| Sailors Jam Port Washington
2,400 Given Leave as Warships Arrive (NEWSDAY - Aug. 4, 1941) Port Washington, NY - Twenty-four hundred sailors jammed North Shore towns, principally Port Washington, for nearly 36 hours over the weekend, as four United States warships lay at anchor outside the entrance to Manhasset Bay. Landing of the sailors started Saturday, most of the men going ashore at City Island and the remainder coming to Port Washington. They were given 24 hours leave, and soon the streets and bars were crowded. Obviously under orders not to talk, the sailors did disclose that their ships had been on duty in northern territorial waters, and presumably visited Iceland. Contrary to the custom of past years, no visitors were permitted to board the warships as they lay at anchor. Small pleasure craft, however, flocked around the ships from all sides. Due to the short leave of absence given the sailors, few went into New York. Many were entertained at impromptu parties given them by Port Washington residents. While no official reason was given for the warships anchoring off Port Washington, it was believed to have been while they waited their turn to go into the Navy Yard at Brooklyn. The warships departed shortly before sundown last night. Sailors who missed the ships were reported sent to Brooklyn. (Newsday took no pictures of the warships because of Navy regulations. Under voluntary censorship, no report would have been given of the movements of the warships had they been returning to patrol duty, but this is believed not to have been the case. E-mail: Robert Swanson |