![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ussmasseyassociation.org\/redesign\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/toulon19621.jpg\" "\\"toulon1962\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe following is a translation of an newspaper article from Toulon, France, that appeared Christmas week, 1962:<\/p>\n
LANDING OF THE U.S. NAVY … THE ORPHANAGE OF PROVIDENCE A TOULON<\/strong><\/p>\n
Where 30 boys, not to mention the Christmas tree, spent many long hours at numerous works of maintenance.<\/p>\n
Among all these valiant sailors, during a moment to rest, a one little orphan has already found her favorite sailor.<\/p>\n
For the students of La Providence and their Mother Superior, the days before Christmas took on not a fairy tale, but a very human story where the nature of beneficent \u00a0genies, \u00a0the officers and crew of a ship American, “USS MASSEY, ” delegated a group of their own for a very beautiful act, completed \u00a0with kindness and gentleness. Listen up however since the time is where traditions and legends are about to find the way to the hearts of men.<\/p>\n
The U.S.S. MASSEY, an American Navy destroyer, one of four ships that arrived recently in our port, and commanded by Cmdr. HR. Cook, will be here for the holiday of the Nativity, before heading off to another port the Mediterranean. Last year, this same ship was, for Christmas, at Mayport, giving each one on board a chance for a possible family holiday. \u00a0And the whole ship , after the Grand Council, adopted \u00a0“La Providence” where the orphans \u00a0have found the home that they were missing.<\/p>\n
There was first of all a collection to which everyone was happy to participate, and which was used for a reception, a reception in which 50 children were invited on board, on Christmas day, and included a meal and the distribution of toys. On Thursday, a group of sailors left the MASSEY with materials representing \u00a0almost every specialty, and this very peaceful \u201ccommando group\u201d soon made known their objectives. \u00a0The commander had accompanied and allowed them to play the role of benevolent genies.<\/p>\n
Having greeted the Mother Superior they turned into gardeners, painters, plumbers, and electricians. Very quietly and without losing a second, while some attacked the interior walls, other laid out pathways in \u00a0the garden. Another group prepared the fairylike garland for the Christmas tree and the fourth group inspected the plumbing. With the same application as on board the ship or in their homes in Massachusetts, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Connecticut, young sailors transformed, here the walls of the entryway, those in the laundry room, complementing renovations that La Providence had been hoping for the last few years.<\/p>\n
Begun on Thursday, this dynamic work was continued yesterday in the preparation for the arrival of December 25, where, in the framework of a \u00a0destroyer, the officers and crew of “MASSEY” would celebrate Christmas, far from their country, by giving a traditional \u00a0impression of Christmas to 50 children, who had found in in La Providence, a second home.<\/p>\n
Merry Christmas<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Returning home in April 1963, the MASSEY went through a regular overhaul in the Boston Naval Shipyard. She was one of the first FRAM II ships to go through a regular overhaul. During this time her DASH helicopter installation was completed. MASSEY headed for Key West, Florida in November 1963 to provide live operator training at sea for the land based Sonar School students. It was here in Key West that CDR Philip J. Rush relieved CDR Robert H. Cook. MASSEY went on to GTMO for refresher training then returned to Newport for Christmas.<\/p>\n