|
PureBytes Links
Trading Reference Links
|
A friend sent me this, including the picture. My apologies for the off-topic
post.
Regards,
Michael Suesserott
--------------------------------------------------------
>Reply-To: <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>From: "Jim Kuga" <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "Javier Lozano" <n392e@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: [Fwd: Special Note]
>Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 22:25:28 -0500
>Message-ID: <3BC51125.ABD00538@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
>Not sure if I sent this to you earlier...in any case, worth passing
>around. A lot of us at home are doing our thing to support the effort.
>Stay safe. Jim
>
>Reply-To: <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>From: "Jim Kuga" <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "Dave Cash" <dcash@xxxxxxxx>,
> "Ginny Kuga" <kugafamily@xxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Special Note
>Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 23:59:08 -0500
>Message-ID: <3BB7F81C.68DBB5CA@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
>Reply-To: <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>From: "Jim Kuga" <jkuga@xxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "Marion Schoneberger" <mbspt@xxxxxxxx>,
> "Dave Cash" <dcash@xxxxxxxx>
>Subject: A sailor's letter
>Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 23:40:42 -0500
>Message-ID: <3BB7F3CA.3B86CED3@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Got this from a friend.
>Jim
"I expect that some of you have heard of the German destroyer which
passed close aboard the the USS Churchill soon after the WTC disaster
with the German and American Flags at half mast and the American Flag
higher than the German. Well, I sent a short note of encouragement to
the LT whose description of the event was passing around the "Navy
Internet" and he replied with a thank you note and a picture of the
German destroyer as it was passing them. Non Navy folks wouldn't
appreciate the fact that this NEVER happens, well almost never as this
picture attests.
This is an e-mail from an Officer stationed aboard the USS Winston S.
Churchill...
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 Ship handling 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 unsecured 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."
[due to size limitations, the picture can be referenced
at: ftp://ftp.eskimo.com/u/j/jimo/Lutgens.jpg]
|
