Sicily (CVE 118) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 13 text:

f A J , N 3 M .4 4.3, fir! ' 8.5 X i ' Us '-' -- , ,,1 A ..-tu' fl- if - .Q ' . ' gr. + ' T- . '. V ii , rl. if-5 1 -A . My :V A, 3. '?.,1., Y. 5 'F' if K 'X' MW , 1' 1 4 A Pi 'r fr Us . fi? ' ' E 'C :W . l ,.-ia, 1 , - 5 c, , 19, , 1 l l 1 R 1 .,-1 r l ff all ' 33?-ser 4 . -...H . -,rv ,.Q., , .. 60 ' ,a as-,r fs' .muh ,Pr .i f.k .silt , .sw .- wtf , .Q . , i ,, - ,g, ru- - m Upon arrival at Glasgow, SlClLY off-loaded the personnel and aircraft of the embarked fighter wing. The task of unloading completed, the crew was then fortunate to have over a week to enjoy the hospitality of the Scottish people and the exquisite scenery of their country. Q A A Q I' ifQf,i4i . W . Q l Y A gl' I 1 lf Hg. li. Q-A-+1 puma...- Many friends were made on this cruiseg in fact, so impressed was one Scottish lad that he inquired for particulars as to how it was possible for him to enlist in the U. S. Navy. To reciprocate for the friendly hospitality of the Scots, both the crew and the officers held shipboard parties. With many regrets the SICILY sailed from Glasgow on August l6, l948.

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In the new yeor of l948 the Sicily wos still to be found swing- ing oround her onchor in l-lompton Roods ond here she remoined until the lotter port of Februory when she finolly got underwoy ofter on inoctive period of over five months ond soiled for the shipyord in Boston, Mossochusetts, to hove her first complete yord overhoul. Overhouls ore o period of foce-lifting, but in this yord period the Sicily reolly got the works. She wos completely tronsformed into o modern onti-submorine corrier. During this period the Sicily entered her bosketboll teom in the Iocol fleet tournoment. Her teom wos one of the finest in the oreo ond would hove proceeded to the finols, but the Queen's period of overhoul expired too soon ond her teom, olthough Ieod- ing the leogue, wos unoble to fight for the chompionship. On Moy 2-4th, l948, Coptoin Robert B. Pirie took commond of the Queen. A little over o week loter the Sicily deported from the novy yord ond returned once ogoin to her home port of Nor- folk, but she wos not returning to her inoctive stotus. This period, while the ship wos under the commond of Coptoin Pirie, the Queen once ogoin took her ploce omong the octive vessels of the Novy. She certoinly mode up for her mony months of in- octivity ond she come to be known os the workingest, soilingest, ond operotingest ship on the Eost Coostf' Doys in port were few ond for between, but the liberties thot were mode by her crew were on the shores of mony countries ond continents of the world. After o period of operoting independently off the Virginio Copes, the Sicily once ogoin proceeded through the Ponomo Conol to Bolboo, Conol Zone. At this port she looded oboord the entire 36th Fighter Wing of the United Stotes Air Force. This wos indeed unificotion of the highest degree, o Novy corrier tronsporting on entire jet squodron of the Air Force. The Sicily left Bolboo ond proceeded to Glosgow, Scotlond. ,. ,i 'i .Lf jg 'Q i'- HS f . l i 4 +1 .1-Q: Q 1. I' yi-- ,P 35 , l.f4T IRL.. 2 lisrf E 'lk R it ll' D Til i 1 l i i i i i l i i I l

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