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A very sought after position I hear and very very hard to get into only a select few manage it.
I've been there, it was impossible to not weep there or viewing "The Wall."
Had a similar experience on the Intrepid Gun Tub 10 - their choice was to run and risk the ship or stay in place save the ship and very likely be incinerated by the fuel from the kamikaze - they chose to stayQuote:
Originally Posted by eb in oregon
On October 29, 1944, a Japanese kamikaze aircraft hurtled toward Intrepid. The sailors in Gun Tub 10 rushed to shoot down the aircraft before it struck the ship. They continued firing at the plane even as it headed directly for them and crashed into their position, killing 10 men and wounding 10 others. The impact—on the crew and the ship—likely would have been far more devastating if not for the daring and determination of the gunners.
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The Story of Gun Tub #10 - YouTube
When I stood facing that marble wall at BB-39's mooring above all those sailors that are forever young I felt humbled to be so near to those that gave it all.
The only other time I felt so humbled was at the Australian War memorial with all the names of every Australian service men/women on the bronze plaque walls who gave all in their service to our nation.
(Pic a snippet of the wall its huge)
Me too. I've been fortunate to have visited the USS Arizona also. A moving experience to say the least and I took pictures of that wall.Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
(I took pictures of that wall) Same here.
The irony I found eb in oregon was at the same time I was there the monument was swarmed with a japanese tourist group happy snapping , yes I know different era's but found it a bit unsettling with all the pics they were taking and scurrying around like ants on a sugar bowl.
I just found a quiet corner in the auditorium area to reflect for a time, catching the boat back well was a weird experience.
I must have stared at that wall for 20 minutes reading the names thinking of how they must have felt before the Arizona blew up. I'm just sorry we have such fewer men of that caliber today.
---------- Post added at 08:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:04 AM ----------
The competition for a post for the Tomb is very intense. The honor of serving is such that if a former Tomb guard is ever found to have committed an egregious act later in life the honor is stripped and their name removed from the rolls of former guards. It's a life time commitment.Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
"I'm just sorry we have such fewer men of that caliber today."
"There are no great men, only great challenges that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet. - Fleet Admiral William Frederick Halsey Jr."
Time comes we need them they will show up
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I said fewer, not none. And having served 24 years I'll stand by that observation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Rochester