Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

U. S Navy aircraft carrier U.S.S. SICILY arrives at King George V Dock, Glasgow

   Contributed by James Knox (Glasgow)

The sombre grey surroundings of King George V Dock, Glasgow

were seriously brightened by the colourful red, white and blue

stars and stripes flag worn by the United States Navy Escort

Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. SICILY when she arrived at 3pm today.

   The carrier had been towed from Greenock by four tugs of

Steel & Bennie Ltd. of Glasgow, tugs WARRIOR and

STRONGBOW at the bow and tugs BRIGADIER and FORAGER

at the stern.   It was quite fitting that the tugs, whose names

have military connotations, were used to handle the vessel, and

U.S.S. SICILY is said to be the first U.S. carrier to visit Glasgow

  since the end of the Second World War in 1945.

    It is quite gratifying to report that at Greenock and Port

Glasgow and on both banks of the Clyde, spectators and

shipyard workers waved their hands and raised their hats

to welcome the ship and its sailors and some vessels dipped

their flags to salute the warship as she passed.  It was said 

that at Renfrew Ferry a lady with a pram lifted her baby

and waved its hand. 

   U.S.S. SICILY was made fast at berth 10 and was met

by senior Military Officers and U.S. Diplomatic Officials.

   The warship was bringing 60 F-80 Shooting Star jet-propelled

fighter aircraft and a large group of pilots and ground crew.

   The fighters will be unloaded and towed along King’s Inch

Road to the nearby Renfrew Airport (now known as Glasgow

Airport) where they will be fully fitted and serviced by their

ground crew and then flown to a U.S. Air Base in Germany.

   A number of other freighters will bring crated aircraft, stores

and spare parts.

 The pilots and ground crew will be billeted at the R.A.F.

Reserve Centre at Bishopbriggs near Glasgow and will be

taken to and from Renfrew Airport by a fleet of buses.