"The three great elements essential to happiness, in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope" (Joseph Addison).
05.00 hours: I didn't wait for them to call via ROC (Collective Orders Network, the "speakers") the general alarm. Half an hour and I was already in the squad officers to have breakfast. Don Paolo Solidoro, the chaplain on board, arrived while I was preparing to prepare my coffee. Smiling, in his shrill voice, he greeted me and then asked if I had already planned my day. I immediately understood what he wanted to ask me: we had to arrange the boxes for the CIMIC activity planned for the boat stop Euro in Djibouti. I didn't hesitate. I just waited for Don Paolo, after breakfast, to change after his morning run on the flight deck.
Discipline and discernment are two essential characteristics that distinguish Don Paolo as a priest, and also as a man.
He began his career as a military chaplain, for the sake of his brothers (also their military) and his sister Martina, who died in a car accident on his way to work. He was in finance.
When I went to Don Paolo I saw that he had already pulled out huge black sacks containing clothes, shoes, toys and cartons with food, medicines, pens, notebooks and more. Perhaps the whole morning would not have been enough. But Don Paolo is a priest, he is also an officer in the Navy. It is not the rank that the priest makes. He is not an authoritarian type. He is a bit "picky", as he defines himself. Don Paolo really always knows what to do and does it serenely.
He explained to me in a few minutes how to catalog each carton and how to fill it. I felt an immense enthusiasm in him when he told me he was looking forward to returning to Djibouti. For him the CIMIC activity (civil miitary cooperation), which serves to help reconstruction and support local populations, represents a strong point in the mission Atalanta.
Speaking to me about Sister Valeria - 85 years - even she from Salento, a missionary nun in Djibouti from around 50 years, immediately told me about the children living at the orphanage. Poor children living in and poverty. Children who give joy. During the first visit, made by a part of the crew of Nave Euro and from the commander, Giuseppe M. Aletta, Don Paolo remembers the welcome received. A visit that saw them "practically" involved in the renovation of part of the buildings, in arranging some electrical panels, PCs, redoing part of the flooring etc.
Furthermore, Don Paolo says that they are also self-financed to be able to buy wheelchairs for disabled children for these structures, medicines, 2 and a trolley to take food from the kitchen to the canteen.
He silenced me when I asked him about his previous missions. He suddenly looked down to hide his shining eyes. He cleared his throat and continued with the story. His "boys" belonged to the 9 ° Alpine Regiment Aquila. It was the 2010. After the earthquake, many of them left for Afghanistan with a baggage full of fears, uncertainties and despair. But not without courage. Eleven of them lost their lives that year. He listed names, surnames, age, city of origin, dreams and plans of those men.
I really shudder. The story of Don Paolo is essential. When he tells me about the return home with the bodies on board the C130 direct to Ciampino airport, he moves me. He "drove" his boys back home, silently, sitting next to their coffins. He prayed that their family members would accept that incomprehensible pain, that separation from their loved ones.
Via ROC the guard canteen is announced. We have closed part of the boxes.
"When you start a job, what matters is doing it all the way, and well" (Margaret Thatcher)
The Euro ship crew, its work knows how to do it well when it must also begin, an ordinary refueling operation at sea. Especially when you don't want to risk delaying your mission operations Atalanta, and it is necessary to make the "full" of diesel in the open sea.
RAS refueling (Replenishment At Sea) is a naval fuel supply operation of F76, which requires not only training and professional preparation, but also kinematic ability to run the ship and constant attention. We must not neglect even the weather conditions.
Agreed the day, time and rendez-vous point in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, Nave Euro loaded the fuel in two days scheduled during the Focused Operation Aether 11, by two US logistics ships: the USNS John Ericsson and the USNS Laramie. The refueling procedure does not change.
From the wing on the right side of the bridge I followed the arrival of the John Ericsson: I looked curiously at the movement of the sea on the sides of the ship. Long and deep waves. Quickly has "flanked ”Ship Euro. His size shadowed the ship.
All crew were announced to prepare to assume the RAS role. We wore the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
All the staff, including the "palettista" (nostromo) positioned themselves to prepare the refueling equipment.
With the movement of the signposts, the fuel pumping procedure will communicate at any time.
Before the side refueling begins, Commander Aletta, from the bridge, begins directing the side flanking maneuver to the US refueling machine.
Ship Euro, is placed at a certain distance from the stern of the refueler, on the left side of the Ericsson.
The two ships are at a "fixed" distance of no more than 40 m from each other to proceed parallel and facilitate activity.
The refueling operation is quick and effective, it takes a few hours. Proceed with the "connection" of the cable system that will allow refueling.
The heat in the waters of the Arabian sea is suffocating, there is a lot of humidity.
From the US refueler, the bag containing the line (the top of a rope) is "fired" with the lance, both towards the center of the left and towards the bow of the Euro.
When the bags containing the lines arrive on the Euro ship, the staff positioned at the bow binds the line of theEricsson to the spacer line of Nave Euro. The supply line is used to recover the line by bringing on board the "zero" of the distance line (top of a rope indicating the distance) from Nave Euro.
It is tied to a lifeline (cable stretched on the deck of the ship) so that the zero is flush with the lateral bulkhead of the refueler.
The bag arrives at the center of the left side of the frigate Euro. With the same procedure it is linked to a "messenger" (another maneuver cable) that from theEuro it is passed to the US supplier. This is connected to the load bearing cable, which will be sent back to the ship Euro; we proceed with the tensioning of this carrying cable on which the Sample (end part of the refueling tube of the refueler) that is "nocked" in the "bell" (part of the inlet pipe of the supply cases) of Nave Euro.
The pumping of F76 diesel fuel begins in the cases of the Italian frigate. The smell of diesel is intense.
During refueling the commander, flanked by his dashboard team, continues to issue commands to maintain the parallel position at the set distance, always on the left side of the supply.
From the wing of the bridge we notice that a hammerhead is between the two ships. Small size. You can see the eyes at the end of the extension. This fish has a view at 360 °. It does not go away for the whole time of the activity. Refueling in the meantime proceeds.
After about two and a half hours, carry out the probes of the diesel tanks, the Platform Operational Center / COP), communicates with the filling station, where the staff of the centers is located next to the Probe. The release procedure can begin.
Before saying goodbye, among the crews of the two ships, there is a customary exchange of gifts, as is the maritime tradition.
After the greetings, while the Ericsson turn left, leaving the Euro frigate, engaged for months in the Atalanta mission, resumes its patrol route in the waters of the Arabian Sea.
