Saint Paul (CA 73) - Naval Cruise Book

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FORE WORD Will that morning ever be forgotten? Even the bachelors were moved. First of all, it was cold and grey. There was a wind coming over the San Pedro hills. Skirts and curls tossed in the breeze. It was pretty hard to keep warm that morning. Seven months is a long time to be torn away from things that are a part of you. The roller coaster and the Wilton never looked lovelier. The planks of Magnolia Street landing creaked under the burden of sailors and those who were there to say goodbye. How does a person say goodbye? On a chilly morning in November with old 73 biding her time in the stream, her boilers already perking, charts of the Pacific stretches across the Navigator's desk. One looks for a reason. And there was a reason that morning. I'm in the Navy. I'm serving aboard the SAINT PAUL and she is a ship of war. Me? I'm a sailor. Doesn't sound like much of reason? A reason to leave those things that are a part of you? It takes just about seven months for that reason to become clear. For those who've yet to learn the ways of the sea - And then she was underway and Magnolia Street landing and then Long Beach and then California become specks over the waves and days of sea were ahead. And there were sunny days and blustery days and happy days, sour days, days when the rain sluiced down from from haze grey skies and days when morning sweepers whistled to the rising sun. There were the strange streets of the fleet's watering holes. It wasn't exactly like home. People live differently over here. Women carry babies on their backs. . .Man is still the principal beast of burden. . .Peasants toil from sunrise to sunset in murky rice paddies...Children barely off mama's back oar sleazy junks through the teeming harbors. . .Duck heads and things from the bottom of the ocean and weird yellow flesh of fish and fowl festoon market Windows. . .Neon signs blaze a rosy welcome from sordid nightclubs. . .Hawkers attack you with touted merchandise, here and there a bargain.. .Gee, I'll bet that kimona Would look good on her. Oh, God, make this cruise hurry up and let us finish our work and be sailing home again. Slowly, time moves by. From the cold of Japan to the Philippine tropics and back again. At night the bunk is a comfort. Another day gone. I Wonder What's doing in Long Beach tonight. - Inside these pages, the men of the SAINT PAUL live those long days.

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sm JAMES ff sm JAMES H the Fighting Saints. On the Will personally introduce through the more memorable our cruise. He was with us we left Long Beach, Watched us throughout the long months ang. at last 'led us back to the he joined us. n are sure you will grow to know and as you join SIR JAMES and the Saints on their 56-57 cruise in the M N lla :QS Q52 K 91' xxx' n

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COMMANDER 7th FLEET M ZZ Zim Vice Admiral Wallace M. Beakley 28 January 1957- 5 Q a . C9 ,J w 7 1 Vice Admiral Stuart H. Ingersoll 19 December 1955-28 January 1957 ,fif 1 25 W We N' V