Sailors of the first U.S. warships to visit this Black Sea port were treated like celebrities Friday, posing for snapshots, signing autographs, kissing babies and even dodging coins tossed by admirers.
More than 1,000 whistling, waving Soviets climbed on the pier as the Aegis-class cruiser USS Thomas S. Gates and frigate USS Kauffman pulled into the headquarters of the Soviet Union's Black Sea Fleet.The port call mirrored a visit last month by three Soviet ships to Norfolk, Va., in the first such Soviet-American naval exchange in 14 years.
"That's for ice cream when you come ashore," called one woman in the crowd as she lobbed a 20-kopeck coin toward the sailors lined along the ships' decks in their summer whites.
"You have to understand, for Americans to visit us is about the same as if Martians visited you," said a Soviet navy officer who would not give his name.
"This is great," said U.S. navigator George Hughes, dodging a coin. "I can't wait to hit the beach."
Crew members were handed babies to kiss, asked to pose for photos and given rubles, souvenirs and food. A brass band played marches and two women in traditional Russian costumes met the ship with bread and salt, traditional symbols of hospitality.
"My whole soul is happy that we finally did this great thing and that we will be friends," said Zinaida Kolisinchenko, 18, of Sevastopol. "And the American sailors, they are so attractive."
The Americans were equally excited.
"It just feels great to be making history," said Greg Marlatt, medical officer of the cruiser Gates.
The city hosted former U.S. Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci a year ago, but Navy public affairs officer Paul Weishautt said this was the first time U.S. warships had docked at Sevastopol. The 6th Fleet's flagship, the USS Belknap, also was supposed to visit but was diverted to be at President Bush's disposal during the Lebanon hostage crisis.
Sevastopol is normally a closed city, even for Soviets. But it opened its gates wide to greet the American sailors.
Throughout the day, sailors could be see strolling the city's streets, often surrounded by female admirers. The carnival atmosphere lasted into Friday evening.
Vladimir Zverev, the military commandant of Sevastopol, looked with amusement at the crowd on the pier. "We didn't expect so many people," he said. "This is the biggest reception for a ship I have ever seen here."
But he said the welcome was appropriate "given the state of our relations today."
Adm. Mikhail N. Khronopulo, head of the Soviet Black Sea fleet, said Friday he could not have imagined even two years ago he would be receiving senior U.S. Navy officers in such a friendly atmosphere.
But now, he said, the idea that Soviet and U.S. captains might share a cup of tea as their ships pass "is difficult to imagine, but not impossible."
The American sailors, too, commented on the strange sensation of suddenly being treated as such good friends.
Aviator Matt Zentry of Seattle recalled having been trained to recognize Soviet ships from afar. "And now, here we are right next to them," he said.