Fort Mandan (LSD 21) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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Pantokratoros Church is an imposing structure with a heavy sort of beauty. It is perhaps the prettiest church in Patras. PATRAS, GREECE A land without ruins is a land without memories--a land without memories is a land without history. ABRAM JOSEPH RYAN The day we pulled into Patras, Greece was a welcome one, for it marked the end of a two week period of fleet exercises at sea, and we were all ready to plant our feet on terra firma again and relax for a few days. Patras was a quiet and small town with very little grandeur. But we found that the people there were very friendly and courteous, and they showed us a fine time. We discovered that we didn ' t play basketball as well as some of the Greeks when the ship was challenged by local teams--it proved difficult for us to wind up on the long end of the score. The local wine factory and an old fortress were the most interesting sights we found in Patras--but oh, those step s we had to climb to get to them. The USO set up our own private night club for us, and a spirited band from the USS Fremont (APA-44), one of our squadron- mates who was in Patras with us, supplied the music. The beer, the food, and the music all were fine. We found that Patras does hold some of the ruins of ancient Greece, and that it does give evidence of the long history that Greece has had. Greece is a land with ruins, a land with memories, and a land with a rich history. At the head of the main street of Patras was a lengthy set of steps that led up to an old fortress and to a fine view of the whole city. This shot covers the whole town of Patras, with part of the harbor, and with the picturesque back- ground of mountains.

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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