Hong Kong, China
Chinese flags courtesy Free Gifs & Animations

The following pictures copied from the 1960 - 1961 USS Helena CA-75 Cruise Book. Donated by Warren R. Peverill, USS Helena CA-75. "A" Division 1959 - 1962 Click on the book image to learn more.

1960 - 1961

Seven hours ahead of Typhoon Olga we arrived in Hong Kong, the British Crown Colony which borders on Communist China. When Olga arrived we had to move to a safe anchorage and cancel all boat runs. Many of our crewmembers, as well as those of other ships, were stranded ashore until the following noon when the bay calmed down. With our liberty cut short, we had to rush more than ever to allow the tailors to give us sufficient fittings, to compare prices on stereos, and to see some of the island city which houses two million people in 32 square miles. In our wanderings we found sampans crowded with three generations of a family and just a few minutes away we were awed by the splendor of the homes at Repulse Bay. With all the bargains, Hong Kong will remain for many of us a symbol of the work that lies ahead in our attempt to bring a reasonable standard of living to the millions of people who go to bed hungry every night.

The majority of our first two days in Hong Kong was spent in trying to keep dry or moving the ship in the rain.
Once we were safely tied up for the final time, we helped Mary Soo move her cargo, and headed for the China Fleet Club.

a meal at a floating restaurant . . . .

and a visit to the fames Tiger Balm Gardens were part of the most basic tpur.

An encounter with a local family . . . .

Thousands of people live almost on top of each other in these sampan villages.

Here as elsewhere the people provided a continual focal point of our interest. But in Hong Kong what impressed us the most was the mass of people crowded into such a small place.

Farming methods in the New Territories are still primitive.

As we moved away from downtown we were treated to panoramic views of the harbor.

In our wanderings about the city we could not help but notice the crowded housing conditions or the local fashions, and some of us were attracted by the personalized taxi service.