| NOVEMBER 1952. During this month, Dwight
D. Eisenhower was elected President of the United States with the promise
that he would go to Korea to see for himself what the war was all about.
During this same month, U. S. S. ROCHESTER departed Long Beach California
with a crew that had similar, though less publicized, intentions. Their
experiences are chronicled on the pages that follow, with many of the
photos being from the ship’s 1952-53 cruise book.
ROCHESTER left Long Beach breakwater in
her wake as she headed out into the broad Pacific. |
Once underway, the crew settled into an
orderly sequence of daily chores.
Reveille at
0600 hours brought those not on watch out of their bunks to ready
themselves for the day ahead.
It took
exceptionally large pots to prepare meals for over 1300 sailors.
Muster at
0800 ensured that all hands were accounted for. Then followed a day of
maintenance, with each Division keeping its space shipshape. Decks were
sanded and/or scrubbed, while equipment was kept in working order. Each
Division also provided watch standers needed to run the ship, such as the
helmsman.
At workday’s
end, those not on watch were free to relax in the ship’s library or view a
movie on the mess deck. Then at 2200 hours the Boatswains Mate on watch
piped taps and off-watch personnel climbed into their bunks.
The Waikiki of that era was a relaxed
setting—very unlike the intense, highly charged Waikiki of today. Sipping
a cool tropical drink at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (left) was an experience
that can no longer be recaptured. Many ROCHESTER sailors, however,
preferred the more lively establishments on Hotel Street, in downtown
Honolulu (right).
On this day,
it seemed these four ROCHESTER sailors (left) had Waikiki Beach to
themselves. Meanwhile, four others on the windy Pali had to remove hats
that otherwise would have blown away. On the right, there appears to be a
sailor in dress whites out on that reef. But that can’t be so. No one
would be that crazy!
After just a few days in the Islands,
ROCHESTER steamed out of Pearl Harbor and continued her journey westward.
WestPac pg 2 / WestPac pg3 / WestPac pg 4 / WestPac pg 5
|
