Trathen (DD 530) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 33 text:

0, . ,. 1 ,.,.,,',,, f .11-V. , , Ex

Page 32 text:

With the business end of our world cruise completed, the officers and men of the TRATI-IEN looked forward to the more leisurely but no less exciting, return voyage to the United States. Hong Kong: British Crown COIOUV Off 'Phe China 7 coast, was the first port of call. Sailors on liberty here mingled with a teeming population. which. included thousands of victims of the Red aggression which the TRATHEN had just combated for four months. Slghtseemg tours featured the weird but beautiful Tiger Balm Gardens which many TRATHEN men visited. Other crew members conducted their own tom-S through this busy, fast moving Oriental city. Aboard ship it was just as busy when swarms of merchants crowded the fan tail selling an unbelieveable variety of goods to many willing buyers. As soon as the TRATHEN left Hong Kong mysterious events began to take place. Anonymous threats were voiced over the loudspeaker and garbage was collected with a fiendish joy. The TRATHEN W2-S Hearing the Equator and 311211580145 were preparing to welcome the uninitiated into their fold with the traditional Navy ceremony. June 15 was the day of the rendezvous with the King of the Deep. At the end of a day of garbage chutes, salt water dunkings, haircuts by the Royal Barber, kisses planted on the belly of the Royal Baby and officers waiting on table, King Neptunus Rex could claim 275 men as loyal members of his dominion. Singapore, the fabulous city of the Southern end of the Malay Peninsula, was the next liberty port for the TRATHEN, Knovm as the Crossroads of the World , Singapore was swarming with Europeans, Malayans and Chinese, all dressed ac- cording to their native customs. Soon the white Navy uniforms were added to his galaxy of color and style as TRATHEN men toured and walked the city and shopped for souvenirs of the Orient. Our too brief stay in Singapore ended, Colombo, Ceylon became the TRATI-lEN'S next distination. Armed with a supply of rupees, liberty parties were soon 'heading for the beach in the numerous native water taxis. Colombo proved to be one fo the most popular sports for souvenir buying as evidenced by the flood of ivory bookends, ebony elephants, pre- cious stones and ,j ewel boxes that came aboard with the returningliberty parties or werepurchased from Bumboats along- side the ship. A group from the TRATHEN took the tour to Kandy, 70 miles from Colombo and a leading a center of the Buddhist religion. They saw the Temple of the Tooth, elephant baths, colorful botanical gardens and tried to fathom the tricks of the snake charmers. W After several days in Colombo, the thirsty TRATHEN got underway for a brief fuel stop at Aden in Saudi Arabia. This hot, barren land was not exactly an attractive liberty port but some of the crew went ashore to retum wearing fezes in- stead of white hats. After the heat of the Middle East we looked forward to the blue waters and refreshing breezes of the Mediterranean. But first the Suez Canal had to be transited. Wtih ships of many nations, the ship anchored out one night waiting for the morning to begin the passage through the Canal. With time out for a salty but refreshing swim call, it was late in the evening before the lights of Port Said at the northern end of the Canal were lost to view and the TRATHEN entered the Mediterranean. y - Athens, Greece, was the first of the long awaited Mediterranean ports of call. Liberty parties saw a modern Athens as well as evidences of the ancient Greek civilization highlighted by the famous ruins of the Acropolis. Well shined black shoes became slightly dusty as tour parties followed guides past the statues and through the temples on the hill which of- fered a magnificent panoramic view of the city below. Ancient history, familiar to TRATHEN men only in the pages of their school books, came to life through the explanations of the guide. Naples, Italy, familiar to some of the crew and being visited for the first time by others, was eagerly anticipated by all hands. Tours to Rome, Pompeii, and Capri made Naples a jumping off spot for maiiy while others contented them- selves with swimming, sightseeing and souvenir hunting in the city itself. Our stay passed rapidly and on July 19 the TRATHEN was once again. underway. When the anchor settled into the silver sands of the beautiful beach of Cannes, France, on July 20, it marked the be- ginning of a four day visit to the world's most famous playground, the French Rivera. Bikini bathing suits appeared a - board ship as well as on the sandy beach of Cannes. Swimming, sun bathing and visits to the picturesque sidewalk cafes P1'0Vided relaxing liberty fm' ma-DY Of the crew. Some, however, momentarily deserted the Seashore to travel to Paris to see treasures of art and history and sample the sparkling night life of the city. But despite the many pleasures of France, everyone was now anticipating the return voyage and the words home to the States became the keynote as we weighed anchor July 24 and left cannes for Gibraltar. There was little regret when liberty was limited to a few hours on The Rock where the ship took on fuel for the Atlantic crossing. Commumcatlonn 8u1'1Uel'Y2T1d emergency drills plus the job of putting the TRATHEN into tip-top shape for her arrival i:NcErfolk, helpedtopass the time despite a few days of heavy Atlantic sea. On August 6th long awaited words Prepare f IP or entering Norfolk appeafed On the Plan of the Day. Reveille PO's had no trouble in rousing the crew that morn- mg- Eafll' In the day men lined the deck for the first glimpse of familiar sights as the ship approached Norfolk. 50011 th ' . ey were rewarded by a v1ew of the Convoy Escort Piers, a large Welcome Home Banner and ,,,, mor im O,-tant .... the . . I . J 9 P Wavmg arms. and then fmlllar faces of WIVCS, ,families sweethearts and friends. After seven months and almost 60,000 miles the USS TRATHEN was home and happy to be there.

Page 34 text:

Everybody sow something but no- body sow every- thing.. lf's cn lot of city! ffu I 'ff viskmbq I J Q of cw fx xg wg, 94 4 ob M, Q A KVM fi' -wk l 1 45 4 QM 1 f 5, Say. E AQ 1 'axfffsef KA, Kfx X A so fjgfsvwy Q W nafffm ,W M, , W X 4 kwa buf, w ef 3 ?'9 5'4'5'539M 534391735 , M, ww V if ,W fa I Y 4 f 1 25 Qs X 'fefwf 0? wg ' ,435 Ma, ww 'BASIS' 'TQ MI eww: if . N xg N . A N fy, 'QSpMWX we ws, 4 J' 3? A? wkgg Qgszyiqxu VWS 4 Manx 'ww v 5 -N QQ We greg X ,ww M se. A weew X 4 NN my fax N AWXMXQ, W meow y 1 Q f x NSF xx 1 W 9 J QQ L + XXX Sk X XX 1 5115 5 Sv Q gee Q NXXQXWX ENQXS QR X xx xx M3 QQXQWQQN WN NNQM N Q NX X X y W NX x xx N kkgyxgx WX Xxx 1 ig 3wiQ8 ,gr xxx xx xx xxx N Q X X X :QNX Q X Xxixx Xe X N N Y, 4 v- zwdliw .4 xl X w4 X :NX XX R nxwasmaxxm X wx W.. ' A . K ' , e y y e f e ff - we-,. WA.,-wg,, ,f b so 1,:f2'z,, ., -- ' 'z-a ::Xz:':e ,fw-f. - V + Y I A '- f A b y ' ' ' m ' K e f 1 If. ' A ., - A - ' 13 ' '-1: .-ff 4 pm: 3.1 ,.'1v:g:v-fig.1.:1:4:1.1. s155.g.'.1:l-:.'L2-' '-r-is-2- 1:2-we vzezf-:Q -Ie - . ,. - ' , ,j 1, 1 .,-V, . 5-i,':,:f::e,::4s:, ,-'.:i:'4f:1:f1-2:' vw: - rr-1,1 T-w:f+w T X ., .-1: :2?fE'.'miie' ' ?V 7 ii i ixfw-f.:-12,-121 9 i 'i2i:1',I ffZ' 5:? . ' ' U N . . ' .14 Z: '. ei l - f' A.: fi -,iff ,W ' V- - ' 1-sa.- .-:.,-g:,-2 4? -1, -gf: . 12: . . .. .3 ,.,1:W,:. - -L gg Q5 .-NQAN, 1 be 5-1 g ,r : Q- H f ' 13-ff ,om -21:5,::-vf:,-W -' ri A ' X Rov e .' , N N ,:. -. ' X . N xi ' .f 9' 'MEF ' '1 '1,4 nz y'3131-' 3' i T'if-'El'-il- f ?':2':N??TfY1q'-fI1'1 glkf, X N: . , EQ NF, ' 'N Q-E-q -, W ' Q f ,lv -1 V7 - ' ff f -'K'-'-'- ,- V if ff'-::' if-r o XV-X . -.X - --