Italian Navy visits Somerville

On August 16, 2010, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

Photos by William Rogers

By William Tauro

Sixty-five sailors from the Italian warship “San Giusto” visited Somerville’s Winter Hill Yacht Club this past Friday for an old fashion barbecue luncheon.

The ship’s Captain C. V. Edoardo Giacomini and it’s sailors were bused in by motor coach from the ship which was docked at the Black Falcon pier in Boston to the Somerville Yacht club where they were greeted by Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Winter Hill Yacht Club Commodore James Tatosky along with executive members of the club.

Mayor Curtatone along with the Winter Hill Yacht Club made presentations of commemorative pins and banners to the Italian sailors.

: Photos by William Rogers

The ship “San Giusto” was built in Genova Italy and commision in 1994. It is an amphibious, assault ship; it provides roll-on/ roll-off capability for land embarkation; airlift through the use of high capacity aircraft; and transportation by sea to shore, using the ship’s own systems and landing ships for landing on unprepared shores.

The San Giusto has expanded hospital facilities, able to provide immediate help in humanitarian operations and peace-time rescue.

The San Giusto is often used by the Italian Navy as a training ship for cadets of the Italian Naval Academy.

The ship has been on a training campaign since July 12 when it left Livorno (home of the Italian Naval Academy) and will be back there on September 17.

It will visit Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), Hamilton (Bermuda), Boston (USA), Norfolk (USA), Halifax (Canada), Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal).

The Winter Hill Yacht Club and the Associazion Nazionale Marinai D’Italia hosted the event.