Peter Laforce's USS Columbus CG-12 Photos

"This picture was taken by OS3 David Pickle. We were in high school together and then ended up on the same ship in the Mediterranean. In any case, we went on liberty in Naples and several other ports of call. I haven't seen or heard from him since the ship was decommissioned"

You out there David? Send Pete an E-mail why don't Ya'.
His E-mail address (at the time of this writting) was plaf497709@ aol.com
Peter ("Pete") served on Columbus CG-12 from March, 1974 to decommissioning day in January, 1975. He was then ordered to USS Albany CG-10. He said he had a lot of photos of each that he could scan and pass along to anyone who is interested. So I took him up on his offer.
I felt this was an important part of "The Last or Final Chapter" for a hull that served as two ships -- CA-74 & CG-12
Thank You Pete.
John
Pete's comments about the APL were not very favorable. It sounds as if conditions were not nearly as nice as his time on board an operational "Tall Lady".

Here are his comments:
"The APL is where the remaining Columbus crew lived and ate while decommissioning the Columbus. The APL was the most God-awful place you could put people. It had no heat and no air conditioning. The heads were World War 2 vintage and so were the racks.
The decommissioning was a lot of work for the people in weapons; to refurbish and then secure ALL the weapons spaces on Columbus.
The head was used by over 150 enlisted to use aboard the APL.
The Columbus and the APL were moored for those 5 months.
Share these photos with any and all who would like to have them.
Thanks.
Pete"
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Well Pete,
Let me thank YOU for taking the time to scan the photos and letting me put the photos on the web site.
They are great.
John

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"This is the brochure all new hands were given when they came aboard. The captain would meet the new group in the ships library, tell them the do's and don'ts and welcome them aboard the ship, etc. The Ship's Chaplain was in attendance -- Was that an omen?" Underway. Crossing the Atlantic
(View from the Bridge)
Vert Rep Photo 1 --
"USS Columbus CG-12 Vertical Replenishment in the Med 1974. We were alongside an ammunition ship. The helo is bringing fresh 5 inch shells over.
I guess the gunners mates and the marines were running out of things to do."

Vert Rep Photo 2 --
"As you recall, one 5 inch gun was manned by the marines and the other 5 inch gun by gunners mates during G.Q. The gunners mates did the day to day maintenance on the guns."
Upper Aft (Taken from fantail) Upper Aft (Taken from fantail)
("Make a hole for a workin' man !!")
Upper Aft (Taken from fantail) Pete said this: "My bunk in aft weps berthing. You got there by going down the ladder just aft of the aft mess decks. I have no idea why I took this photo, except maybe that I had just purchased a new camera at AF South NATO PX in Naples."
Fantail Elevator
Peter said this about the photo here:
"Some people looked way up in the sky and some people looked elsewhere. But Columbus men were always out looking for something!"
(Webmaster says: "I'll second that !!") 		Fantail Elevator, Photo 2
(Webmaster: These two photos of the elevator down, have to be rare ones !!)
"The Columbus is on the left and the APL is on the right. This is the scene on the pier where morning muster was taken. We all wore plastic hard hats for cover, not the usual ball caps used on normal sea duty." "The APL was home to many of us for 6 months while we decommissioned the Columbus. I then went to the Albany which was tied up at NOB waiting to go on the North Atlantic Cruise of 1975"
More of the APL - Photo 2 More of the APL - Photo 3
(Title "My Rack)"The compartment held about 100 guys, you can see we lived in some serious luxury. No heat in the winter and no air conditioning in the summer. What a "Summer Camp". Every 17 or 18 year old should endure this. I went to college after I got out. I recieved a degree in Business, never to go back to those conditions again." "Here is the enlisted head on the APL. It was the worst place on the APL."
Enlisted Head Photo 2 Enlisted Head Photo 3

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