Tarawa (CV 40) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 16 text:

Movie house H, I. Palermo, dedicjfgzfl i'l:Yle- on one Q-F-H16 . , Garibaldi' HIE. :ke many ofher bumiam squares of I one who unifed 'Phe If-algafizfggn Gino ll PALER 0 , l The rebuilf, postwar harbor area made an impressive fronl' for a raiher ordinary ci'l'y. KING'S PALACE, a good but rocky athletic field, some rather Excellent new port facilities contrasted strangely with architectural l grisly catacombs and a terrific chunk of history demonstrating monuments dating back 800 years and embodying both Byzantine Sicily's strategic role in the development of the Mediterranean, and Norman features. The Sicilian cart hauling everything from l were all ours in Palermo-if one could iind all this in the rain coal to carrots, and the horse-drawn taxis hauling all hands made and bad weather. traffic lively. l l . Left: Thev auard 'rhe Parllamenl House of 'l'odav's Sicilv. H' was once 'lhe palace X I I , l 5 l l l l l I Years after +l1e dea'l'l1 of i San+a Rosalia, in her her- mifess gro'H'o lbehind ihe door, righl' baclcgroundl, she appeared +o a hunier searching for game lduring 'Hue Black Plague epidemic of l560l. When lhe fown people fulfilled 'lheir prom- ises io her, the plague left 'lhe city. x l I 1

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Our in+roduc+ion 'ro open-air cafes. H15 CITY of Augusta did not present a great deal of interest to the men from the TARAXVA who went ashore there. The tours to the other coastal cities, however, did serve as an interesting introduction to Europe., lN7ith a local history of 2500 years, or more, Syracuse, or Siracusa lay to the south, of our anchorage and we were obliged to travel by bus over the snake-like but well- kept roads to get there. Orange, olive, and grain lands are .so precious in this region that roads are seldom changed over the centuries. But the trip was well worthwhile for there we found many interesting sights such as the ancient Greek and Roman amphitheatres, the still beautiful St. Marzions church, the second oldest in Christendom, and the impressive Mussolini-built water- front. Other tour groups went to Taormina and Catania which are overshadowed by the smoldering cone of Mt. Etna. Principally a resort town, Taormina had many beautiful homes overlooking the sea and like the nearby city of Catania, had streets paved with blocks of lava. Below: We also learned 'ro divide +l'ue asking price by lliree and slarl' from 'I'l1ere in making any purchase. Below: Most local Taxis had four hooves. Above: Our in+roduc+ion +o lhe European bere+

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ju? Al I 1 l -+ reau, 'fihe saH ' They. c0x::n3nxereshn9 W5 HIP Our ball field below the rocks to the west of the town developed many a sore arm and many a bruised spot. Baseballs mixed with rocks in the outfield fthe military who formerly camped on that site didn't have it too goody. February rain, snow or sunshine made soccer an appropriate game too, and failed to slow the pace of either. The hills above us figured prominently in local history. When Palermo was scourged by the plague in the 17th century, a hunter passing the cave where hermitess St. Rosalia had spent her days was promised by her vision that the city would be spared. The One can see small flowers scalfered across 'rhe alhleiic and recreafion freld bu+ some of +ha+ whife is rock. Only 'fhe sure foofecl and lucky had fheir fun will-roul' scars. The Keeper of the Calacombs. Once am whaf was0:h9 'the' Hrsf fam-I. elr ,qnesf i IISS gf P . I d 5,6 v1ewff,e1a'1Y.fhey forrgmg and arrayed . smg sighfseers solemn fury people did as she instructed them and the city was saved. A church in the hill and a yearly procession from the Palermo Cathedral pay homage to her today. The liberty party was stranded ashore when heavy weather stopped boating. Many had prospects of glue-like Italian coffee and those balloon tire doughnuts for breakfast but the destroyers moored at the dock managed to supply most of the chow and after two days of their crowded accommodations all T men were back aboard ready for sea. f L1 .. T GO ri -fr f' A g We-S 'H'lQ,l SHALL I 'mes RYNowskn -ro Suck BAY , Suri?