Grand Canyon (AD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 10 text:

?«ft»rrMfei, iifc.vV Ibl : jf iif . Naples, Italy, was our first port of call, and our last port of call. We arrived in Naples on 11 February, 1952 and dashed ashore as rapidly as liberty regulations would allow. For most of us it was a new experience. Of course, we tried to act as if we had been through all this sort of thing before. But in spite of all we might do we were as carried away with the nea- politan splendor as the most naive tourist. That first liberty found most of us enjoying the semi- Spring warmth of Naples and wending our way to some pleasant Italian restaurant and usually wishing that the best girl or the Mrs. could be along to enjoy this or that sight. Naples we discovered was one of the most his- toric of all the Mediterranean cities, Naples and Istanbul (of which more later) dispute over the claim of occupying the most beautiful site in Europe. Naples Bay extends thirty-five miles from cape to cape and includes within its bound- aries some of the world ' s most romantic island resorts, including Iscliia and Capri. The liistory of Naples is nearly as ancient as the known history of the world. Her founding dates back to the time of the Greek settlements in Italy. Naples was originally called Palaeop- olis by the Greeks and was held by them until Publilius Philo conquered the region in 328 BC and renamed it Neapolis. Neapolitan beauty and climate attracted tourists even in the earli- est days of the Roman Empire. Nero and Hadrian resided there and Virgil composed his Georgics there. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Naples suffered considerably at the

Page 9 text:

On .May Ttli at Gibraltar, B.C.C., the Grand Canyon said goodbye to Commander Riehard : IcGlatliery. USN who departed for duty at Rodman. Canal Zone. We were happy to welcome aboard our new executive officer. Com- mander Edward H. Gentry, USN. All hands joining in wishing both of them the be.st of luck in their new po.sts. Ili4 ' hard . l4- iilalherv, U. S. N. Edward H. Gonlrv, V. S.

Page 11 text:

NAPLES WELCOME TO THE MED. The Grand Canyon Greets Naples. Our First Liberty Call. Strange Sights. New Faces. hands of the Goths. During the following cen- turies her beauty was the prize of many Euro- pean nations. From time to time Naples was in- dependent, or dependent on either France, or Austria, or .Spain. Finall.y, in 1860 Garibaldi conquered the Neapolitan Army and the people were united in Italy produced a King Victor Emmanuel. Since that time, Naples has been a part of Italy. Naturally such a romantic history offers much to the tourist. Everywhei ' e one sees the tradi- tions of this great sea port. From the horse drawn carriages to the Opera House where Caruso sang and from Capri to Pompeii, all is breathtaking beauty. Now silent Vesuvius seemingly surveying the scene only adds to the grandeur. Into this picturesque atmosphere can be in- jected the concept of a warmhearted people with a long tradition of friendship for America. Her population of over one million persons is only now recovering from the deep shock of war. Yet, she has, and is making every effort to take her place among the free nations of the world. We wished we were going back on the Constitution.