Smalley (DD 565) - Naval Cruise Book

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9 At the bend in the Canal before we reached the Pedro Miguel Lock we passed through the famous nine mile Caillard or Culebra cut. The rock cliffs rise to 150 feet straight up from the sides of the cut which is 300 feet wide in that section. The Canal winds like a serpent through lush, green tropical jungles for 49 miles. Here and there crocodiles and lizards can be seen basking in the sun. VVhen Culebra cut was dug, or better almost scraped out of the jungle by hand, about 300 men died in li Q . . . . . I I landshdes 111 the six years which it tookg even 1 I I f The big wash down v li .l destroyed by the gold-thirsty English pirate Henry Morgan. Shipmates who were not seeing Panama for 1 9 the first time looked forward to possible for- , r,r.t , 5 tunes which could be won in the National lot- ea: E tery. The Panamanians pay no income taxes, their entire cost of government being paid by is Ei the lottery in which almost everyone partici- pates. The tickets are 50 cents apiece and can ? be purchased in blocks of fifty of the same number. One ticket drawn in the Sunday morn- ing shuHie brings 81,000g 350,000 is the greatest amount which can be won in any week on a i panama City Balboa reached the Pacific, it says here j . . . 5 'S 5 Q more fell victim to yellow fever in the twenty- , 2 Y 1 six years which it took to complete the entire ,' if job. I 9 31 Late Saturday afternoon the Mirafiores Locks lowered us once again to sea level and ily we steamed the last few miles to the fueling 1 li l-5 pier which was to hold us while we enjoyed l if the night clubs, parks, and souveniers of 6 A 5 a Panama City. ai,y r L j, r s all The population of Panama City is 127,874, a great deal larger than many of us had 9 if! expected. We found modern stores, hotels and e H shops to visit during the day and an abundance or ,.lri rir.iir C P of Latin music and risque shows d,Amour for entertainment at night. Some found their way to the ruins of the old city which was founded by one of Balboais Captains in 1519 and later

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Early on the morning of 23 May we sighted East Cristobal Break- water light and about two hours later pro- ceeded into the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal. Our first week of underway training had been climaxed by a gun- nery shoot off Citmo Bay, Cuba, and we were anxious to enjoy a leisurely passing of the famous Canal and some of the fabled liberty in our first Ports-of-Call: Balboa and Panama City. Culebra cut Unlike the numerous merchant ships that were anchored in the Bay waiting their turn to transit the Locks, we had priority and started through the three Catun Locks as soon as our pilot came aboard. Two destroyers Kuna! Zane could be accommodated in one lock at the same time, and the three Locks at Catun lifted the Smalley and Daly 96 feet in a few minutes. W7ater rushed into the locks in great volume, and except for large pumps which are used during the dry season they are gravity fed. Once up to the level of Catun Lake it is a thirty mile steam to the next locks. Because Catun is fresh water we used it to flush out our fire and drainage mains and to wash the ship from mast down. So, during our two hours on the Lake the uniform for all hands was bathing suitsg anyone in clothing at that time was fair game. W7ith the hot sun baking the steel decks to over 100 degrees and with all the fire hoses available spraying cool fresh water the crew went wild. ln their playful melee of water Hghts we managed to get some of the ship washed down and certainly all of the hoses well .flushed of salt deposits. 8

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l 5 i 5 ,flflrfdem lacks and ancient ruins block of fifty tickets. There are Winners every Week and the government stays in the black. The tropical leisure of Panama did not turn our heads for long because many of us were intensely looking forward to our first adventure in the vast Pacific Ocean While the more experi- enced World War ll sailors were Wondering just what similarities this cruise would have with others that clung to their memories. The first ten days of our venture into the calm Pacific was characterized by training l 4 H- In the locks 'z i , 4 1 a l ' drills and perspiration as We pushed up the coasts of Central America and Mexico under the constant eye of a hot june sun. California lay ahead to render the lonely farewells of our A last few days in the United States. i s i 4- -' G --:---,..., V . .. . Nr ':: 31 :VI A.: '.,v. i . .,..,...,f.., ,,.,A,,.,,. 1,A . i z -:'q-. ..vK'4,-, H S ' X ri I Pananna Hotel v 1 10 iz l 1