The
Frioul Archipelago (2022)
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We
arrived at the islands
78 years after my Dad was here in the USS Philadelphia liberating Southern France from the Nazis |
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Today the island has 150 residents |
Access
to some areas is restricted |
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The
island in the distance is significant to our story My Dad's ship bombarded Frioul from a hidden position several miles behind it. |
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The
structure on an island offshore is the infamous Chateau d'If, a defensive fort built in 1529 which later served as an "Alcatraz like" prison. It was the site of Dumas "Count of Monte Cristo" |
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In 1944 the island at the right hid the USS Philadelphia
from counterfire by the German troops |
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The islands are home to many varieties of plants
and marine birds |
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Machine
gun firing ports covered the beach area |
Now
it is a place for recreation |
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A
cast inscription (Adolf Hitler) is barely visible |
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People
live by the causeway connecting the 2 islands |
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Looking
back past the Chateau d'If toward Marseille |
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A
well bombed observation post |
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A
fighting trench on the hillside |
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A
large caliber gun position  |
This
is one of the gun positions that could not hit the USS Philadelphia behinc the island far in the distance |
Boot
prints from when the fortification was built |
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Bernard
explaned the significance of each location |
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Another
observation post |
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An
observation post and firing position hit by naval gunfire |
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Bernard
& his friends made this a very memorable day |
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This
is a classical style open air church where people would attend Mass
while remaining on their boats ever since the time of plague |
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Tomorrow
we will board one of these cruise ships to continue our journey |
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