- Aug 10, 2001
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April 15, 2002 Posted: 8:24 PM EDT (0024 GMT)
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi (AP) -- The USS Cole, the destroyer damaged 18 months ago in a terrorist attack that killed 17 seamen, is back in the water and ready to return to Navy service.
Several hundred Cole crew members, Gulf Coast residents and employees of the Northrop Grumman Ingalls shipyard gathered Sunday to celebrate completion of repairs to the ship.
"It feels pretty good right now, especially since we didn't know how it was going to all come together," said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Aaron Morgan, 30.
Morgan was one of about 30 members of the present crew who were aboard the Cole on October 12, 2000, when a small boat laden with explosives was detonated beside the ship in the Yemeni port of Aden.
In addition to the 17 who were killed, 37 sailors were injured in the blast, which tore a hole in the ship's side.
Last Friday, the newly restored Aegis guided-missile destroyer set sail on a two-day sea trial.
"It's been a long time coming," said Cmdr. Kevin Sweeney, who took charge of the destroyer last year.
The Cole will get an official send-off this Friday before it sails back to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.
"During sea trials, she performed better than expected," Sweeney said. "There were a lot of risks and an enormous amount of work involved in the repair. ... We're very pleased with the new ship."
Morgan said the explosion was a "reality kick that showed things can happen."
"Now when we go overseas we'll be looking at it not just as an opportunity to see other countries, but what those other countries might do to us," he said.
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi (AP) -- The USS Cole, the destroyer damaged 18 months ago in a terrorist attack that killed 17 seamen, is back in the water and ready to return to Navy service.
Several hundred Cole crew members, Gulf Coast residents and employees of the Northrop Grumman Ingalls shipyard gathered Sunday to celebrate completion of repairs to the ship.
"It feels pretty good right now, especially since we didn't know how it was going to all come together," said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Aaron Morgan, 30.
Morgan was one of about 30 members of the present crew who were aboard the Cole on October 12, 2000, when a small boat laden with explosives was detonated beside the ship in the Yemeni port of Aden.
In addition to the 17 who were killed, 37 sailors were injured in the blast, which tore a hole in the ship's side.
Last Friday, the newly restored Aegis guided-missile destroyer set sail on a two-day sea trial.
"It's been a long time coming," said Cmdr. Kevin Sweeney, who took charge of the destroyer last year.
The Cole will get an official send-off this Friday before it sails back to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.
"During sea trials, she performed better than expected," Sweeney said. "There were a lot of risks and an enormous amount of work involved in the repair. ... We're very pleased with the new ship."
Morgan said the explosion was a "reality kick that showed things can happen."
"Now when we go overseas we'll be looking at it not just as an opportunity to see other countries, but what those other countries might do to us," he said.
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