Larry,
I received the exact same email from my brother in law........
I am glad you shared it with "the list".
Peggy
At 09:42 AM 10/19/00 -0700, Larry Miller wrote:
>I just got an e-mail from a young pilot that fly's SH-60B's off the USS
>Hawes. Since there are a lot of ex-military on this list 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 hell hole 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."
>
>LT Landry USN
>
>
>Larry Miller
>http://www.ado13.com
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