> > > > 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. > > > > V/R > > LT Landry >