Salem (CA 139) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 75 text:

.Z . 2 Panoramic view of the town. The OZ level. ri, ff-'1 A P I I I. suw -on wk ww mu s - QCII Row, row, row your boat Oh those sidewalk cafes! Villefranche, France I Tuur nf Ville B! N ,X The old and A the young. Villefranche is our home away from home and by far the favorite port of the SALEM. There wasn't another port like Ville on the cruise. Where else can you find a Iimmy's with beer that tastes better than any other bar's in France and American music played by French- men? Where else can you find a Blue Beach and a chance to leave the ship at one and be basking in the sun by one-fifteen? Where else can you find a Ville Girl ? Where else can you find the OZ level and an atmosphere unique, where good beer costs less and where you can't move a step without seeing a ship- mate? Where else can you find the perfume shops that sell at a price less than the ship's store a product of equal quality? Where else can you find Mary, the flower girl, who's straight out of Runyon, who knows more sailors and has hugged more Admirals than any- one could believe possible. Where else can you find an excellent baseball field and, without charge, free access to it? Where else can you find a port where credit is good 'till the next time you're there? And where else can you find Mom's, the restaurant and meeting place at fleet landing where a good sandwich is always available, where a leisurely hour's talk is there for the taking, and where Mom takes care of the sailor boys as she would her own? In the Med there's only one answer: no where else but Ville. Ask any Salemite. he If -af,

Page 74 text:

'Qty One ot the industries of the city. 6 F S A mighty nice little town. ...NN '5.l 0 Q 62 I ' E 'la .' 2 1 ff? Q15 r A . r gm. ... -4- 'fl fxX C 'lf tg Q 1 dl All the boys love Mary the flower girl. UR MER e have returned. City limits. Maritime Alps,

Page 76 text:

Connoisseurs of fine silk. Gibraltar, British Eruwn lfnlnny Cn arriving in the Med and prior to our visit at Gibraltar, the SALEM dropped anchor in Villefranche, France. for a one day stop, but, because of regulations governing the number of men allowed ashore, two-thirds of the crew were required to remain on board there. So, most oi us had spent three weeks aboard ship by the time we first had an opportunity to go ashore during the 1953 Med cruise. When we pulled into Gibraltar, consequently, there were very few who weren't ready to go over and try a glass of English hospitality, however, we soon learned that the fortress city offers little to amuse the casual visitor once the usual sightseeing trip had been made. The people were more than friendly, though, and the town did prove to be something of a shopper's paradise. Fine woolen goods were the popular item with Rolls Razors offering close competition. The camera fans went wild once they spied the familiar sign of the Prudential. An aircraft landing strip on the outskirts of the city provided an excellent view of the rock and everyone who had a camera took advantage of it. The territory of Gibraltar is separated from Spain by a thin wedge of ground designated no man's land. Through arrangements with the authorities, those on the ship who wanted them were granted visas, permitting a visit to the town of La Linea across the border. Once there, most of us were disap- pointed. There was little to interest the average sightseer and little more to entertain him. In fact, it seemd that the most entertaining sight in La Linea was the sailors them- selves, as what must have been by far the greater part of the town's population came out to line the streets and watch the Americans. Before leaving Gibraltar, the USS SALEM relieved the USS DES MOINES, as Flagship Sixth Fleet and it was on the ninth of May that we began the cruise proper. iw: Solid as the Spanish border guard. MAY Come on along.