Actually, it was a heavy Cruiser, USS Newport News, CA-148. It was 760 feet long and about 150-feet wide. When those big guns went off you thought the world as we know it came to an end. The entire ship shuddered.

While onboard the ship, I joined a rock and roll band that was forming, we performed at dozens of locations throughout the Mediterranean area, I played an electric guitar and sang, and I was right in front of the drummer, who was really loud. Had lots of fun back then, but lost a lot of my hearing by the end of my four-year stint in the Navy. Also lost my lungs to asbestos, but didn't know it till later in life.





Gary