  Gamow-Teller strengths for selected nuclei in the iron region (A~56) have
been investigated via shell-model Monte Carlo calculations with realistic
interactions in the complete fp basis. Results for all cases show significant
quenching relative to single-particle estimates, in quantitative agreement with
(n,p) data. The J=1,T=0 residual interaction and the f_{7/2}-f_{5/2} spin-orbit
splitting are shown to play major roles in the quenching mechanism. Calculated
B(E2, 2^+_1 -> 0^+_1) values are in fair agreement with experiment using
effective charges of e_p=1.1e and e_n=0.1e.
