The following materials were contributed by George Bitsoli, a Marine stationed on the HERMITAGE, in 1960-1961, as part of the SoLant Amity I (South Atlantic Friendship Operation). You may contact George at GBitsoli@cox.net
George writes:
“G” Company 2nd Battalion 6th Marine Regiment
TERRORISM, THE MODERN ERA.
--- UNITED STATES POSSIBLE FIRST ENCOUNTER,
MARINES AND NAVY TEAM
DURING THE SANTA MARIA INCIDENT 1961
I am a former Marine who was a member of a Task Force of which the USS Hermitage was part. Operation SoLant Amity I was part of President Kennedy's people to people program. We may imagine that Soland Aminty I was meant to show the flag in the face of Soviet expansionism.
We visited Brazil on the way to Africa. We participated in the search and rescue of the hijacked Portuguese passenger ocean liner Santa Maria. The Hermitage took part in the emergency evacuation of UN. peacekeeping troops from the Congo. We also participated with Congo famine relief efforts.
America's first encouneer with modern day terrorism may have been the Santa Maria incident. On January 23, 1961 the Portuguese ocean liner Santa Maria was hijacked. On January 25 while in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, we were alerted believing the terrorists were heading for Angola. We were in Africa at the time as a fully reinforced infantry unit, including helicopter, amtraks, Ontos and a Navy UDT unit. We of the Third Platoon of G Company were detached to the Destroyer USS Gearing.
Normally destroyers did not have troops on board, so we had to filter in with the ship's crew throughout the ship for any available bunk space. During the days we would accompany the Navy folks as they did their jobs. For example, in my compartment were members of Sonar and Fire Direction, so I would stand watch with them and man the Sonar equipment. During one watch in the middle of the night we did pick up what we believed to be a Soviet submarine in the area, and of course I bailed out to let the Navy folks who knew what they were doing take over. Naturally, I was not the most popular person on ship for causing the middle of the night 'General Quarters".
Our ship ran search patterns off the coast of Africa, as part of an International search. It was initially thought that the terrorists would be heading for Angola with the Santa Maria and passengers.
During the ship's takeover, some killing of the ship's crew occured. Eventually the Santa Maria was spotted off the coast of Brazil, and we were dispatched to intercept it and participate in a rescue if necessary. The USS Gearing first went back to Racife, Brazil to refuel and pick up more than 60 international news reporters, the U.S. Admiral sent down from the Carribean and State Department folks who were to handle the negotiations.
The USS Gearing became the " Flag Ship " for the Operation. We Marines were utilized as a normal guard detachment. (Hey, no fair... we were Infantry Grunts,.. yuk... spit shine shoes and polished brass standing Guard... rude ). We were the first vessel to encounter the captured liner, and then commenced to circle it. Two destroyers---USS Robert Wilson and USS Damato--plus a U.S. submarine and aircrfaft came to assist. Further development of events, and a book to reference it are described on the Solant Amity Web Site.
Last lines of a longer poem written by a Sailor aboard the USS Gearing and included in the
DD-710 USS Gearing's Cruise Book
............
The moral of this story we may humble add,
To Captain Galvao, who shouldn't be sad.
His attempt at revolution, which was his aim,
Did not succeed, but gave him great fame.
So again if he should try to reign,
Beware all airlines, it could be your plane......
Ironically sort of prophetic.... Shortly thereafter commenced the era with several incidents of plane hijackings.
When ever hearing of them, I always was reminded of those poetic lines.
Semper Fi
George Bitsoli
GBitsoli@cox.net
God Bless the USA and our Military who protect us all.
Solant Amity website http://www.solantamity.com/
USS HERMITAGE website http://johnover4.tripod.com/lsd34/lsd34main.html
Web resources on Solant Amity I and Santa Maria incident
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/H/1963/ch8_p12.htm
http://www.uc.pt/cd25a/ing/ing.1961.htm
http://www.uc.pt/cd25a/ing/ing.henrgalv.htm
http://www.uc.pt/cd25a/ing/ing.humbdelg.htm
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~sinnott/RMS%20legal/High%20seas.htm#N_52_
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfmilliken/1961/1961.htm
http://www.nationarchive.com/Summaries/v192i0015_05.htm
http://www.twbookmark.com/books/82/0446675954/chapter_excerpt9374.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/3/newsid_2714000/2714525.stm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/5902.htm
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Santa Maria and USS Gearing
