Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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ER ARY Departed Quonset Po1nt R I U S A 2:30 PM November 28, 1951 PORTS ARRIVAL DATE OF Dec. 11 1951 Dec. 13 1951 Dec. 19 1951 Jan. 9 1952 Jan. 21 1952 Jan. 31 1952 Feb. 9 1952 Feb. 14 1952 Feb. 21 1952 Mar. 5 1952 Mar. 15 1952 Apr. 1 1952 Apr. 6 1952 Apr. 11 1952 Apr. 22 1952 May 3 1952 May 14 1952 May 23 1952 May 28, 1952 Jun. 2, 1952 DAYS IN PORT ' One Three Thirteen Six, Five Eight Four Four Five Four Twelve Four Three Five Six Six Five ' Four Three . Five Hours

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h h ve been on 'the Riviera T HS W 0, a . + ilwd, lo:gal:3aP Slorles will old lilillllUiSiSliEf:snpS Capi. C. H. Duerfeldf, C. O. USS Tarawa, decides he O they await iransporlahon +0 9 has carried 'rhe ball long enough as he prepares fo Mission accom I, h as pass if on to Capt. B. C. McAfree. C O. USS Wasp. .man sfeerg 'f lS.ed' llle Pirate ship's helms- D RELI F The dispatch arrived, the predictions from the supposedly wise old salts as to when, where, and even whether we would be relieved were for the most part proven wrong, and the cables and air mail specials bearing the hot word were sent to wives and girl friends. - . . . TO BE RELIEVED IN GIBRALTAR TWO JUNE . . . Tarawans had had an extra month to dream up ideas-the weirder the better. Old clothes were hacked to shreds, hats were stripped down, and souvenir lids of every description were dusted off. Mustaches were preened and mops became long white beards. The morning of the big day came. The USS TARAWA, six months out of the states eased into an anchorage in Gibraltar harbor. Nearby was the USS WASP, her deck a mass of roaring combat planes being tuned up, ready for business, and in the background was the Rock, a bristling fortress. But on the quarter deck of the TARAWA stood the motliest looking assortment of crew seen on any ship since the days of Noah. They were waiting for a small pirate ship that had just been lowered from the TARAXVA's starboard boat-boom. A few minutes later YVASP personnel were packing the catwalks and listening in amused amazement as the boatload of animated whiskers and tatters slowly circled their ship with a small band mournfully playing It's Been a Long Long Time . The TARAWA welcoming committee boarded the WASP, swapped a few short speeches, many healthy laughs and handshakes, then returned to their ship to prepare for the Gibraltar-Norfolk trip. V Some say it was a result of having been out too long, and others will tell you that Americans are crazy anyway, but Tarawans know it was just an old Navy tradition colored up with a healthy dose of that traditional American wit that makes life so much fun. I wlfh :fs car f 1. H1 90.0 old s d b o e USS TARAWAs quarfeliadecclif ack Whife-whislcered Cai S+ C black whlsker d P - H. Du f B . . er eldf' . e llldliih Navy porf ogfijiills a bewildered. was quarter deck. Oh the USS The irale shi a TARAWA moior-launch,'and her crew P P 1 provide +ransporl'a+ion for 'the assorimenl' of Mediferranean- wise members of 'lhe welcoming commi'Hee. Black flag af 'lop of masi' bears skull and crossed bones.

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