At one time the Andrea Doria was considered the “most beautiful Italian ship in the world,” but her collision with the Swedish motor vessel Stockholm, on July 25, 1956 near Nantucket Island on the coast of Massachusetts, evokes her as the protagonist of one of the most controversial maritime disasters in history that claimed 51 lives.
Last Monday, for its 68th anniversary, the U.S. Lightship Museum and its president Robert Mannino, hosted an event where the Andrea Doria shipwreck survivors had the chance to reunite with their rescuers. The Consul of Italy in Boston Arnaldo Minuti, took part in the reunion to represent Italy’s support and recalled the reason why survivor and documentarian Pierette Domenica Simpson was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy by the Italian government—keeping the Andrea Doria memory alive and for bringing forth the buried truth.
Even today the exact dynamics still cannot be pinpointed precisely, but historical records mostly blame the Italian captain and crew for the shipwreck. Ms. Simpson worked on the book Alive on the Andrea Doria: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History and its following docufilm Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved by Luca Guardabascio, to correct the historical records. Before the film was screened last Monday, Consul Minuti celebrated Ms. Simpson’s job, “Her research, which led to her literary and cinematic works, resulted in the vindication of Captain Piero Calamai and his crew. As a result of her extensive research Ms. Simpson has been awarded the title of Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy by the Italian government last year.” She replied, “I’ve made my tragic life experience into my life’s work for the last 21 years. It’s my legacy as a gift to my beloved native land, and a ‘thank you’ to my grandparents who left their Italian village to bring me to my mother in the New World.”
The 68th anniversary event concluded with interviews by survivors, who shared their memories and experiences, and a ride for families, survivors, and rescuers on Mark Koch’s fully restored Lifeboat #1 of the Andrea Doria around Boston Harbour.
Last Monday’s reunion was part of a major series—a three-day event on July 24-26, organized by Ms. Simpson at Boston Harbor and at the Battery Wharf Hotel.
