND LAY

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JULY 1952 Su n. .- 6 13 20 27 Mon. -- 7 14 21 28 Tue. 1 8 15 22 29 Wed Thur 3 0 rl 1 - at 5 2 - WEEKEND IN

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HOME POR HOKE -52.2 A-339' -mmf. L, S ,1 R -4.,,,.f W .,.. ', f ' . ffv'+ jf.vr.-fy' r. 2. ,fi . . r . r . , ., V1 .f ' , . nfl? 1- lr,--t.aT'1 'A - gyfiptt- 'Q Q - . Q. ...J-1.,:z 4. L, 1 ' , , . L , . 1 p ' R . - A Q. L l 1 ai' Q 1 'f ' 1 1 sv t . 5 ' . J we 1 10. s af -f, fi A , I , 4 f . M . H U16 M 4 X s. mi, 4 'JG ' r T . x aff, f ' 1 -r' K . l ta V' li K si- -' .- . 1 ,wr ,,, 1 A . 4 - 1-4 ll '. - 7 1 . lo 3 . X N - - ' ' 9 . ' , , L , 1 ' - ' 3 ' ' ' 'f 1 .Q ,, - ' 1 . -r' P fm .1 K- , : ' t DU I :f 5' C . t rm , ' 4:2 7 G -- 5 , '- n 0 'K' U Q li . O A 4 7- 1 , D J If 2 . X iff ff Tl ft we mi' NORFOLK is many things to many people. To some few Yirginians it is home. An occasional one can oven be found who cherishes its hidden antiquities and who reveres it as a shrire of American independence. ?i i But by and large, the havy does not feel that way. 'L XVe arrived early on the mo.ning of 16 July. Guantanamo was past and Culehra. We had rested from the exhaustion of our tropic lahors. Now we had only to unload ammunition and shift berths to the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Already in our minds we were settling into Stateside life. Already we were buildin bright mental picture' cf the leave that would soon come. And already we were picturing Norfolk liberty. Ye tifd up :int to a docl-: wl.e.e the vast complex of shipyard activities le an. Again pncumatio hammers pounded and th. d rf vas itt.rcd w ith lines and hosesg we choked dust with every breath. But soon we shifted to one of the huge concrete drydoclrs that gut the river front. Tugs guided the ship between the open caisson' and from there mecharical donkeys hauled it into position. The massive steel doors swung .'1ut. Pumps started and slowly. foot by foot, the water was forced back into the river. The uin ys great steel hull stood naked and dripping, resting its weight on wooden keelblocks. At last our damaged propeller could be repaired. The bottom could be repainted. But also, there would be no cooling watcr to absorl the rays of a relentlessly burning sun during what even loyal Norfolk newspapers claimed was the worst heat wave they had suffered in seventy years. The unprotected steel hull picked up heat like an oil drum in a desert. We gasped for breath. At night we crowded topside to sleep. But there was no relief, until at last we were afloat again. We left the drydock and stayed tied up in the yard until 26 August. We took leave, and wedding registers nlled their pagesg we fought for apartmentsg we wandered through the uniformed streets of No:-fslkg we made our preparations and said our goodbye, until at last all the waiting and the planning and the work were over. On 20 August, in a brief ceremony on the querterdeck, we became a flagship. The Quincy tied up alongside the Macon. Records and equipment were transferred and installed. When all was ready, the Captain and all the principal officers of the Quincy assembled on the quarterdeck. A marine honor guard was paraded. Fear Admiral James H. Thach, Jr., Commander Cruiser Division Six, stepped from the Macon to the Quincy. and his flag was officially shifted. Then, ou 26 August, proudly displaying our two white stars, in a mighty column of warships, we sailed up the Elizabeth River and out through Norfolk Harbor. The yard and the States were behind, and we and the Second Fleet were on our way to Europe.