Renshaw (DDE 499) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

CRUISE HISTCJRY u. s. s. RENsHAw QDDE-499i Pearl Harbor based destroyer escort on leave to Western Pacific for diplomatic tour, i8 February through 29 July 1959. Too often a cruise book is put together with all the humorous events, and worthwhile sightseeng events forgotten or overlooked. Our sincere hope in our chronological account of our trip is to offer a bit of info on such events and also a little bit of info on what these various ports were noted for prior to our illustrious arrival. i8 February l959-Underway, with heavy hearts, watery eyes, and choked throats, we bid ALOHA to our wives, families, and Sweethearts all the way to Widow's Point. 21 February i959--Midway Island-i200 miles from Pearl, a part of the Territory of Hawaii and a full 2 square miles were recipient of our gallent crew who topped with fuel and brew and photographs of the gooney birds at action. Only stopped to drop off a couple of guys who wanted a rest. Some ambitious crew men fished. 28 February to l5 March T959--Yokosuka, Japan-Our first liberty for i0 days. Liberty was great, overnights plentiful and only two hibachi pot casualties. A first class P.O. traded the Ginny Pullman for the base landing, and one tried to get official approval for hot coffee sales and blanket rental at fieet landing. With the plentiful purchase of china at the Ship's Store Ashore by all, a single man stands a good chance for many dinner invites in Pearl. A noticable shortage of mess deck silverware also around this time. Tours to Tokyo and Kamakura were available. Many fortunate white hats saw the Diet Building flikeness of our Nation's capitali in Tokyo. Two hours away and 300 yen fnative class farei. The Emperor's Palace, the Kokusai Gekiio Call girl show, 300 to be exacti. Ship's party at Kanko Hotel with good entertainment and plenty of hooch. lt was a favorable success. Daily visits to Theives' Alley labeled many RENSHAW sailors as being all Jewish. QActually iust good businessmenj 21-23 March i959-Buckner Bay fOkinawaD-The largest of the Ryukyu lslands in North Pacific. All hands enjoyed the facilities of the White Sands Beach E.M. Club. Several camera fans stopped in there first-it was no place to take pictures. A few were seen heading for the rice paddies but who were they kidding ? Sight of Suicide Cliff-Rock Quarry. Also had an accident where a Chief in his haste to disembark from a taxi in search for another, left his hand in the door. Didn't hurt the door any, but OH what it did to his hand. 24-29 HUK to Subic. 30 March to 5 April l959-Subic Bay, P.l.-Gateway for Olongapo. Three day passes available for Baguio, the summer resort capital of the P.l. Very enioyable and relaxed living, good food, and mountain air. Delight- ful night life. Haven for Jeepneys. Relaxing outdoor swimming pool on the base. 9 April l959-Crossed the line. Trusty Shellbacks christened lowly pollywogs into the Royal Order of Shellbacks. T0-14 April T959-Singapore, British Crown Colony in Southeast Asia. Home of Tiger Balm Gardens, snake charmers, and turban head-dressed men. Terrific resturants, The American Club, rendezvous for SEATO Nations' maneuvers. Appearance of pretty blue Aussie panties being worn aboard. Liberties were shared with Aussies, British, and French sailors. i4--28 April l959-Operation SEA DEMON. There are other people more confused than us, after all! A well done was in order. 28--30 April T959-Manila, P.l. A seaport and capital of the P.l. San Miguel lost many a fan with it's one beer to a customer tour of its brewery. The USO at the Manila Hotel held two fine dances with a Navy orchestra and local orchestra relieving one another. Exceptional hostesses who would even leave with you before it was over. Even the unspiked punch was good. I suspect it was a USN product, though we saw one of our ship's cooks stiring it. A fine tour of the Governor's Mansion was available. '

Page 7 text:

Guanstfzom, gtk., Executive Qfficetz Quanstzorn, ga., AGS been tile gxecutiue Gfjqcefi of tize since fpeceminefi 1958. Quanstaorn oegan nis cafzeefi in 1942, as a musician seconei ciass, at giavai gaaining Centex, San Qiego. gQe:eiveoi izis commission as Cgnsign on 27 jane 1944. we seweci on izoafzci jCo'i most of Cifyotici CWM as gjqssisianf .gunnehy Qfjqcet ana! iafel Qunrzevy Qfyqcefi. Qtliiilg tile watt ite patiticipateci in tile secuving opetiations of ofeyte anai Samaz ana! amphibious iandings in tile Qkinauya Campaign. We has semi! aooa'iJ file CUSS .9iSf7ZQ2JC'U, CUSS .QQJCJJJSQQ 93. JWQSQQSOW, ann! CUSS we commanaleei tne fciom 1954 to JQS6 anei pafiticipateci in tiff Cv acua tion of file gacnen cgsiancis. Quanstfiom nas aiso seweei toufis of ciuty at giauai gbostgtiaeiuate ngcflooi, Ulinnapoiis. gjiafiyianii, giavai Communication Station, Seattie, anci as gozce Communication Ujfyqceti to Commandem gjiiinc govcc, ffi-mafia ifleef. Quanstaom was pzomoteci to tne tank of, gfieutenant Commaniiefi on 1 giovemiwz 1955 ancinoicfs l'l2Cjl1ONC'll'l'71g campaign oaciges and meeiais: Qqmefiican gneatae: UCisiatic:gDacij4'c witiz ozonze staag qiijowiff qijaw Cmttovy: Cnina Sewice: Gccvpafion gjifiealai witr! Aotil tile 4.,Cisia anJ Cguwopean ciaspsg jiationai QCXCIISCQ fpiziiippine fpvesificntiai Commenziation .Q-Qiooon, anti gjniiippine Qfibevation witr, one ovonze stay.

Page 9 text:

May i959---Hong Kong, British Crown Colony. Home of the wonderful split skirts. Locale for the book gnf SUZIE WONG and the movie LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING, and Mary Sue's Side Cleaners. The place where if you couldn't afford to get drunk-just drop into a tailor shop and purchase a suit or two on credit. The tailor would get you drunk. A ride on the Peak Tram was an unforgettable experience and furnished a beautiful view of the harbour. Daily ritual with the bum boats on the fantail-selling you Chinese rugs, tapestries, wood carvings, non-regulation boots and socks, colorful kerchiefs, and secretly wrapped pints of Canadian Club. Busy barbers at the Fenwick Pier when the Shore Patrol cared not to let you go ashore without being neatly trimmed. fGur barber was resting in Subic.J Picturesque Aberdeen Harbor, Tiger Balm Gardens, Repulse Bay, and the Botanical Gardens. 23-25 May 1959-Sasebo, Japan. The Pearl of the Pacific. Chaplain arranged tour of the pearl farm. The XO vigil on the gangway bailing out ship's cook when no yen for cab fare. 28 May to 30 June i959-Yokosuka, Japan. Station ship RENSHAW on station. The crew brewed for a month while the rest of the division made Kobe and Nagoya which the Engineering force didn't care for. Confused crew members found in out-of-bounds Public Bath houses, claiming innocence on grounds they couldn't read or speak Japanese, drunk or sober. Successful parties were held by Supply, Fox and Second Divisions with the help of the Recreation Fund. The fad of the contact lens took hold and if you didn't have a mirror and look at your eyes once an hour you were a square. 27 June i959-The Skipper's Day. Captain KEIL left the bridge again with his famous smile. CWe made it-underway a full 8 hours.D Nobody reall begrudged him his day, either. 30 June i959-Homeward bound via Brisbane, Australia, to help her celebrate her centennial. 3 July i959-Guam, M.l. A U.S. owned island in the Mid Pacific, east of the P.l. The largest ofthe Mariana Islands. Stopping off place for fuel and for a few lucky ones who managed to slip in properly worded leave chits. Deadline at the print shop required us to submit our material prior to our underway date for Guam, so the staff wishes to say that it is sure that the remainder of the cruise will be equally as exciting as the rest of the cruise, and that the trip to Aussie land will be worth the steaming and all will return to Pearl, a satisfied and happy crew. CRUISE BGOK STAFF Ens. C.S. Shoemaker . . . . Supervisor W.W. Berlin, YN2 . . . . Editor in Chief J.S. Spears, SN . . . . Cartoonist B.L. walking, css . . . . Photographer W.W. Berlin, YN2 . . . . TyPISI