Tortuga (LSD 26) - Naval Cruise Book

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The first big draft of dis- chargees left us in October . . . here they are over on the right. Sorry to see them go, but it's a funny thing. . . they were all smiles when they waved goodbye to us! No doubt a lot of the gang will be joining them soon, and in six months you won't even see anyone you know at quarters. We left Inchon . . . 5 still in ruins . . . and Sfill af Wai' Page Thirty-Nine

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I've t-old you about the little children you see everywhere in Korea.'The ones that have the toughest time, of course, are the orphans . . . and the TORTUGA tried to do what it could to help them out. This time, as in the spring, all hands dug down into wallets and sea bags to come up with the money and clothing so desperately needed by the orphan- ages. Made you feel kind of good . . . to be able to help these poor little fellows out, if only for a short time. We even took some of our cartoon movie shorts over and gave them a showing one Sunday aftennoon. They loved it . . . and I'l1 bet these were the first they had ever seen! n training ' ' ' Wahdered throu W 6 kept O gb t0Wn and helped ,Out anfews kids . Page Thirty-Eight zike this one. l 4

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That about wraps it up, I guess . . . the TOR- TUGA's Far East Cruise. Maybe the part we played in the war wasn't glamorous, and maybe We didn't win any citations, but we did our part, and more! One thing about the TORTUGA . . . she never fell down on any assignment given her, and she always found a way to get the job done, no matter how tough ,it was. We've got a lot of memories of the good times and the bad . . . and a lot of friends. That's the most important thing, I think. If there's anything left to say, it's this. We left a lot of guys .still in Korea. They want to come home, too . . . but they're not going to be chased home! Let's get behind them and give them what they need to come home 'soon . . . and with their flags flying! That's the way we do things in this country, remember? I, 16K i t A A r 5 im X . W 5 ,.1lmM'v'? if .1 .. ,, ' V qu '4 X 5 Qi' I D! EMS' , 2 I I IAC ' - - f 5 V ' 'x .0 ' xx -. -H - 1: wE..LtDme .reams B15-Bovf' Page Forty flznndmq IQ, -'AW AY 915 tu 5 ,L , me I 3-8 X- fx-Q ' ' .r1':f32.c,, W ,XX f 'S ff e - T4 . Q Winter didn't catch up with us until the very end of our stay, and we played baseball well after the World Series had ended. Everybody's thoughts were pretty far away from Inchon, though, for the big day wasn't far away. After almost twelve months, we were going home at last! When our orders to sail finally arrived late one night they came as a surprise to everyone, for we had one more mission to perform before we could g-o home. Back to Sasebo -on the double for more LSU's, and then up the East coast of Korea this time to the tiny port of Chumunjin right on the 38th paral- lel. Our circuit -of Korea was completed now. We left the U's behind us, and set our course for Yokosuka . . . another short overhaul . . . and some last-minute Christmas shopping. November 20th . . . and Japan is fading away astern. So long, Tokyo Bay! San Diego, here we come! It's going to b'e a Merry Christmas this year!!