hello list
i just got this forwarded from a friend who got it from the writer just
thought i would pass it on since our big gray ladies are MV's also
Richard Burrell
MVPA #20227
MVCC
1971 M35A2 w/w
1951 M104
I just got an e-mail from a good friend of mine who flies SH-60B's off
the
USS Hawes. I thought you might like to read it.
"It wasn't until a few days ago though, that we started doing something
that
I feel may be the first thing I've seen in my short Naval career that
has
truly made a difference.
Right now we're supporting the USS COLE and her crew in Aden. When the
attack occurred we were a day away. Just by luck we happened to be on
our
way out of the Gulf and headed towards the Suez and could get here in a
relatively short amount of time.
I know what you all have seen on CNN, because we have seen it too. I
just
want you all to know that what you see doesn't even scratch the surface.
I'm
not going to get into it for obvious reasons. But I will tell you that
right
now there are 250+ sailors just a few miles away living in hell on
Earth.
I'm sitting in a nice air-conditioned state room, they're sleeping out
on
the decks at night. You can't even imagine the conditions they're living
in,
and yet they are still fighting 24 hours a day to save their ship and
free
the bodies of those still trapped and send them home. As bad as it is,
they're doing an incredible job. The very fact that these people are
still
functioning is beyond my comprehension. Whatever you imagine as the
worst,
multiply it by ten and you might get there.
Today I was tasked to photo rig the ship and surrounding area. It looked
so
much worse than I had imagined, unbelievable really, with debris and
disarray everywhere, the ship listing, the hole in her side. I wish I
had
the power to relay to you all what I have seen, but words just won't do
it.
I do want to tell you the first thing that jumped out at me - the Stars
and
Stripes flying. I can't tell you how that made me feel...even in this
God
forsaken hellhole our flag was more beautiful than words can describe.
Then
I started to notice the mass of activity going on below, scores of
people
working non-stop in 90 plus degree weather to save this ship.
They're doing it with almost no electrical power and they're sleeping
(when
they can sleep) outside on the decks because they can't stand the smell
or
the heat or the darkness inside. They only want to eat what we bring
them
because they're all scared of eating something brought by the local
vendors.
Even with all that, the USS COLE and her crew is sending a message guys,
and
it's that even acts of cowardice and hate can do nothing to the spirit
and
pride of the United States.
I have never been so proud of what I do, or of the men and women that I
serve with as I was today. There are sixteen confirmed dead sailors who
put
it on the line for all of us, and some of them are still trapped here.
Please take a minute to pray for their families and say a word of thanks
for
their sacrifice - one made so that we can live the lives that we do.
All of
you that serve with me, thank you. All of you that have loved ones that
serve, thank you."
Please feel free to pass this on to those you think will appreciate it.
V/R
LT Landry
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 01 2000 - 21:37:47 PST