Med 1960 - Photo from 1960 Cruise Book
Thanks to Al Uhr
After the regular 1959-60 leave and upkeep period in her home port the NEWPORT NEWS got underway on 28 January for Golfo Di Palmas, Sardinia, Italy where she was to relieve the USS BOSTON on 13 Feb. to commence her 10th tour of duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. During the seven months the NEWPORT NEWS was attached to the Sixth Fleet she visited the ports of La Spezia, Naples, Livorno, Venice, Genoa, Italy; Rota and Barcelona, Spain; Thessalonika, and Athens, Greece; Palermo, Sicily; Cannes, Marseilles, Brest and Theoule France; Famagusta, Cyprus.
On 1 Mar. while steaming northeast of Sicily, the cruiser received orders to rush to the earth-quake shattered city of Agadir, Morocco. The ship plowed through the seas at an average speed of 31 knots, reaching Agadir at 1631 on 3 Mar. and rendered all possible assistance. Also noted from the Command History of the Sixth Fleet, "The Sixth Fleet's readiness to respond with help during civilian disasters was tested by the tragic earthquakes that leveled Agadir, Morocco, on February 28. Even though the Fleet was in the central and eastern Mediterranean at the time, the heavy cruiser USS NEWPORT NEWS (CA148) was immediately provided with extra medical personnel and emergency equipment and ordered to the scene. Upon arrival at Agadir on March 3, the cruiser provided medical care and supplies, electrical power, working parties, and food and water. Detached a few days later, it responded on March 9 to another local emergency call. This time the NEWPORT NEWS sent rescue helicopters and medical assistance to the scene of an airplane crash in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Granada, Spain."
The hospitality of the NEWPORT NEWS was displayed generously during the ship's visit to Famagusta, Cyprus in late March. On 30 Mar. the President-elect of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, was entertained on board along with other high-ranking officials.
July found the ship in Brest taking part in a week of activities geared to strengthening Franco-American friendship. The NEWPORT NEWS participated in Bastille Day activities, entertained the city's leading citizens and military officials on board and took part in ceremonies dedicating a monument to French and American dead of the World Wars. Also, in Brest on 15JUL, Captain Fred G. Bennett relieved Captain John Victor Smith as CO of NEWPORT NEWS.
Throughout her tour with the Sixth Fleet the NEWPORT NEWS, along with displaying the military strength of the US, acted as roving ambassador of goodwill to the people of the Mediterranean and Europe. The many receptions for leading civilian and military officials, orphan's parties, thousands of visitors she entertained on board and various other acts of goodwill displayed by her crew did much to further President Eisenhower's People-to-People program.
After seven months in the Mediterranean NEWPORT NEWS arrived at NOB on 31 AUG. The remainder of the year was spent in upkeep periods and operational exercises in the Norfolk area.
The Command of Cruiser Division TWO changed hands on 7 DEC when RADM I.J. Galantin was relieved by RADM W.B. Sieglaff.
Proceed to 1961
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