Our mission on our South American sea cruise was to train and assist our South American Naval allies in using the war surplus ships we either gave or sold to them after World War Two.
To accomplish this mission we needed also to have an, Admiral COMSOLANT (Commander South Atlantic force), his flag (read his staff), and the US Navy band comprised of about twenty musicians on board in addition to our normal crew of five hundred and thirty men.
Most of the time we would 1 be accompanied by a destroyer escort (DE) a smaller very maneuverable ship and very fast. DE sailors discribe their ships, "as long as a city block and as wide as a sidewalk." Also a non-nuclear submarine would accompany us. Sometimes an US Navy airplane would fly out and join in our exercises.
The primary function of the USS Norfolk was ASW, Anti Submarine Warfare. The Norfolk was a fairly new vessel and we had latest, state of the art sonar equipment installed on board.
We would pull into port then rendezvous with the countries Navy then head out to sea for maneuvers. This was beneficial to all involved. We trained the countries Navy and our sonar crews received valuable experience with our equipment.
So the submarne would go out and submerge and we would try to find it and simulate killing it. These maneuvers would be on for days. Sometimes well into the wee hours of the morning. Our sonar crews worked their butts off. Then we would return to port and the Admiral, his staff, The US Navy Band along with our officers would do the goodwill part of our cruise function. There were parties and concerts with the dignitaries of the host country.
We lowly enlisted slime rarely participated in these gala affairs. Except when ever we pulled into port we had to, "Man the Rail," that is stand at parade rest (hands clasped behind your back legs spread wide apart) at each stanchion of the life rail that encircled the entire ship. On the deck above main deck ( the 02 deck) The US Navy band would play, the "theme" song of the cruse, "Hello Dolly." This tableau would repeat every time we entered or left a port. Now I was never a fan of Barbara Streisand nor did Hello Dolly appeal to me in the least. But to this day that song makes me ill. We made seventeen different ports so I hear that song a minimum of thirty four times. Also in our maneuvers we left and reentered ports many times. Each time... Hello Dolly.
Some of the best times however, were when we were in port, on liberty and met the South American sailors. These guys were a ball of laughs and really fun to hang out with. Actually there was more goodwill generated by us lowly enlisted slime than all the parties concocted by our respective elite officers. Without Hello Dolly.
No one could beat the Argentine sailors. These guys were just as crazy and out of hand as we were. About five or six of us went on liberty in a port called Puerto Bellgrano. It was and is a huge Naval base for the Argentine Navy. It was conveniently located next to a beautiful city named Bahia Blanca.
We were moored up to this huge pier it was probably one hundred feet wide. And moored directly across from the Norfolk was our Argentine counterpart a former US Destroyer. As we walked down our gangway an equal number of Argentine sailors disembarked from their ship. We met in the middle. We Americans bowed deeply, smiling. Our bow was immediately returned we all started laughing. And turned in unison down the pier. That was the start of a party that lasted days. We were all deficient in Spanish I had a couple of semesters of high school Spanish (which is pretty useless) and my best friend's grandma taught me a lot (That is another story) our hosts spoke only a few words of english but we communicated fine. And when we left Puerto Bellgrano the Argentine Destroyer stuck with us for more maneuvers. So the party went on to Chile.
Now I am sure you have all herd the saying, "He spends just like a sailor." There is a lot of truth to that. You see in the Navy everything is taken care of, Food, clothing medical care, housing, and the like. So if you are young, unmarried, and unencumbered in any way, your pay is yours to spend.
In South America at that time the dollar was worth a small fortune in most of those countries. In Brazil I exchanged a twenty dollar bill in a bank and I almost didn't have enough pockets to hold all the bills I got. With no inflation I was rich.
But for our Argentine buddies money in their country was tight. We figured that out quickly so we tactfully paid for everything. Hell we didn't care these guys were great, and they knew all the cool places to party. In Chile their money was worth whole lot more and they returned the favor although nothing was ever said, didn't need to be. There is honor among even the bat-shit crazy.
So all ten or twelve of us piled onto a city bus and headed into Bahia Blanca. This was an awesome city with old, ornate architecture and friendly people. The Argentine sailors proudly showed us around on a tour led by them. It got to be late afternoon and we were all hungry so we ask our hosts where we could eat. They smiled and motioned for us to follow.
We entered a small cheery restaurant, actually more like someone's large home kitchen. There were home style windows in front with blue print half curtains that allowed the sunlight to flow in and brighten the room. The walls were painted light blue as well. A long table filled the room covered with a blue print tablecloth that matched the curtains. Multiple kitchen like chairs around the table, they could have been in my kitchen at home. A large sideboard with an ornate mirror stacked with plates and dinning stuff was against the wall. In one corner was a large deep shelf attached to the wall. On this shelf rested a large wooden barrel on it's side facing out into the room. On what would have been it's top was a wooden spigot.
We were escorted to our chairs by two very nice, smiling women, dressed in pretty blue (of course) print dresses with white collars and trim. Menus and wine glasses were distributed.
From the sideboard the ladies retrieved four dull orange colored plastic pitchers, what I would have called, iced tea pitchers. As that is what my mom served iced tea in at dinner in my house. They walked over to the barrel, filled the pitchers, and placed them evenly, in line, in the center, on the length of the table. Our hostesses then filled another pitcher from the barrel then filled our wine glasses with red wine. Of course we immediately tasted it... It was a really good Chianti like wine, and very strong. There were smiles all around the table.
The first choice on the menu was Porterhouse Steak. A word about Argentine beef, it is arguably the best in the world. All naturally grass fed and delicious. We all ordered the steak. Of course our Argentine buddies were used to fine beef but to us when the steaks came we thought we were in heaven. They were about two inches thick and huge. Dinner came with baked potato or fries, a salad and corn. Hell, we were in heaven.
As for the wine, our waitresses made very sure our iced tea pitchers were always full. We drank a lot of that wine. The service was friendly, cheerful, and excellent.
I made sure that I got the bill. It really only came to about twenty bucks American. I couldn't believe it. We tipped like only American sailors can, way more than the bill. The entire time we were there in Bahia Blanca we never ate anywhere else.
So the party continued some of us, Argentines and Americans would drop off the tour (duty called) but the core hung in there.
On the last night before we sailed the next morning the whole drunken contingent of us headed back to our ships, in a conga line, athwart the big wide pier. We were all arm in arm singing and kicking our legs in unison. I was wearing an Argentine sailor hat and a buddy was wearing my Navy white hat. We hugged, shook hands, parted and went aboard our respective ships.
Well the next morning, before we left I was summoned to the quarter deck. I was informed that I had to return my Argentine sailor hat and that my friend would return mine. I of course asked why. It seems that the parties that be, both Argentine, and the US Navies had decided that rather than create a major incident we would have to return our hats. This of course was ridiculous and I said so. The officer of the deck (OD) told me that my buddy would have to buy another hat and they were expensive and it would be a hardship for him. I immediately offered to pay for it. These were gifts of international good will. The OD said forget it the decision had been made. I had to go on the pier meet up with him and exchange hats. I went down to my locker retrieved his hat and returned to the quarter deck.
I walked down the brow (gangplank) as he did too. We met in the middle where we had all first met. He and I were both smiling knowing how stupid this really was. We stopped and flamboyantly bowed low then shook hands, ceremoniously returned our hats, hugged, saluted, and both did a smart military about face and marched to our ships. I put on my hat and as required when boarding, saluted and said, "Request permission to come aboard sir."
The OD looked at me and said, " Permission Granted, Smart ass." I smiled and went down to the galley.
Needless to say we really had a great time and met really awesome people. I have returned to Argentina since the 1960's and found changes, of course, but not that much, I honestly, could live there.