The guided missile frigate Virginio Fasan sailed past my window about an hour ago (pictures to follow).
Does anybody here know who Virginio Fasan actually was ?
(I've got a solitaire wargame on the frogmen of the Regia Marina that I haven't gotten around to playing yet and I'm tempted to go through the notes to see if he was one of their suicidal torpedo riders).
So, the guys who made the PT boat simulator games should do an Italian frogmen game! :ThumbsUp: (Seems like the engine would work good for that.)
(https://i.imgur.com/O0yemQY.jpg)
(photo by Elisa Decker 2023)
The Virginio Fasan proudly flying the ensign of the Italian Navy, which sort of feels like the old flag of the Regia Marina. The coat of arms in the middle of the Italian tricolor displays the symbols of the four Italian maritime republics from the Middle Ages (Venice, Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi).
And yes, it's a sub-hunter.
Answering my own question, Virginio Fasan was a Petty Officer who died in 1943 while scuttling the Ugolino Vivaldi to prevent it from falling into German hands.
Some of the survivors of the Ugolino Vivaldi were rescued by German float planes, which were then shot down by the Americans. There's a depressing wiki describing the demise of the ship, probably movie material.
For those who live in New York, visiting ships will sail up the Hudson from Battery Park to Midtown on Wednesday morning between 7:45 and 11:00 AM. I think this is the first time they've done this since COVID. There used to be several fun tall training ships from different navies, but that may not happen this year.
Until you mentioned NYC I was going to ask you if this picture is of the St. Laurence river in Montreal.
What you see in the background is probably Hoboken New Jersey.
^It is. A good friend of mine lives in the building all the way on the right.
The relatively squat building directly above the Italian naval ensign is one of the four Holland Tunnel ventilation shafts (which are marked on Google Maps). So I think most of that view is actually Jersey City, with a little bit of Hoboken on the right side of the picture.
^The vent shaft at first was the only thing I recognized.
Quote from: Philippe on May 22, 2023, 12:21:00 PM(https://i.imgur.com/O0yemQY.jpg)
(photo by Elisa Decker 2023)
The Virginio Fasan proudly flying the ensign of the Italian Navy, which sort of feels like the old flag of the Regia Marina. The coat of arms in the middle of the Italian tricolor displays the symbols of the four Italian maritime republics from the Middle Ages (Venice, Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi).
And yes, it's a sub-hunter.
...
Phillipe-Quick question: I do the images for
Command Modern Operations Our image of the ship isn't as good as yours. You mind if we put yours in the database?
Quote from: Philippe on May 22, 2023, 04:39:13 PMThe relatively squat building directly above the Italian naval ensign is one of the four Holland Tunnel ventilation shafts (which are marked on Google Maps). So I think most of that view is actually Jersey City, with a little bit of Hoboken on the right side of the picture.
You are correct, was going to point that out as it's the view from my office but you figured it out!
Have to give props to Viet Cong frogmen too. It's not everyday that one guy in swim fins sinks an aircraft carrier. :notworthy:
Quote from: em2nought on May 22, 2023, 09:57:21 PMHave to give props to Viet Cong frogmen too. It's not everyday that one guy in swim fins sinks an aircraft carrier. :notworthy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_USNS_Card
Minor correction: the USNS Card was a former escort carrier, built on a C3 merchant hull (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogue-class_escort_carrier), and had been recommissioned into the Military Sea Transport Service, a civilian organization (albeit closely tied to the US military) was being used as a transport when in port at the time of the sucessful attack. I make this point not take away from the skill and bravery of the North Vietnamese who executed the attack, but to point out that the CARD was not really an aircraft carrier.
Quote from: Tripoli on May 22, 2023, 05:16:22 PMQuote from: Philippe on May 22, 2023, 12:21:00 PM(https://i.imgur.com/O0yemQY.jpg)
(photo by Elisa Decker 2023)
The Virginio Fasan proudly flying the ensign of the Italian Navy, which sort of feels like the old flag of the Regia Marina. The coat of arms in the middle of the Italian tricolor displays the symbols of the four Italian maritime republics from the Middle Ages (Venice, Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi).
And yes, it's a sub-hunter.
...
Phillipe-Quick question: I do the images for Command Modern Operations Our image of the ship isn't as good as yours. You mind if we put yours in the database?
Thanks your kind words and interest.
This is the low resolution version of an image taken by a professional fine arts photographer who retains copyright, and it is only posted here by her kind permission. It is not my property to dispose of, but I can give you her contact information if you want to discuss licensing. Be aware, however, that she is very fussy about the size and especially the cropping of her images, so that might turn out to be a sticking point.
A few years ago she did a series of photographs of views from her terrace (Hudson River Park and the Hudson) that were used to cover the walls of the offices of the Manhattan Borough President. The series was well received and versions of it have been under consideration for several large scale projects (hundreds of feet of wall space). Because ships and boats are important parts of the flora and fauna of the Hudson river, she likes to add current images to keep the series up to date for the next iteration of her installation (hence yesterday's Italian missile frigate).
Thought I'd take this opportunity to show a pic I took on a visit to NYK a couple of years ago...
^Nice pic!