Zellars (DD 777) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 28 text:

Leaving Hamburg we parted company with friend BERWICK, who was being relieved by the destroyer EURALAS. The Brits in cahoots with ZELLARS' signal gang had contrived to make an Erik's Raiders flag which they broke under their own skull and cross- bones. The Captain, thinking his personal flag had been lifted and was , G 1 4 'Y 9 XJ ..-bt .. -f.:'.1.-,.,--., 1: ok , um.,-frvgf A. f,fca1:f:.'f1.::-.f::A,Q'13 + - ',1'f-41'f': A - : 155125f,:.'I+k1-1945,-..z'iJf'!-ZJ ,,m.1.v. a, , - Y M- f being blasphemed roared with pain. But as BERWICK passed close aboard, Erik struck back, firing two sacks of surveyed spuds out of the forty- four tube. BERWICK was afine ship,a real credit to the British Navy, and we would miss her both underway and on the beach. NORWAY During Birthex , sonamedbecause SACLANT's Chief of Staff's birthday fell on the day the operation began, ZELLARS puttered in and out of the maze of fjords alternately pursuing and being pursued by Norwegian FPB's, frogmen, and miniature subs. Even a Russian tug bristling with antennas, got in on the act. Navigation was an unqualified night- mare. X.C., who looked like walking dead, muttered that the Russians had cut the string which attached the ship to Bodo. We were all thankful for X the presence of LTJG Bob Roto Roetering who carried part of the navigation load. Tromso, describedzin a Chamber of Commerce movie as the Paris of the North, had the usual Grand Hotel plus a couple of restaurants, notably the MERCUR and ROGERS. In ad- dition, there was another group of Mormons who again decimated us in basketball. While in Tromso, DCl Drake received the happy news thathe had made Chief in the February exams. 1 ,, .Q - f fax K 1' i fm' - v 9 A F- ' 6,7 Sp Q:-V' . sm

Page 27 text:

RCJTTERDAM Rotterdam reminds you of New Jersey, that is the part just below New York City. lt's flat and cluttered with tanks, two story struc- tures, and ships, hundreds of them. Getting into the biggest port in the world was a cliff-hanging experience. The Dutch pilot seemed to think it was just the most natural thing in the world to be surrounded by seven zillion ships, all seemingly driven by state- side taxi drivers. When an unnamed freighter had a steering casualty and cut across our bow, the only consolation that occurred to us was that it wouldn't be a very long swim to shore. General visiting, which had been an easy routine up to this port, turned into a mob scene. On Sunday, the 28 of March, 2,000 Dutch, mostly kids swarmed over the ship. They climbed into vents, slid down gun mounts, rang up flank on the Engine Order Telegraph, and pestered everyone from the mess cooks to the X.O. for autographs. Ens. Reihm along with Duffy, Frasca, and Dalbec fought the good if losing fight on the quarterdeck while PAQ Wilson resorted to setting Condition Zebra and then went and hid in the wardroom. This was our finest hour. While all this was going on, ZELLARS' basketball team won its first game--by default since no one else showed up. To an American visitor, Rotterdam's night life is similar to what you'd find back in the U.S. Whereas most of the spots are begging for customers, one or two such as the Cafe T'Fust and DeVick's are mobbed. Unless you tie yourself,to a table, you will be sucked in through the front door and Squeezed out the back without ever getting near the bar.

Page 29 text:

NORWAY IN PICTURES H -I A... N-, ,,,,,,, My tubal N f yxkrqrw , 4. .- If . -. ' , 'Wu W HQ pn... ., g5ff1,if ffl lI f ' ' fqiramm-' 1, 1 ll' , uP- A 1 uw 1 'I-Uh 'Ili Familiar Sights: Everpresent FPB'sg Dean with admirersg and a few of the many fishing villages.