Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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I 1 , l w The trip to Pearl Harbor, and the first leg of our cruise was completed on 10 October 1948, when the Tarawa sliced through the incredibly blue waters as she entered Pearl Harbor, and minutes later tied up at Ford Island. . h Short as our stay was, there was time for all who desired to go ashore. On the second and third days of our stay there, sight-seeing tours were arranged by a local transport company, and many TARAVVA men took advantage of this opportunity to see the island. The bus tour began at Aiea, on the south side of the Island of Oahu, and terminated at the same spot, about eight hours and 125 curved-filled miles later, after describing a complete circle around the island. Some of the attractions of the tour were Waikiki Beach, the Pali, Diamond Head and Koko Head, most of the island's many beaches, the beautiful Mormon Temple, and the sugar cane and pineapple planta- tions. 4 There were also those who did not care for a day of sightseeing and were content to enjoy the view of the interiors of some of Honolulu's and Waikiki's best-known-if not the finest-places of business. Then there was another group, quite different from those mentioned above. These hardy souls devoted their time to learning the art of surfboarding. As many will attest, this is a pastime strictly for the professionals. On the second night of our stay there, we had the opportunity to enjoy a presentation of the hula dance, on the hangar deck, given by dancers from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the island's swankiest night-spot. Most people have seen a hula dance, but few realize that the hula is one of the World's most expressive dances. One often wonders what it is all about, but to those who understand it, every movement of the body means just as much as if the dancer were saying words-of joy or sadness, telling the story of a fishing trip, of a great love, or perhaps the death of a great chief. Honolulu, the metropolis and capital of the Hawaiian Islands, is situated on the lee side of Oahu. Hawaiians call the lee side the Kona side. The name of the island, Oahu, means the gathering place. Honolulu and Pearl Harbor are nearly synonomous to most mainlanders since the attack which started World War II occurred there on 7 December 1941. Pearl Harbor is just ll miles from the center of Honolulu, and since the surburbs of the city run into the outskirts of the naval establishment, it might just as well all be Honolulu. The Island of Oahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands group. It is 40 miles long and 26 miles wide. The island has two mountain ranges run- ning almost parallel to its greatest length. Because of these ranges, the climate varies considerably. The windward for North, side of the Island is generally cooler and has considerable rain. The leeward side, where Pearl Harbor and Honolulu are situated, is dry and warm. This island is really the city and county of Honolulu and vice versa. Actually, however, the city and county of Honolulu ranges far afield from Oahu, having technically within its jurisdiction the Isle of Palmyra, nearly a thousand miles to the south and Pearl and Hermes Reef more than a thousand miles to the northwest. The far-reaching ocean triangle is the basis of the claim .that Honolulu is the largest city inthe world, embracing as it does some 540,000 square mi es. On the whole we found the island and its peo le . , P hospitable and charming. Our anticipation of future ports of call was tempered at saying aloha to Beauti- ful Hawaii. .,.-...,..