Do we still have a military presence in Sicily?

[CTyankee]

I went there in 2005 and am going again next year but I remember being surprised to learn we had an air station there -- in Catania (until my husband said "Didn't you see the movie "Patton"?) I was

Why would we keep a presence there?

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. So that we can project air power into North Africa?

Like we did when we established a no-fly zone in Libya in 2011.

[CTyankee]

2. Do we have a treaty with the government of Italy?

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. We have bilateral agreements through NATO which allow the bases

[CTyankee]

9. Ah, I shudda known it would be a NATO agreement. Just wasn't sure...

The history of Sicily is one helluva story. Greek temples, Roman ruins, Norman architecture...I can see its strategic importance as a kind of gateway into Europe...

Palermo was just wonderful, IIRC. And I think the final scene from Godfather III was filmed there in part...

[pinboy3niner]

10. ...

[CTyankee]

11. Actually, it was the final scene where Michael's daughter is shot on the steps of the

Cathedral by accident. His past catches up to him...very tragically...

[ProfessorGAC]

16. My Family Is Nearer Siracusa

And the other half is from right across the straits from a town called Paneteria. My GF worked for the Italian railroad as a brakeman.

When il Duce started purging Sicilians from government work, it seemed a matter of time before the purge got all the way down to a lowly brakeman's position.

So, GF packed my grandma and aunt and moved to NYC when he worked on the Penn Central as a fireman. (Still steam trains.) Got a opportunity through other family for a job on the Rock Island as a brakeman, so moved to Chicago in 1928. My dad was born in Chicago in 1931.

The Calabrese (gramma's side) part of the family owns a chain of furniture stores in southern italy. I still communicate with them

[CTyankee]

19. there is also a Caravaggio painting, The Burial of St. Lucy, there...

Unfortunately, it was in Florence undergoing restoration when I was in Siricusa. Hoping to see it this time...

[hack89]

12. There are seven US military bases in Italy - they date back to the 1950s. nt

[hack89]

13. It's initial purpose was to support ASW in the eastern Mediterranean.

Maritime patrol aircraft flew out of Sigonella for decades starting in the 1950s. It presently acts as a logistics base supporting carrier strike groups in the Med but has supported other missions like Libya as needed.

[CTyankee]

20. But we did invade Sicily in WW2. Or rather the Allies did. Fascinating...

http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/invasion-of-sicily

Looks like we were in Malta, too. Have always wanted to visit there...

[Recursion]

3. North Africa (nt)

[mymomwasright]

4. Yes, They are there.

Naval Air Station Sigonella. There's actually two parts, "NAS" 1 and 2, and they use some ports for ships from our fleet. It's primarily used as a support base, as many are in that area. It's just outside of Catania. I was there in 2001, as logisitcian for my unit while on deployment, right when 9/11 occurred.

[tkmorris]

5. As far as I know NAS Sigonella is still there

I'm guessing that's the one you saw as it is just down the road from Catania, on the south side of Mt Etna. I served there from 1991-93. It's location allows it to serve as a stepping stone to areas in the Med and North Africa, as well as the Middle East.

[CTyankee]

7. I didn't see it actually altho I was in Catania (not the nicest place in Sicily...)

I really just heard about it from our trip guide.

BTW, did you make it to Taormina while you were there? I'm going back because I loved Sicily so much, esp. that stupendous view from the Greek temple ruins with a sensational view of the bay and Mt. Etna rising in the distance...

I did have one harrowing experience there...for some reason we thought it would be a super idea to get a driver and go up Mt. Etna...this was in December and who knew it snowed on Mt Etna in December (yeah, I know, that white stuff on the top of it is a clue ). Our Sicilian driver cursed us as we slid back down after encountering a snowstorm...he called us all "pazzi."

[tkmorris]

15. Yes I did get up to Taormina

The Greek Amphitheater there is one of the most memorable things I saw in all of Sicily. My wife and I want to go back there very much because we both have been to Italy, but separately, before we met each other. We want to see it together, and do it properly (broke USN Petty Officers are somewhat limited in their ability to see the sights).

Some mates and I tried driving up to near the top of Etna shortly after we arrived on Sicily. Our rental car had a manual transmission of course, which no one could drive but I, so I was drafted to pilot it. For some reason Sicilians think nothing of putting stoplights right in the middle of severe inclines, which left me trying to get an unfamiliar rental car to engage gears without stalling from a dead stop on 15-20 degree sloped cobblestone streets instead of rolling backwards into the impatient Italian locals 6 inches from my rear bumper. I left a lot of tire rubber in those towns.

[CTyankee]

17. The steepest inclines I ever saw were in Anghiari, Tuscany. It is one of the hill towns

of Tuscany and the towns are quite old but the incline in Anghiari was so steep I wondered how people walked up them. No bikes in that town, for good reason. You either went in your car or on foot...

[Adrahil]

8. Yeah, Sig is still there.

It's mainly a logistics support base for Naval units in the Med, but also some ASW assets (P-3, _8) are or will be based there. It can also support ground-based air units flying missions to North Africa.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. We need to protect the invaluable resources of rectangular pizza with a doughy crust.

We can't let other people try to get in and exploit such treasures!

[CTyankee]

18. Sicilian pizza was fabulous. I also liked their own "dish" Pasta Norma, made with

eggplant. Good eats in Sicily...

[Javaman]

21. What part if Sicily are you going to?

I miss it there so much.

[CTyankee]

22. we fly into Palermo and out of Catania...

and we go to Monreale, Erice, Marsala, Agrigento, Taormina. While in Catania, we'll go to Siricusa for a day and then head to Catania to fly home...

[Javaman]

23. Siricusa is wonderful. I spent a week there.

Go to the Island off it's coast (it's connected by a very small bridge), if you can. Ortigia. I still look at real estate prices there. I can dream.

Have a great trip! I'm jealous.

[CTyankee]

24. It's not til the spring. prolly April...

my sixth trip to Italy, the 13th to Europe.

were you visiting family?

[Javaman]

25. I had gone there in Mid March in 2010...

The weather was perfect and it was the last week of the "off season". No crowds.

I had gone to Italy to trace family roots. I had/have relatives located in both Sicily and in the "arch" of the boot in a tiny town called Grassano. Pop. 5000.

the family connections with Sicily are a bit sketchier. Many family records in Sicily were lost during WWII. :/

I want to go back. time, expense, life, etc, prevents me. I still stay connected to my extended family via facebook.

[CTyankee]

26. we are waiting to go in April because in March we can get late a snowstorm that

can really eff up your travel plans for a couple of days. We'll be going mid April when that won't happen. My travel buddy has to work during tax time so right after April 15 she's good...

[Javaman]

27. the dreaded late season snow...

I used to live in NYC. I know of what you speak.

That will be such a fun trip. Sicily, I found, while a big tourist spot, is nothing like Rome. It's seems more laid back. Oh and make sure you eat the local fare as much as possible, as opposed to the general places to eat. you will find such yummy local specialties there.

[CTyankee]

28. don't worry we will. my travel buddy is a foodie and a wine lover like me...we've

had several trips together. Her biggest worry is being pursued by some of the single guys on these trips. She's is very attractive and was tragically widowed several years back...she looks classy cuz she is and has money. I note these older single guys on these tours...she calls them her "stalkers." It's kinda funny. We have a big laugh over it...

[Javaman]

29. You'll have a blast. :)

Cheers!