Brumby (DE 1044) - Naval Cruise Book

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BRUMBY entered Valetta's harbor once again on 29 January after eight days of special operations with the Russians near Tunisia. The weather had been good and many of us took advantage of the warm sunshine. Our Stay in Malta was devoted to preparing for the long anticipated visit to Split Yugoslavia. We expected Split to be the highlight of the cruise and hoped a last minute mission would not interfere. I We left Malta on 3 February and headed to- ward the Adriatic Sea which is a branch of the Med between Italy and Yugoslavia. Our visit was controlled by the State Department and was the first for a United States Ship in three years. The BRUMBY sailed past many islands and went through the narrows leading to the city. Then the waterless limestone hills rose in the back- ground above the city. Our arrival on 5 February was not unnoticed for there were dozens of people on the pier watching us tie up. The Captain paid formal calls on the Amer- ican Consul Genreal fHonorable Orve Wilsonj, and the Vice President of the assembly of Split commune, and the Deputy Commander of the Military Naval District RADM Grubilich. The Captain was accompanied by the American Naval Attache and the Yugoslav Liaison Officer. Later when these calls were returned to the

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the church which was dedicated to Mary. All of the work, including the paintings and ornamental marble, was done by the villagers. Abomb crashed through the dome during the second world war and shattered the marble floor, but the dome did not fall. This beautiful church was built around the old one which was dismantled and carried through the front doors in ten days. Also in the distance from Mdina is St. Paul's Bay where it is believed that St. Paul landed when shipwrecked on his way to Rome. Nearby is a memorial from the Maltese people for the late John F. Kennedy. Between St. Paul's Bay and Valetta is a new complex for the tourists and unwary sailors in- cluding the new Maltese Hilton and the Malta ca- sino. A little BRUMBY money was left onthe tables of the casino. BRUMBY's stay in Malta came to an end and she was underway on 21 January for more special operation. This time we would be headed for the Egyptian coast to find our Russian friends again.

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V YY V A,,H . f-mf-M-'--'o'W ' BRUMBY, full honors were accorded the digni- taries by the ship's side boys and honor guard. Luncheons, cocktail parties, and tours of Split followed these formal duties. As soon as local regulations and helpful in- formation was explained, the crew went ashore amid the stares of the curious Yugoslavs. It was as if we were a group of explorers seeing new territory. Split is the chief city of the Dalmation coastal area. It is a busy and prosperous city of about 200,000.- The harbor is large and the best on the Adriatic. The heart of the city is within the walls of the palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The palace was completed in 305 A.D. and Diocle- tian lived there until he died in 313 A.D. The palace fell to various uses during the years in- cluding a military camp, market place and shopping center. After the Avars had attacked and left in 615 A.C., those who had escaped sought better shelter within the walls. They divided this im- mense area up into separate rooms with whatever building materials they could find. This was the beginning of the town Spalatum which is now Split. The recently cleared underground halls of the palace are today used as a dance hall for Sp1it's youth and as cool passageways for shoppers. Cover - ing 30,000 square yards, the palace walks are 618 feet on the east and west sides, 510 feet on the