Modern Sea Story. As an old tin can sailor I had to post this one.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096
>
> This is an e-mail from a young ensign aboard USS Winston Churchill
(DDG-81)
> to his parents. (Churchill is an Arleigh Burke class AEGIS guided missile
> destroyer, commissioned March 10, 2001, and is the only active US Navy
> warship named after a foreign national.)
>
> Dear Dad,
>
> We are still at sea. The remainder of our port visits have all been
canceled.
> We have spent every day since the attacks going back and forth within
> imaginary boxes drawn in the ocean, standing high-security watches,
trying
> to make the best of it. We have seen the articles and the photographs,
and
> they are sickening. Being isolated, 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, we were hailed by the German Navy destroyer,
Lutjens,
> requesting permission to pass close by our port side. Strange, since
we're in
> the middle of an empty ocean, but the captain acquiesced and we prepared
to
> render them honors from our bridgewing. As they were making their
approach,
> our conning officer used binoculars and announced that Lutjens was flying
not
> the German, but the American flag. As she came alongside us, we saw the
> American flag flying half-mast and her entire crew topside standing at
> silent,
> rigid attention in their dress uniforms. They had made a sign that was
> displayed on her side that read "We Stand By You." There was not a dry
> eye on the bridge as they stayed alongside us for a few minutes and
saluted.
>
> It was the most powerful thing I have seen in my life. 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 half-century ago
things
> were
> quite different. After Lutjens pulled away, the Officer of the Deck, who
had
> been
> planning to get out of the Navy later this year, turned to me and said,
"I'm
> staying Navy." I'll write you when I know more about when I'll be home,
but
> this
> is it for now.
>
> Love you guys.
 
Anything I could add would be irrelevent.

very touching
thanks for passing that along Unc.
 
What a great storie!:) If we can become friends with the Germans 50 years after WWII just maybe one day there really will be world peace some day!!!:D
 
That could be true Chris as it was an entirely different scene 50 years ago.
There are many old ndn stories that tell of a future world where peace between all nations and all hunger and homelessness has been eradicated, but like almost all the old ndn stories the trail to get there has many forks in the road and if we don't choose wisely then the world is said to have to start over.

I'm gonna try to post a pic of the German Destroyer that honored the US.
I cut the original size of the pic by 50% in pixels as the original was very large.:)
 
View


Doesn't look much like my old ship, the Warrington, but it's still a destroyer. I always said detroyer sailors were the best and the crew of the Lutjens proved my point, I think.
 
this is my first post and I wanted it to be a lot different. I wanted it to be a report from the field joyfully telling you all about my 3 HI khukuris that arrived within the last two weeks and that I will test tomorrow.
When I read this post, thanks for notifying me, Onkel, I gave up this plan because I have to write down some of my feelings now.

Today we had the first cases of real anthrax letters, there were some fake ones in the past weeks and I did never expect real ones to hit us, I heard it when I came home from work and am still shocked. I hope I can read this post in a few hours without beeing sorry...
The gesture makes me proud and be sure that we do indeed stand by you because the terror is no terror that you are facing alone.
WW2 is 50 years gone and today we fight on the same sides and live the same lifes, our goals (I did not want to use the word "target") are the same and if there is anything we will be ready to do whatever necessary.

I hope there is a fast end to this war, that nobody is hurt who has nothing to do with the criminals and that every terrorist in the world learns that there is no space in this world for them anylonger
Sven
 
Well said Sven, and thanks for your support and kind words:) Your timing is great too. We just had a "neighbor"(Komrade) from the north criticize everything about what we are doing in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Your support is especially meaningful to me given our countries' history in the past.

Thanks uncle for posting this. I have been feeling pretty damn low on inspiration lately, and this really helped.:)
 
Welcome to the Cantina Sven!!!! Like you I wish your first post could have been under happier circumstances.
I add my words to what Rob said as Rob has spoken true as always. And although I am Cherokee and Osage American Indian my Christian name is Gerhardt and portrays my German heritage and German blood which I am also very proud of.

Sven I believe you have spoken for many of us with these words. I know you have spoken for me.
Originally posted by Sven.
[QUOTE"I hope there is a fast end to this war, that nobody is hurt who has nothing to do with the criminals and that every terrorist in the world learns that there is no space in this world for them anylonger."[/QUOTE]
 
Thanks for posting this story Bill. The world needs to know things like this one. As a seaman, even though I'm in the merchant, I find this to be even more touching.
Fausto
 
Welcome, scrunch a chair in close to the fire, and put up your feet to rest a while.

I should caution you that many of the debates over chopping abilities of various khuks seem to come up when it's freezing out and the supply of firewood is getting low ( just a word to the wise so you'll know what you're getting into ).

We're a pretty amiable bunch most of the time, but the level of teasing gets a little carried away.

If you hadn't heard Uncle Bill's Stage Stop and Cantina got it's name after I commented it's ambience reminded me of the clientele in the bar in the first Star Wars movie, and it went downhill from there. Just act nice and you'll make a lot of friends pretty fast.
 
Thanks all for the warm welcome.
I´ve been for some fresh air to cool me down and have some good news. The anthrax, again, was a fake and news were too fast in bringing a story.
Still I feel pretty angry, because whoever is sending this letters is in my country and probably not even a foreigner. I´m not national at all but if it is a follower of Bin Laden that is one thing and I could try to find a reason for his doing but if it is a German... This makes me sick.

Rob and SkagSig40: Thanks for the welcome, I followed the conversation with Rust I guess you refer to and have to admit that the last day changed some of my view. There is a difference between philosophical thoughts and practical need.
Still I will miss the different view.

Hi Rusty, I was indeed wondering, thanks for explaining. I have the picture and have a feeling that I could enjoy it :D

Hi Yvsa, I´m especially pleased to meet the designer of my first khukuri. Allow me a question, after I got my BAS I´m really wondering now...how big are you???
When I unpacked the YCS I thought I bought a sword ;)
 
Originally posted by SvenW

Hi Yvsa, I´m especially pleased to meet the designer of my first khukuri. Allow me a question, after I got my BAS I´m really wondering now...how big are you???
When I unpacked the YCS I thought I bought a sword ;)
Click to expand...

Glad to hear the anthrax was fake and that the scare caused no more problems than it did. The sad thing is that even when it's not real anthrax the authorities have to go through all the steps which takes up time and funds that would be better used on something else, let alone scareing so many folks.:(

:) Sven I'm about 5 foot and 9 inches X 290 pounds right now. Almost as broad as I am long.;) :eek: :D
Three back surgeries cut my height from 5 foot 10 1/2 inches and an unfortunate disease keeps my weight way above the 190 - 200 pounds I used to be. I do have a rather large frame for such a short guy though.;)

I hope you are well pleased with the YCS. It's actually a medium size khukuri, the larger ones are the 20" AK and the GRS and although they're not as wide the 20" & 25" Sirupatis are a real handfull too.
 
An addition to my last post, English is not my mother tongue, so I might not be exact and that might lead to missunderstanding.
Just to be sure, I like to listen to a different view to be sure that my mind is not blocked and I´m in a mental one-way street. This is a general statement, referring to the war in Afghanistan all I can say is:
Thanks to all of you fighting right now to protect everybody in the world from terrorism.
 
Originally posted by SvenW
An addition to my last post, English is not my mother tongue, so I might not be exact and that might lead to missunderstanding.
Just to be sure, I like to listen to a different view to be sure that my mind is not blocked and I´m in a mental one-way street. This is a general statement, referring to the war in Afghanistan all I can say is:
Thanks to all of you fighting right now to protect everybody in the world from terrorism.
Click to expand...

Sven we have had a few others whose mother tongue was something besides English. Allowances are almost always made although sometimes clarification may be asked for. And clarification can be both ways as a few like myself do not always use proper English so that others can understand.:)

And we have to thank Germany as well as many other countries for standing with us in this fight. We are not alone in the ones being attacked or have the potential for attack as the anthrax scare that you had today in Germany proves.
And as you said, "The gesture makes me proud and be sure that we do indeed stand by you because the terror is no terror that you are facing alone."
I'm sure that Germany will be one of the countries that stays with us for the long haul as I am expecting some of the countries in the coalition to drop away over time.
I pray that doesn't happen, but many bonds are much stronger than a man's word, let alone a country's word.
And as I said in another post, "History has a way of repeating
itself.":(
 
I remember WWII and can tell you from experience that I rest a lot easier having Germany as a friend rather than enemy.
 
I´m writing too slow and when I´m finished my internet connection brakes down...so much for DSL high speed connection.

Yvsa, I´m not pleased I´m fascinated!
The handle seems to be a bit too big for my hands, I do not know yet because I did not test it, but I guess as my hands become stronger I will have no problems in handling it.
This knife is by far the most beautyful knife I have ever seen.
I love it, I can not come up with another word but I look at it and want to touch it... my girl friend is already starting to throw funny looks at me :P

Be sure that most of us are supporting the fight and that every letter and every threat will make that alliance stronger.

And special thanks to Onkel Bill, I do feel comfortable, but it is 0247 hours and I have a feeling that this forum will cost me a lot of sleep.

I will test all my khukuris tomorrow and post the result.
G´night everybody
 
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