This is an e-mail from an Ensign stationed aboard the USS Sir Winston
Churchill (DDG 81) to his father. I thought some of the old "Salts" on the
list might enjoy reading it.
The comments at the bottom (All CAPS) were added by his father.
Larry Miller
>
>Dear Dad, Well, we are still out at sea, with little direction as to
>what our next priority is. The remainder of our port visits, which were
>to be centered around max liberty and goodwill to the United Kingdom,
>have all but been cancelled. We have spent every day since the attacks
>going back and forth within imaginary boxes drawn in the ocean, standing
>high-security watches, and trying to make the best of our time. It
>hasn't been that fun I must confess, and to be even more honest, a lot
>of people are frustrated at the fact that they either can't be home, or
>we don't have more direction right now. We have seen the articles and
>the photographs, and they are sickening. Being isolated as we are, I
>don't think we appreciate the full scope of what is happening back home,
>but we are definitely feeling the effects. About two hours ago the
>junior officers were called to the bridge to conduct Shiphandling
>drills. We were about to do a man overboard when we got a call from the
>LUTJENS(D185), a German warship that was moored ahead of us on the pier
>in Plymouth, England. While in port, the WINSTON S CHURCHILL and the
>LUTJENS got together for a sports day/cookout on our fantail, and we
>made some pretty good friends. Now at sea they called over on
>bridge-to-bridge,requesting to pass us close up on our port side, to say
>goodbye. We prepared to render them honors on the bridgewing, and the
>Captain told the crew to come topside to wish them farewell. As they
>were making their approach, our Conning Officer announced through her
>binoculars that they were flying an American flag. As they came even
>closer, we saw that it was flying at half-mast. The bridgewing was
>crowded with people as the Boatswain's Mate blew two whistles- Attention
>to Port- the ship came up alongside and we saw that the entire crew of
>the German ship were manning the rails, in their dress blues. They had
>made up a sign that was displayed on the side that read "We Stand By
>You". Needless to say there was not a dry eye on the bridge as they
>stayed alongside us for a few minutes and we cut our salutes. It was
>probably the most powerful thing I have seen in my entire life and more
>than a few of us fought to retain our composure. It was a beautiful day
>outside today. We are no longer at liberty to divulge over unsecure
>e-mail our location, but we could not have asked for a finer day at
>sea. The German Navy did an incredible thing for this crew, and it has
>truly been the highest point in the days since the attacks. It's
>amazing to think that only a half-century ago things were quite
>different,and to see the unity that is being demonstrated throughout
>Europe and the world makes us all feel proud to be out here doing our
>job. After the ship pulled away and we prepared to begin our man
>overboard drills the Officer of the Deck turned to me and said "I'm
>staying Navy." I'll write you when I know more about when I'll be
>home, but for now, this is probably the best news that I could send
>you. Love you guys.
BEFORE I GIVE YOU A THOUGHT ON A LITTLE TRADITION AND HISTORY, I WANT TO SAY
THAT MOST OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN AROUND THE SEA. FROM SETTING SAIL ON A
NORWEGIAN TALL SHIP, THE CHRISTAN RADICH, AT THE AGE 15 TO FLYING COMBAT
MISSIONS FROM AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.
THERE ARE FEW THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRY, THE ABOVE LETTER DID. AS A YOUNG
NATION, THE AMERICAN COLONIES, NOW THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, HAD A
PATHETIC NAVY. AMERICA HAD NO STANDING ARMY. WE WERE AN ISLAND NATION AND
WANTED TO BE ISOLATED YET INVOLVED IN OVERSEAS COMMERCE. THE ONLY WAY TO DO
THAT WAS THROUGH "FREEDOM OF THE SEAS". TO DO THIS IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO
BUILD NAVAL VESSELS TO PROTECT OUR COASTS (COAST GUARD) AND TO PROTECT THE
SHIPPING LANES (US NAVY). THIS WAS OUR FIRST SHOWING ABROAD, SO TO SPEAK OR
AT LEAST ON THE HIGH SEAS. THE RELATIVELY FEW PUBLIC BUILDINGS DIDN'T FLY
AMERICAN FLAGS. THE AMERICAN FLAG WAS FLOWN FROM US NAVY SHIPS, THUS THE
TERM US FLAG CARRIER. THAT TERM LATER EVOLVED TO COMMERCIAL SHIPS AND LATER
STILL AIRCRAFT. FOR
YEARS, PAN AMERICAN AIRLINES WAS KNOWN AS THE US FLAG CARRIER. IT WAS OUR
OVERSEAS AIRLINE, A VISIBLE SYMBOL OF THE UNITED STATES. (IT WAS THE ONLY
AIRLINE WHOSE PILOTS WORE WHITE HATS - GOOD GUYS, I GUESS.)
AS SHIPPING GREW, RECOGNITION OF A COUNTRY'S FLAG TOOK ON SPECIAL PROTOCOL.
IT WAS PROPER FOR A MERCHANT SHIP TO DIP IT'S COUNTRY'S COLORS, IE
TEMPORARILY HAUL DOWN THE FLAG AS IT SAILED PAST A NAVAL SHIP. THIS WOULD
MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT A US MERCHANT WOULD DIP TO A FRENCH MAN-OF-WAR. A
SMALLER NAVAL VESSEL WOULD DIP TO A LARGER ONE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.
FOR A FOREIGN NAVY TO FLY THIS COUNTRY'S ENSIGN AT "HALF MAST" IN SPECIAL
RECOGNITION IS A TRUE HISTORICAL MOMENT.
THE NAMING OF SHIPS FOR MANY YEARS WAS ESPECIALLY TRADITIONAL. DURING WWII,
HEAVY CRUISERS WERE NAMED AFTER LARGE US CITIES (CHICAGO, BOSTON, HOUSTON
...), LIGHT CRUISERS AFTER SMALLER CITIES (HELENA, PROVIDENCE,
SPRINGFIELD ....), AND BATTLE SHIPS AFTER STATES (ARIZONA, MISSOURI, TEXAS,
ETC..
IT'S RARE THAT A US SHIP IS NAMED AFTER A FOREIGN DIGNITARY AS IN THE USS
WINSTON CHURCHILL, A MAN WHO TO MANY OF US REPRESENTED THE MOST IMPORTANT
FIGURE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, A MAN WHO ENGLAND RALLIED AROUND IN HER
DARKEST HOURS. HIS WORDS ... BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS WERE NOT ONLY WELL
PUT, BUT ARE JUST AS APPLICABLE TODAY. AND SO WERE FDR'S ... WE HAVE
NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF!
SO, GET OUT THERE AND KICK ASS!
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