Fort Mandan (LSD 21) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE FIRE AT SETE Local newspapers carried front page accounts of the fire, and later ran pictures of the ship ' s crew in action. During our visit in Sete, an Italian tanker, the OMBRINA, caught fire inside the port, and threatened to cause a major catastrophe in the town. While entering the harbor, the tanker struck the side of a canal and spilled fuel on its decks. Minutes later the fuel was ignited, making a flaming holocaust of the ship. The fire threatened other ships and small boats in the harbor, and gave rise to fears that people and buildings in the town itself would be killed and destroyed. The tanker, however, did not explode. The flames in the canal and aboard the ship were extinguished before the great potential of the fire was realized. It was mainly through the efforts of members of the FORTMANDAN crew that this fire was brought under control. Our sailors embarked in boats and went aboard the burning ship to put out the flames. Others helped keep order on the pier in the vicinity of the fire. The ship was thanked and congratulated by members of the local govern- ment, the province government, the National Assembly in Paris, the French Navy, and other maritime officials. While it is always unpleasant to witness any disaster, we were glad that in this instance we were able to render assistance in saving lives and property. This scene on a street in Sete at the time of the fire shows the black cloud that rose above the town. The OMBRINA is pictured sprawling across a canal here, after some measure of control had been attained. FORT MANDAN sailors fought the fire from our LCM, and boarded the ship to halt the spread of the flames. 21

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This street scene is typical of the streets of down- town Sete, with shops and cafes. SETE, FRANCE Unhappy lovers should always be Frenchmen; So sweet a tongue for any kind of pain! -Christopher Morley- Our return to the Western Mediterranean and to France was something we all looked forward to. Not only did we still remember the pleasantries of our last visit to France, but moving Westward meant that we were headed in the right direction--a little nearer home. We found in Sete a different aspect of French life from what we had seen on the Riviera at Cannes. Here we found a quiet little fishing village, quaint, picturesque, and very much French. We saw something of provincial life in France. We had ship ' s beach parties in Sete, and found that the beaches were amply supplied with typical French scenery. Those bikinis set some of us on our ears, and our eyeballs got more exercise than they had had for quite some time. We were welcomed with the hospitality that only the French know how to give --both warmer and cooler than in other European countries, but always straightforward. We had envied some of our squadron mates who were going back to Riviera ports while we were going to Sete, but after our stay there, we found that we had no cause for envy. By the time we departed, many of us felt that this was one of our best ports. On Sunday afternoons, much of the town turns out for boating events and sporting activity in the town ' s canals. We hit the beach frequently during our stay at Sete, as we held ship ' s beach parties. mw $ % ' ]$ £ IT- 3 t 3 • V: There were always crowds on the beaches. We made many friends, both male and female. 20

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£?: This square is the center of interest in Pisa. In the background is the fabled Leaning Tower of Pisa. LIVORNO, ITALY I pass like night from land to land; I have strange power of speech . . . -SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE - Livorno, Italy (otherwise known as Leghorn, a name given it by British sailors) was our third Italian port of the cruise. Ideally located, Livorno placed us in an area rich with things to see and do. Most of us made the short trip to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower, and the other beautiful buildings that make Pisa a must for sight-seers. And a few miles farther away was the city of Florence with its art, architecture, sculpture, and overall beauty accumulated through centuries of cultural and artistic activity. Those of us who were not able to make it to Rome earlier in the cruise found that city to be all that our friends had said it was. And Livorno itself was not without attractions. The beaches there were better than those in many of our ports, and we soaked up health and fresh air while basking in the sun. Camp Darby, an Army base located nearby, gave us the opportunity to buy foreign items we had not been able to acquire before, and provided a good place for a good drink. Our squadron flagship, the USS MOUNT McKINLEY, was there with us, so there were plenty of sailors around to take care of the town. After a week of liberty, we gathered ourselves together and took off for another operation, this time at Anzio. Down near the waterfront at the edge of town, there are usually swimmers and sunbathers. The lower end of town and the inner harbor are viewed clearly in this panoramic shot. 22