A New Jersey club named after the explorer Amerigo Vespucci found a way to join in on the 250th birthday celebration of the United States, using the famous Italian ship named after him.
Joe Valentino, the director of the Amerigo Vespucci Society, was thrilled to learn that the stunning Italian naval ship, one of just 48 large ships permitted entry into New York Harbor, would be part of the Sail4th 250 Celebration. He quickly set out to get the club members aboard the massive 331-foot vessel before it returned to Italy.
Things started to slow down in that effort, so Valentino reached out to a longtime friend, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, who has a vacation home in Spring Lake and often visits Valentino’s deli.
Freeh, who previously led the FBI under Bill Clinton, made a few calls to help, including reaching out to Joe Guguone, a former sheriff and current director of the FBI’s National Italian American Association.
Members of the Long Branch-based club shared that Guguone contacted the Italian consulate, and from there, things went smoothly. The Italian Navy’s attaché to the U.S. and Canada, Pasquale Perrotta, emailed Roberto Ferragina, a past president and current head of the Amerigo Vespucci Association, on June 4, confirming that 30 guests would be welcomed aboard the 96-year-old ship on July 6 at Pier 86 in Hell’s Kitchen.
“This could be the biggest moment in our club’s 151-year history. We’re beyond excited,” Valentino, 74, expressed.
He came up with the idea about six months ago after catching a news segment about the Amerigo Vespucci’s upcoming return to the U.S., drawing parallels to its 1976 arrival for the nation’s bicentennial celebration.
Valentino really pushed to make this happen, remembering how he sought Freeh’s help during one of his visits to Joe’s Deli.
On the day of the event, Valentino, Perrotta, and 14 other club members—representatives of the oldest Italian-American mutual aid society in the U.S.—will partake in a private tour and a small ceremony. Long Branch Mayor John Pallone is expected to present a city proclamation to the ship’s crew, and members of the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission will also participate.
Perrotta plans to honor the crew with a plaque that reads: “From one Amerigo Vespucci to another Amerigo Vespucci, with pride, gratitude and admiration. Despite the oceans that separate us, we share a name, a heritage, and a commitment to Italian values.”
“This is such a special chance for us to connect with our history, and we feel honored,” Perrotta shared.
Interestingly, Italian explorers were among the first to recognize the Americas as a distinct continent. The new continents were named “America” on the first world map published in 1507, using a Latin version of Vespucci’s name.
Valentino mentioned that Freeh might drop by for the ship events if his schedule permits. However, Freeh cannot officially join the Amerigo Vespucci Association due to its requirement that members have Italian surnames. “He wants to be part of it, but the rules are pretty strict,” Valentino noted.
