The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-08-22
LETTER FROM A
MANKATO SAILOR

"
time since heard from you last ant
still haven't answered your letter, 81
this evening am writing to you some
news of my trip from the q. s. A.
am at present on new destroyer
and torpedo boat commissioned May
8, 1919, at the Philadelphia Navy
Yard. We left Philadelphia the tenth
going to New London, Conn, where
we remained until June 9Th, testing
out submarine listeners and returning
to Philadelphia. On June 10th WEI left
Philadelphia for this side going by
way of the Azore Islands, four other
destroyers going with us, and we
were fiagshipped coming across. We
arrived at Ponto Delgato, st. Michaels
Island, Azores, June 10th remaining
there until June 18th. While there
we loaded the ship with fuel oil as
this ship is an oil burner and no coal
is used Thank goodness for that as
don't like the coal ship.
Ponto Delgato is small city and
well on the side of small mountain.
The streets there are very narrow
and dirty, but looking at the city
from the ship out at sea it sure is
a pretty scene with the large noun
tains on each side. / did not like
the place very. well and we did not
remain there long enough to take in
much sight seeing Our next stop
was at the City of Gibraltar, arriving
there June Goth. can at least say
/ have seen that famous Rock of Glib
raltar and it is a very large one. 1t
is well fortified place and also pretty
and quite clean. The Mediterranean
sea or rather the strait of Gibraltar
is only about seven miles wide at this
point and so we could get a good view
of the African coast, which is very
and barren having few
patches of green scattered here and
there. Gibraltar being an oil station
we again received oil and left there
June 23rd taking our course along the
coast of Spain. We changed our
course through the night and left that
coast crossing the Mediterranean sea
and taking our course along the coast
of Africa. We travelled along that
coast all day and at six o'clock we
lost sight of Africa at Cape Bon.
Our next sighting of land was about
twelve D. m. that night. / happened
TO be on watch from eight to twelve
D. M, and sighted Pantellaria Island.
All one could see though was very
few lights. On June 25th we sighted
the Island of Limoz and little later
that day the Island of Malta. This
was our next stop and we anchored in
the harbor of the city of Valetta,
Island OF Malta against having our oil
tanks filed. This place has popula
ton of about two hundred and fifty
thousand. The city is very pretty and
has many old buildings and pretty
churches. most all thet buildings are
81 a White store; even the streets
are white The parks are kept very
pretty. We only remained there until
lime 9th when we went up the Adri-
attic sea to the city of Spalato, Aus
tria Hungary. Our trip from Malta
10 Spalato was a very picturesque one
with islands on both sides. We also
sighted Italy at distance. On June
28th we arrived at Spalato. our desti-
nation. This place is very beautiful
from the water with the Alps. TOT
The roofs OF the Dulld-
ing are painted a rusty color or rec. OF
some green. Most of the streets are
very narrow, narrower than the alleys
Of an American city.
The streets are also very dirty as
well as the houses in some sectons
Of the city. They might just as wen
live in the streets as l think there
wouldn't be much difference. me
streets are very crooked and lead on
at most any place with many turns SO
that the first night | was on llperty
taking a walk l was hardly able to
find my way back to the ship. Very
little English is spoken here, IN fact
one is lucky if one finds one who can
speak to anyone in English. Italian,
German, Slavish and very httie
Spanish and French Is spoken.
myself can speak little German and
so l get along quite well.
There are very many old ruins mere
in this city of buildings which were
erected in the year 800. The ruined
city of Salona is only a few miles
from here, but so far hayN not gone
there to see it. / expect to go De-
fore leaving here. The city of Salona
was laid in ruins in the year 800 b. Y.
or 500 B. c.. l have forgotten just
when.
5 We went to Brindisi, Italy, on July
8th, arriving there that evening Hing
our oil tanks and the Eek; morning
we loaded $3.50 gallons of gasoline IN
ten gallons to a case on our deck
and took them back here to Spalato
that afternoon. We made thirty SIX
knots an hour coming back. That is
better than forty miles an hour. Wen
this ship can make speed.
We have been here at Spalato ever
since but expect to go to Italy some
time this week after oil. / hope we
remain there long enough this time
to give me a chance to see what the
cities of italy look like. While at
Brindisi we were not allowed to go
On liberty on account of a strike
they were having at that place.
don't know when ] will be able to
receive my discharge from the navy.
AT present there Is a notice posted
that all men that came in the service
IN time of war will be able to receive
discharge upon request, but Will
have to wait until get back to the
states. When that will be don't know.
It is getting rather late and as
ilghts go out at ten O'Clock on the