Fitch (DMS 25) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 32 text:

Eas Coast Our Minex Dragex exercise wasnt as tedious as we had feared it would be. We steered straight from San Hemo through the Straits of Messina to the Ionian Sea where we anchored just off the Sl10rC Of sure was a nice place to go and have a quiet drink. Even at 10000 drachmae the drinks were cheap HOW. We often anchored off the little Greek islands of Zante and Qephelonias for the night Only a few ' 5 Patras. Patras wasn't much of a liberty port but it t i N I T f They are everywhere weeks afterward these islands were to be torn by earthquakes, their cities left in ruins. The first port after Minex Dragex was Taranto, Italy, the scene of heavy air-sea fighting in World War II. The first thing we noticed were the hideous jellyfish fMedusaJ that clogged the harbor and filled up our basket strainers. Taranto did not suffer as much war damage as many other Italian ports and presented a spacious and neat appearanceg however, after ten o'clock the town died. There wasnit much to do but walk around or take the tours. One tour went to the Grotto Albero- bello, and was a gratuity of the Italian Navy. The other tour went to a nearby resort which provided a pool and a combo. ,,... Y. I 1 . X he W-Ffa? a. ,rem 0. 4. is y . . . r ss V ., .5 f , V,VVVV 'af i'7'sf f' ,., . O, 4 FA . f '. N xi JSI' Wgxln, ...NX l A TX- N : .if 3' 5 . - 49? 1 ' -uvfcsxf . ,XI a fxx I9 .fe 5 1' .' ..-I 1 ll' 1 ,I l I 1.1 I. MINEX DRAGEX July 12 - July 27 TARANTO July 27 - July 31 BRINDISI July 31 . Aug. 3 BARI Aug. 3 - Aug. 6 ANCO-NA Aug. 7 - Aug. 11 Alberobello Grotto It was in Taranto that we said goodbye to Phil N? S 4 s ly ,van , fl' is gg. I ,Caffe Kirk and Mr. Kirk bid a sad farewell to the Navy. Unfortunately he missed the party that we threw for about thirty orphans. With only a few hours steaming we were in Brindisi. It too was a surprisingly clean town, in fact we found the East coast of Italy from Taranto to Trieste a great deal more attractive than Leghorn and Florence. We moored outboard of the Macomb with the huge Mariner's Monument fthe crazy bottle openerj across the harbor on our starboard beam. We were the first American ship to call in Brindisi this year and the people seemed quite friendly to the American Sailor. The shops and Cafes even kept their doors open after hours to accomodate us. Bari 'Wf42 One of the nicest spots in Brindisi was the Hotel Jolly where you could get a good Italian dinner in- cluding the wine for a buck sixty, f1,000 lirei. The pool was pleasant and cold. Just a few hours K69 miles! North of Brindisi lies the town of Bari, so we were able to cast off and moor on the same day. We were quite a way from town, in fact, about the only way to get to town was by carriage or taxi, but the ride proved worth while. Bari was a happy place. There were many little cafes filled with laughing people and gay Italian music, like Botcha Me along the bustling streets. Only one thing detracted from the general well beingg the water had a funny, salty taste. f?J We had a whole day at sea underway from Bari to Ancona, it was a good day, for that day we success- fully towed the Macomb and made smoke. Ancona furnished us with the activity that we were beginning to crave. First, we could play ball alongside the ship, even the duty section, except those who had the watch, could play. Then there was the big basketball game with the Ancona Club team. They lucked out in the last half but we gave them a good fight. Tours went to the Loreta Shrine and to San Marino, and almost every afternoon we escorted a bunch of Italian orphans around the ship. The town of Ancona was good for liberty, They sold beer in huge glass boots the shape of the Italian peninsula. It took a pretty thirsty man to drink all the way down to Rome . . . and there is no record of anyone getting all the way to the straits of Messina.

Page 31 text:

t , Q' - Gout IUAN 2. SAN nemo 4 I San Remo Promenade Eiffel Tower if g. -A 'Slx July 2 - July 8 July 8 - July 12 Retracing our steps from Malta we arrived at Colfe Juan, just around the corner from Cannes on the road to Nice. A few of us didn't stay long on the Riviera but hustled off to Paris for a gay four days, now filling our memories with thoughts of the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysee', the Louvre and of course a touch of 'lHeather . The rest of us stayed to tour the cafes, sample the wines, enjoy the nightclubs and soak up the luxurious atmosphere of summertime in Europe's playground. On the eighth we steamed out of Golfe Juan and arrived after three hours in San Remo, on the Italian Riviera. San Remo was as nice if not nicer than Golfe Juan certainly less expensive. It was a very clean town built on the face of a hill that was brilliant with many flowers and gardens. Some of us saw the Harlem Globetrotters play a local team in Monaco, a little province just over the French border. The beaches were good, providing a variety of entertainment and much to please the palate and much to please the eye. San Remo is an international ,resort area, half of its 70,000 population being tourists, so naturally the American tourist', lwith accompanying lirel were warmly welcomed. The stay in San Remo was a nice little breather before we shoved off for two weeks on Minex Dragexn Liberty

Page 33 text:

Sfraifs 1Mhif:: as-Hfff'-,...m xxxx ,,,,, A ai I . a a - F A 1'ai:?t-':,:,f,, .LW ,,,. 3' , WW fa Wm! NW -And there was lots of Iibertq 1-ga. X M.. 'fw-alswwm f - mm, A ,RMC In , i . mga M, me, A Liberfy commences immediafely fo expire on board ai' OIOO Officer of fhe Deck Soffball Tgam f , frm., um, f f ,fa A205 a , x in ,' 2 riffiis-5 N of Messina Noi' Black Eyed Beans again! X Xyx N X fxf x X0 Q XS ,, X J WN X Q ' , R fx ,X , a Q xx fx QZ 4, 5 X X N wg xx ,Q X XX '-hwy XX f XX xN X V 'Q .Q Q -W ew- X X l XX w xx XX X XR X X xx XS iw W ,W