Stevenson (DD 645) - Naval Cruise Book

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Qiiwlim awww The town was small and the narrow streets were lined with shops ranging from tea-rooms and bakeries to novelty shops and cabarets, the latter being patronized largely by the Stevenson's crew, barring no one from that category. The night life at Gib , Cas the British sevicemen call itlwas centered around the cabarets and proved very interesting to all of us. They couldn't compare with our American night clubs but the hospitality that was offered was very much appreciated. ' In one of the cabarets the music was furnished by an all-girl orchestra. The gowns they wore appeared to date back to the last war and we might add that some of the girls appeared to date from that period also, if not earlier. Nevertheless theirattempts at God Bless America , You Are My Sunshine , and other songs were inspiring to us all. The monotony of long days at sea and the ever present submarine menace seemed to be remote in those few pleasant hours. Our worries 'were completely forgotten. Some of the more ambitious members of our crew attempted a hike to the top of the famous rock. Upon their return they told of the wonderful View to be had from the top of the rock, of the high rolling mountains of Spain on one side, and the coast of Africa on the other. While tied up to the dock we were honored in having the well-known news- paperman, Iohn Hersey, come aboard. l-le was to make the return trip to New York with us. As a' result, the Stevenson and her bell were mentioned in his book, A Bell for Adano, and also in the movie version. Our Skipper, who at that time was Capt. Wilson, and a famous war correspondent undertook an expedition to the peak on the ship's motorscooter. Coming back they met up with a little hard luck, the scooter hit a rock on the dirt road and both driver and passenger went sprawling over the ground. They were fortunate in not being injured except for a few bruises but the motorscooter was out of commis- sion for a while. All in all the hospitality shown to the American sailors at Gibraltar was gratifying just as it has been at the other British ports where this ship has called. The fluid state of international relationship seems to have been solid- ified. After making a total of five round trips across the Atlantic inthe ten month period following her shakedown cruise, the Squadron received orders to report to the commander, Seventh Fleet, in the Southwest Pacific where the Steve was to take part in General MacArthur's historic dash up the New Guinea coast as a unit of the.Seventh Amphibious Force. Even today she is known to her crew as 'fthe Galloping Ghost of the New Guinea Coast. The Steve during her con- voying of the much-needed merchantmen across the Atlantic, made several attacks on enemy submarines detected by sound contacts but none material- ized into a confirmed kill. However not one of the slow merchant ships she was convoying was lost while the Steve was escorting them even though this was duringlthe peak of the Nazi submarine offensive against Allied shipping. 17

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