News from the board – Nov 2022
Discover new projects, news, histories and memories in our Autumn newsletter! Click on the sign with 4 arrows on the upper right of the window below for a full screen then scroll down. Enjoy!
Our Life in France – by Kimball Medders
In 1965, my dad finished up his Masters degree in Educational Administration at San Jose State and reapplied for a principal position with the military dependent school system in Europe. Dad had been offered some remote place in Turkey, but his long time friend, Roy Kilkenny, asked him to take a school of which [...]
Interview Vice-Admiral Christopher W. Grady, US Sixth Fleet Commander
Interview of Vice-Admiral Christopher W. Grady (USN), U.S. Sixth Fleet Commander at that time, by Florent Plana. At Villefranche-sur-Mer (France) in January 2017, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Sixth Fleet's departure, Vice-Admiral Grady tells us the importance of this event, which represents the historical links between Villefranche and the Sixth Fleet, [...]
Interview Philip A. Dur, US Sixth Fleet Veteran
Interview of Philip A. Dur, Rear Admiral US Navy Ret., filmed by Florent Plana on an original music of Baptiste Leblanc. At Villefranche-sur-Mer (France) in January 2017, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Sixth Fleet's departure, Florent Plana interviewed Philip Dur who shared his recollection of his time in Villefranche between 1965 [...]
Interview Thomas G. Lilly, US Sixth Fleet Veteran
Moving video of Thomas G. Lilly, Rear Admiral US Navy Ret., filmed by Florent Plana on an original music of Baptiste Leblanc. At Villefranche-sur-Mer (France) in January 2017, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Sixth Fleet's departure, Florent Plana interviewed Thomas Lilly who shared his recollection of his time in Villefranche between [...]
Free audioguide!
Visit the quay and the streets of the Old Town of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the footsteps of the U.S. Sixth Fleet sailors thanks to our free audioguide. Download the free application IZITRAVEL on your smartphone or pad then search Villefranche-sur-Mer or scan the qr_code Choose your language then click on listen to the audio. During the whole [...]
Gliding to the sound of a Boston Waltz – by Jean-Pierre Kolodziejski
My mother in 1935 My mother was Marie Bentaccordi. She met Tom Bradley at a dance, he was a sailor onboard the USS Omaha I believe; it could have been the USS Raleigh, I'm not sure. She was 23 years old. I've known of my mother's first boyfriend Tom in bits and pieces over [...]
The Poops Lady – by Alice Grainger Gasser
My father was Lt. Cdr. Inslee E. Grainger. Our family lived in Villefranche in 1959-61 when he served aboard the USS Des Moines and the USS Springfield. I was only two when we arrived, so while I have a lot of memories of Villefranche, they are from a toddler’s perspective. The USS Des Moines [...]
Remembrances of Bloody Mary – by Jerry Manriquez
Remembrances of Bloody Mary By Jerry Manriquez, Fox Division, USS Des Moines Web Master I served aboard the USS Des Moines CA-134 from December 24, 1958 until September 1960. The Ship was home ported in Villefranche, France. Not long after I arrived in France I was on liberty drinking with my shipmates in one of the [...]
Down Memory Lane – by Phil Roberts
Warmed by the morning sun, I sit on my deck overlooking a wooded canyon admiring the small deck garden my great granddaughter Iris and I finished yesterday. Splashes of red and white Cyclamens and purple African Daisies, red and pink Geraniums surround a sculptured cement bird bath. A pretty garden with plants set off by the [...]