Fort Mandan (LSD 21) - Naval Cruise Book

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Town Hall Square shows the very center of activity in Naples. The view up the hill in the background is one of the finest Naples has to offer. This old fortress was one of the first sights we saw as we left fleet landing. Many cameras snapped the Maschio Angioino. Weary from walking and sightseeing, we found it an absolute necessity now and then to revitalize ourselves with liquid refreshment. And there were times, after a long, hard day, when the refreshment we needed turned out be somewhat more than liquid. The trip to Rome was the highlight of the Naples visit for many of us. Saint Peter ' s Square was one of the landmarks we witnessed there. ,, Somewhere in the heart of Rome ... The Trevi Fountain is familiar to us as the fountain in the movie Three Coins In A Fountain.

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NAPLES, ITALY Our fleet landing in Naples was located near the Maritime Station, pictured here with ships at the station and in the harbor in the background. The Piazza Delia Borsa is located in the heart of Naples. This shot shows the area as it is illuminated at night. Italia! O Italia! Thou who has the fatal gift of beauty. GEORGE NOEL GORDON, LORD BYRON After the serenity of Spain and the gaiety of France, we found ourselves amidst the beauty and romanticism of Italy when we reached Naples, our third liberty port. And we were not long in discovering that Italy is, indeed, endowed with the fatal gift of beauty. Our timing could not have been better, for Easter weekend came during our visit here and many of us were able to be in Rome for the celebration of this religious holiday. And in Rome we visited the famous churches and cathedrals, the Vatican, the crumbling remains of what was once the heart of the old Roman Empire, and the thriving center of modern Rome. We saw paintings and statues famous throughout the world; and we heard many stories of the grandeur that once was Rome, and witnessed the grandeur that still is Rome. Those of us who could not make it to Rome were not without attractions. Once mighty Vesuvius was visible from our anchorage. Some of us ventured up for a closer look. And Pompeii, the town that once was destroyed by the raging lava gushing from Vesuvius, was only a short distance away. The ruins still present attest to the magnitude of the tragedy that occurred many years ago. Sorrento and the beautiful Isle of Capri were also nearby. In Naples we ate pizza, ravioli, and spaghetti; we drank red wines, among other things; and we occa- sionally sang Scusa me, but you see, back in old Napoli, that ' s amore. And we, naturally, purchased souvenir items, the main ones of which were the cameos made in Naples. We ran across quite a few of our buddies from other ships in the Sixth Fleet. We considered ourselves fortunate for having three consecutive liberty ports, made the most of the op- portunity, and then settled down to thinking about that first amphibious landing coming up. From our anchorage we had a good view of once mighty Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed a whole town with its deadly lava. 12

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CATANIA, SICILY Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, And robes the mountain in its azure hue. THOMAS CAMPBELL As we pulled into Catania, Sicily there was enchantment in the distant view of Mt. Etna with snow still visible on the peaks, and cloud formations twining round its summit. And we found later that there were other attractions to make this a welcome liberty port after our first operation at Porto Scudo, Sardinia. Some of us mustered the energy to ascend Etna. (Well, we must concede that we did ride a bus nine -tenths of the way up). There we saw the last traces of snow that was beginning to melt with the coming of spring, and warily peered into crevices reported to tunnel 4,000 feet down. (We took the guide ' s word for it.) The ancient city of Syracuse was a new sight for some of us. There we saw the remains of Greek influence, and witnessed other sights in this city that Shakespeare made the locale of his Comedy of Errors. And for further diversion, some of us made our way to Taormina, perhaps the grand gathering place in Sicily for tourists. And, finally, there was Catania itself, quiet but pretty and pleasing. Beautiful parks and imposing churches were among the things which helped to make Catania an interesting port. This tusked elephant located in a water fountain in the center of town was the town symbol of Catania. ■r mmma ii •- • ' t J! u -.;- «sx»sfei«;; J ' .— HBRHk Miw- , v Catania has several churches with interesting architecture. This is one of them. Here is a monument to King Victor Emanual II, the man who was responsible for the unification of Italy. This street scene with trolleys, busses, horses, and bicycles captures something of the atmosphere of Catania. The central crater of Mt. Etna is a gaping hole, shown here with snow still clinging to the rim. 14