Fort Mandan (LSD 21) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 24 text:

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

Page 23 text:

CORFU, GREECE It is perhaps the highest distinction of the Greeks that they recognize the indissoluble connection of beauty and goodness. CHARLES ELIOT NORTON The Greek Island of Corfu was our last liberty port before returning to the Western Mediterranean. Here, we found, was an island that combined beauty, the ruins and waste of time, history, legend, myth, and pleasure. As we had done elsewhere in Greece, many of us hopped bicycles and formed our own private sightseeing parties. There was much to see in Corfu--the natural beauty of the island itself, the old German Kaiser ' s palace, the home for the British Royal family, fine beaches, and beach resorts. Some of us took a tour of the whole island, and others of us remained in the area of the city itself. Either way we found enough to see and do to keep us occupied during our visit. Many of us found Greek friends, and others of us found French friends here--for there was a colony of French people on the island. We got our last glimpse of Greece and then set our sights on the landing coming up at Libya, and the prospect of an- other visit to France following that. JW Fleet landing was right at the edge of town. We could get souvenirs, drinks, and snacks only a short distance away. J This picturesque panorama of Podikonisi is an example of the beauty one finds on and around the Island of Corfu. Here one sees the main part of the town, one of the major parks, and a small portion of the harbor at Corfu. The left side of the picture shows the area where fleet landing was located. I I l Si ' f ' - - I ,1 1.

Page 25 text:

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