I know this is OT but I just got this e-mail about conditions on the U.S.S. Cole.
> I just got an e-mail from a good friend of mine who flys 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 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."
>
>Please feel free to pass this on to those you think will appreciate
> it.
>
I hope no one objects to my post.
Facebook
Twitter