miles from the coast of South America and just north of the equator. Twice a month a ship brings supplies and a few tourists from Ecuador, and takes away the produce the islanders have to sell.
The islands came to worldwide notice only once-after a young naturalist named Charles Darwin landed there in 1835 and made studies of their wildlife which led him to consider the possibility of organic evolution.
So the arrival of four U. S. Navy ships, an Ecuadorian destroyer and a Chilean fleet oiler was an event of note. The men of the six ships far outnumbered the 800 inhabitants of San Cristobal Island.
Task force sailors went ashore and invited boatloads of people to come out to the anchorage and tour Leahy, the UNITAS flagship. The people returned the Navymen's hospitality.
The sailors enjoyed the island's seafood, the broad, clean beaches—and the friendly people.
They delivered donations of medical supplies from U. S. industry to an island hospital, held a party for all 300 children of the island, and presented two band performances—the first concerts the people of San Cristobal had ever had.
The penguins, seals, giant turtles, and iguanas of the Galapagos were memorable. But the men of UNITAS will remember the islands for their hospitable
people. And the people will long remember them.
Inter-American friendship means more than just military
cooperation; it means people liking people. Unitas is both.
RADM Dare put it this way in a letter to visitors aboard United States ships during UNITAS X exercises:
"It is with a great pride that we observe this anniversary. It has been a decade noted for substantial progress and cooperation between all the navies of the Americas. Our Navy has been proud to participate in the annual UNITAS exercises and looks forward to another decade of continued cooperation.
"During these operations which began in 1960, your navy has worked with ours and the other navies of South America for the perfection of technical and professional capabilities so necessary for protection of our vast coastlines and defense of maritime routes on the high seas.
"At the same time the great variety of social activities and goodwill which result from the port visits of UNITAS, offer us the opportunity to make new friends, to renew old acquaintances, and better understand the many bonds of friendship which unite our countries."
In a nutshell, that's what UNITAS is all about.
-J02 Frank Silvey, USN
Photo above left: Ships maneuver in »he Caribbean during UNITAS VII. Above: Venezuelan ships in foreground participating in UNITAS VI maneuver into position. USS Norfolk (DL 1] Follows U. S. Ship into harbor during UNITAS Vlll exercises, at left. —low: U. S. and Ecuadorian sailors get acquainted,
JANUARY 1970