Ronald: I am a member of two lists who are right now fighting about non-genealogy related messages. I sincerely hope that no one on this list decides to criticize you for forwarding this message. I am crying as I write this. One of my sons is in the Air Force stationed in Italy as we speak and I worry daily. I pray that I will not live to see one of my children die before me but if I do, I will be proud if it is in the line of duty. Your friend's message did not mention that the temperatures are well above 100 degrees in Yemen. These young men and women are truly America's finest. Corinne [email protected] wrote: > > > > > > 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 > > > > ==== VASCOTT Mailing List ==== > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com