Vic Smith wrote in
:

It was always a disappointment to see a CV anchored at
a port. High prices. Too many drunks. And jarheads.



Just after Maltese independence from British rule, Uncle Sugar sent USS
Everglades (AD-24) into Valetta Harbour and encouraged us sailors to go
help support the Maltese economy, which was hurting as the Brits just
left.

While we were there, our Captain Tidd, subsequently made Chief of Naval
Personnel later, got a request from some nuns who ran an orphanage that
was several stories tall in the crowded city. Nuns were hauling trays of
food from one floor where the galley was to another floor where the chow
hall was, on foot, up steps, 3 times a day. The crew started pitching in
and we built them, using some "commandeered government parts", a multi-
floor lift that automated the delivery process, lots of trays at a time.
I was involved in the electronic controls engineering and installation.

As soon as the word got out what Everglades sailors were doing for these
kids, we soon learned wearing our dress blues ashore with our ship's
patch proudly displayed meant some very nice treatment by the Maltese
people. We made the front page of the newspaper.

Malta hates Americans, now, for some reason I've never figured out. I
fell in love with the place when I was a young sailor. The last time I
landed going through their airport from the Middle East, we weren't even
allowed to get off the plane into the airport...to say nothing of going
into the country.

Larry
--
http://www.spp.gov/
The end of the USA and its Constitution....RIP