This article was submitted by George Williams, it is a
reproduction from ALL HANDS and was written by Dale Lytton, JO2
Australia Puts Out the Red Carpet
USS Gregory in Sydney,
Australia
Destroyers slice through Pacific on way
to goodwill visit in Australia
The red carpet treatment that men of four destroyers received
while making a recent goodwill cruise to Sydney, Australia, will remind old
timers of the "good old days"-when Australia was no less than a second
home to American men of all services-and will cause the younger salts to wonder
just why Uncle Sam hadn't dispatched them as goodwill ambassadors to the
continent-down-under more often.
Only 50 of the 1000 Destroyer Division 171 sailors who made
this first goodwill trip to Australia in two years had been there previously,
but most of the newcomers took little time in agreeing with their predecessors
that Australians are "the friendliest people in the world."
Providing enough men to fill all the invitations extended
proved to be the most difficult job the ship's staffs encountered during the
entire trip After preparing a social calendar before arrival, USS Gregory
(DD-802), Porterfield (DD-682), Halsey Powell (DD-686) and Marshall (DD-676)
were no more than moored before they were deluged with additional invitations.
"After all," explained one lady, "we don't get
to see them very often and we like to show them a good time while they're
here." The rest of the populace seemed to agree with her.
The government cooperated by offering free transportation on
public conveyances and an American uniform was an admission ticket to Randwick
races, Taronga Zoological Gardens, or the mammoth annual Agricultural Society
Show.
While the Navymen were making a tour of Sydney and the
surrounding countryside, weighted down with cameras and usually escorted by one
or more volunteer Aussie guides, approximately 30,000 Sydney citizens streamed
across the brows of the four warships to get a close-up view of American sea
power.
Open house was held each afternoon during the five-day visit
and 10,000 people toured the vessels in one day.
Although they were guests for the day, the people of Sydney
couldn't forget their role as hosts and many more personal invitations were
offered to the sailors. They were eager to have the Americans join them
for dinners, shows, parties and drives.
Among many of the visitors were Australian sailors who boarded
the Yank ships to exchange shop talk with the men of the San Diego-based
destroyers. Sailors of HMS Penguin, Local Training and Sub Depot, feted
petty officers with a luncheon and tour of the depot's facilities.
Even men on duty were taken care of when a group of
entertainers came aboard the flagship Gregory one evening and presented a
variety revue for the duty-bound sailors of the Division.
As the men of DesDiv 171 prepared to get underway following
less than a week of good times, a large group of Aussies was on hand to bid the
visitors farewell-and many of the U.S. travelers had made definite plans to
return.
-Dale Lytton, JO2, USN
ALL HANDS
New Friends - Tin can sailors
chat
Open House -
Friends
Navymen get advice
with Australian girl while visiting
WW down under
swarmed.
from policeman
I memorial in Sydney's Hyde
Park
aboard DDs. |
