Vol. 1 Issue 7 Wednesday, June 19, 2002

Dear friends,
I have changed the format of this newsletter and I hope its appearance is an improvement from the old one. Rather then sending out an email with the text embedded which for some may have been hard to read, I have sending a link back to the newsletter page. Let me know how you like it.

REUNION 2002

Unfortunately we will not be holding a reunion on Long Island this year. I hope we can hold one next year for the 47th Anniversary of the collision. During every reunion we remember our fellow passengers that perished in the collision or passed away from their injuries. 

I would like to remember them this year by placing a memorial wreath at the site of the collision. Captain Dan Crowell of the Seeker has agreed to transport and place a wreath when sails out to the site in July. He will be making three diving trips out to the Andrea Doria and he will drop off the wreath on one of the trips. 

I ask for your help in making this a reality, a memorial wreath will cost about $100.00 and I am asking for donations so that I can purchase the wreath. If you can send a few dollars please do so right away, the wreath will need to be ordered by at least July 10th to make the first sailing. Please make out your check to Anthony Grillo and mail it to 53 Peter Bush Drive, Monroe, NY 10950. I will add you name to the list of donors for the wreath. Captain Crowell will shoot some video of the ceremony that I can post on the web site. Please help me make this memorial a reality.

SURVIVORS:
Luigi Paruccini was 7 years old when he was on the Andrea Doria with his parents, Francesco and Domenica. Luigi has contacted me and is living in the US.

http://www.stampalternativa.it/catalogo/eretica/schede/eret073.htm

MAIL BAG:
Back in October of last year Werner Grabner sent me a photo of a 1,000 Lira bill that was recovered by Peter Gimbel on one of his diving expeditions on the Andrea Doria. I have posted the photograph on the Website and it can be found in the Artifacts Area.

Sarah St. George wrote to let me know that the book, "Desperate Hours" by Richard Goldstein, contains a quote from her grand-mother. The quote is in the introduction on the top of page 2. Her grand-mother was Cecilia Pick and she spoke those words to a film crew as she arrived on the Stockholm. Cecilia was the daughter of the oldest noble family on the island of Malta. She was cited for war heroism during WWII. She was just married to Professor John Pick and they were on their way to Milwaukee where her husband taught at Marquette University.

Alex Stadthagen informed me that the information I had for his grand-father, Alfredo Bequillard is incorrect. Maria Clemen was not his wife but rather his daughter. I have made the corrections on the web site. he also informed me that his grand-father passed away a number of years ago and his mother now lives in Nicaragua.

I have been contacted by a passenger that was aboard the Pvt. William Thomas the night they came to the rescue. Ivy Morrison was six years old at the time and was returning with his parents, brother and sister from Naples. His father just completed a tour of duty there. He remembers watching survivors coming aboard and listening to some of the stories as well as watching the sinking from the deck. Hi mother will be speaking about the incident at a school activity for his niece. I look forward to hearing more from Ivy.

Umberto Ciarlatani was a Second Office, Radio Operator on the Andrea Doria and was one of the last officers to leave the ship with Captain Calamai. His grand-son Ugo lives in Rome, Italy and writes to inform us that his grand-father passed away in 1997 at the age of 96 years old. Ugo is also looking for some posters of the Andrea Doria. Besides Ebay, does anyone have any suggestions on where to look or who to contact?

John Watt writes to tell us that his wife, Bessie Matteri, was on the Andrea Doria with her mother Severina Matteri Gasperi and her step-father Luigi Gasperi. Bessie was 6 years old at the time. John and Bessie are traveling to Italy this June for the Trentini del Mondo Convention in Trento. Anybody else going?

Concetta Presciutti writes to tell me about her mother Omerina Silvestri. We add another survivor to the list.