USS Cole bombing survivor dies in Fla. home

By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 29, 2:59 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Johann Gokool lost his left foot when a bomb ripped a hole in the side of the USS Cole nearly a decade ago, but the injury was nothing compared with the mental torment that ravaged him almost daily.

He returned home to Florida suffering severe post-traumatic stress disorder and frequent panic attacks so violent he would launch into seizures and even fractured his own wrist several times as he flailed, sister Natala Gokool said Tuesday.
One of the brothers he lived with found him dead in their home last Wednesday, just a week after his 31st birthday, Natala Gokool said. His cause of death was unknown, though she said foul play was not suspected. The family believes the seizures just became too much for his body to handle.

Full story here.

Our hearts go out to this Hero's family, and all those haunted by the attack on the Cole...

Labels: Fallen Heroes, terrorism, US Navy, USS Cole

GROTON, Conn. (Feb. 4, 2009) Electronics Technician 3rd Class Chuck Youngberg throws a line from the fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) to the pier to haul up the shore phone cable aboard. Pittsburgh returned to Submarine Base New London from a scheduled six-month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command and African Command areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski)/Released)

Labels: CT Heroes, local Heroes, photos, SSN 720, submarine, US Navy, USS Pittsburgh

BLANK ROUNDS
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Keith Holt fires blank rounds from an M-240 machine gun from an SH-60F Seahawk helicopter during an air-power demonstration for the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 21, 2008. The demonstration was one of many events for more than 1,200 friends and family members of Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group sailors. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac

Labels: aircraft, helicopter, M-240, photos, SH-60F, ships, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

UNDER THE RAINBOW
Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan man the rails as a rainbow forms across the skyline, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Nov. 17, 2008. Pearl Harbor is the final port visit of the deployment for Ronald Reagan. The Ronald Reagan is on a scheduled deployment operating in the U.S. 7th fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Chelsea Kennedy

Labels: 7th Fleet, Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:


An Iraqi man holds his drowning child in Karmah, Iraq, Sept. 28, 2008. Navy Chief Roger Buck, a 34-year-old battalion medical chief from Niceville, Fla., saw the limp child cradled in his father's arms and immediately began administering CPR, saving the boy’s life. Photo by Lance Cpl. Achilles Tsantarliotis, Regimental Combat Team 1.


Sunday, 19 October 2008

KARMAH — Corpsmen are often considered the medical ray of light for Marines in a combat zone.

Sometimes their light shines bright enough to reach local Iraqis in need, whether during a routine combined medical engagement, or for one Iraqi child who almost drowned, on the spot emergency medical attention that saved his life.

Navy Chief Roger Buck, a 34-year-old battalion medical chief from Niceville, Fla., with Task Force 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, saw the limp child cradled in his father’s arms during an Iraqi key-leadership, joint-forces dismounted patrol.

Buck ran to the boy and immediately began administering CPR.

“[Our] interpreter explained I was like a doctor,” said Buck. “They told us they found him face first in a canal. He had a light, faint pulse. I tried to calm the parents down then immediately started applying medical treatment. I cleared his airway and started giving him CPR.”

Within a few minutes the boy regained consciousness, coughed up water and was taken to a local hospital for follow on care.

“He did everything he should have,” said Gunnery Sgt. John Schidlmeier, a platoon leader with Lava Dog Assesment Reaction Team, 1st Bn., 3rd Marines. “His actions were admirable; especially for the situation. He reacted even though he was posting security; made sure a Marine took his position and treated the kid immediately.”

Buck said he was merely in the right place at the right time and just doing his job, and the look of gratitude and appreciation on the terrified parents was all the thanks he needed.

Buck insisted that all Corpsmen carry a great load of responsibilities, starting from the first day of corpsman training, to adapt and be versatile with varying situations. To him, it was just another day of life in the operating forces.

“I was just happy I could bring the kid back,” he said.

Days later, the battalion recognized Buck’s heroic actions and awarded him a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his reactive measures and successful treatment.

“There are a thousand things a day that corpsmen do that go unseen,” he said. “It's always good to save a life. You don't always get to save everyone, so when you do it's very rewarding.”

(By Lance Cpl. Achilles Tsantarliotis, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines)

Labels: 1-3 Marines, combat medic, Good News, heroes, Regimental Combat Team 1, US Navy, USMC

AFGHANISTAN HORNET - A U.S. Navy F/A-18C Hornet flies over the desert of southern Afghanistan providing support to coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan, Oct. 9, 2008. The aircraft and its pilot are assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 113, from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing 14. U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Erik Etz

Labels: Afghanistan, aircraft, Carrier Air Wing 14, F/A-18C, Hornet, photos, Strike Fighter Squadron 113, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

SUEZ SHORE
The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio transits through the Suez Canal, Egypt, Sept. 23, 2008. The USS San Antonio is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky

Labels: 5th Fleet, Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, photos, ships, Suez Canal, US Navy, USS San Antoinio

SPEED OF SOUND
An F/A-18E Super Hornet reaches the speed of sound near the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during a Friends and Family Day Cruise off the coast of Virginia, Atlantic Ocean, Aug. 30, 2008. The event enables guests to experience a day at sea with sailors assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse L. Dick

Labels: aircraft, F/A-18E, photos, Super Hornet, US Navy, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

PERFECT FORMATION
The U.S. and Royal Malaysian Navy vessels KD Lekir, guided-missile frigate USS Ford and KD Sri Inderapura sail in formation during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2008, July 14, 2008. CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises involving the United States and several Southeast Asian nations designed to build relationships and enhance operational readiness. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Brannon

Labels: CARAT, frigate, KD Lekir, KD Sri Inderapura, photos, Royal Malaysian Navy, ships, US Navy, USS Ford

Shulla Search
Iraqi Army Soldiers watch as U.S. Army Soldiers check an AK-47 handed off to them by the owner during a joint patrol conducting a weapons search in Shulla, Iraq, June 19, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez.


Weapon Cleaning
Fire Controlman 3rd Class Randy Sorensen, assigned to Combat Systems CS-7 Division, performs maintenance on a close-in weapon system (CIWS) aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), May 28, 2008. U.S Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Johndion Magsipoc.

THUNDERING OVERHEAD
Four Air Force Thunderbird F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation behind an F-22 Raptor for more than 6,000 spectators during the June 24, 2008, air show at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The "Soaring into Solstice" air show provided an opportunity for the local community to visit and get a close-up view and demonstration of the capabilities of the Air Force's aircraft.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eric T. Sheler


STALLION PICKUP
A U.S. Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter lands in the Jazeerah Desert, Iraq, to pick up Marines taking part in Operation Defeat al Qaeda in the North, June 24, 2008. They are part of the 3rd Marine Air Wing's Heavy Helicopter Sqaudron 462. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jason W. Fudge


Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf transits through Chesapeake Bay
PORTSMOUTH, Va.- A 45-foot Coast Guard Response Boat-Medium from Station Little Creek, Va., transfers passengers from the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf as it transits through the Chesapeake Bay, Va., today. The Bertholf, the 1st National Security Cutter to be built, hosted media and VIPÕs while on its maiden voyage transiting to Baltimore, Md., before it heads out to its permanent home port in Alameda, Ca. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Henise)

Labels: aircraft, At Work In..., Combat Systems CS-7 Division, CVN 72, Eielson Air Force Base, F-16, Iraq, Iraqi Army, photos, ships, US Army, US Navy, USAF, USMC, USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Bertholf

PHILIPPINES WATER RUSH - U.S. Navy personnel, members of the Philippines armed forces and civilians unload bottles of water from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, Aklan, Philippines, June 26, 2008. The supplies will be distributed throughout devastated areas caused by Typhoon Fengshen. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joe Painter

More Photos

Labels: Humanitarian Aid, Philippines, Typhoon Fengshen, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

MISSILE TARGET TEST - The U.S. Navy launches two modified Standard Missile-2 Block IV interceptors from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie during a Missile Defense Agency test to intercept a short-range ballistic missile target, June 5, 2008. The missiles intercepted the target approximately 12 miles above the Pacific Ocean 100 miles west of Kauai, Hawaii, on the Pacific Missile Range Facility. U.S. Navy photo by the Missile Defense Agency

Labels: missile, photos, US Navy, USS Lake Erie

HONOR AND DUTY
A Marine renders honors to the USS Arizona Memorial from the observation deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 26, 2008. The Marine is assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Barker

Labels: 11th MEU, Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, USMC, USS Arizona, USS Tarawa

EUPHRATES VIEW - U.S. Marines head into the Euphrates River near Haditha, Iraq, May 25, 2008. The Marines are assigned to the Company L, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. U.S. Navy seamen, assigned to Riverine Squadron 3, assisted the Marines in a mission to clear islands in the river. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Erik Villagran

Labels: 3-4 Marine Regiment, Euphrates River, Haditha, Iraq, photos, Riverine Squadron 3, US Navy, USMC

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 28, 2008) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) conduct a refueling at sea with a stranded British sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Intelligence Specialist Kenneth Anderson

Labels: DDG 81, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Winston S. Churchill

FLORIDA BEACH FLYOVER
U.S. Navy aviators assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 fly F/A 18E and F/A 18F Super Hornets over the beaches near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 16, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Ian C. Anderson

Labels: aircraft, Eglin Air Force Base, F/A-18E, F/A-18F, photos, Super Hornet, US Navy

ALL-HANDS CALL - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, answers questions during an all-hands call with servicemembers assigned to Camp Navarro in Zamboanga, Republic of the Philippines, June 1, 2008. Mullen is on a eight day tour visiting Asian Pacific nations, their leaders and service members assigned to the region. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley Story - Special - More Photos

Labels: Camp Navarro, Philippines, photos, US Navy

SUNSET SPRINT
U.S. Navy Seamen Stephanie Gomez and Amanda Vasquez run clear after removing the chains from an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, May 14, 2008. Both sailors are flight deck handlers aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy, which supports a humanitarian and civil assistance mission building on friendship between partner nations. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Valcarcel

Labels: helicopter, MH-60S, Military Sealift Command, photos, Seahawk, US Navy, USNS Mercy

COBRA PASSING - A Marine AH-1A Super Cobra fast-attack helicopter passes by the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa during sunset over the Pacific Ocean, May 21, 2008. The USS Tarawa is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility operating in the western Pacific and Indian oceans. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel A. Barker

Labels: 7th Fleet, AH-1A, aircraft, helicopter, photos, Super Cobra, US Navy, USMC, USS Tarawa

YOKOSUKA, Japan — The oldest active ship in the U.S. Navy, the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier, made its final departure from Japan on Wednesday to be decommissioned after nearly half a century of service.

The Kitty Hawk, with sailors lining its decks, pulled away from Yokosuka port just south of Tokyo to the cheers of hundreds of schoolchildren and the sounds of brass bands.

The Kitty Hawk, the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier in the Navy, is to be replaced later this summer by the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered carrier.

The decommissioning date for the ship is set for Jan. 31.


Read the Rest, at Fox News

Labels: ships, US Navy, USS Kitty Hawk

PERSIAN GULF (May 15, 2008) A plane captain assigned to the "Sun Kings" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 116 signals to the pilot of an E-2C Hawkeye as the aircraft is prepared for a mission on aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans

Labels: 5th Fleet, Airborne Early Warning Squadron 116, CVN 72, photos, Sun Kings, US Navy, USS Abraham Lincoln, VAW 116

ALL EYES & EARS
U.S. soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, stand in formation and wait for further orders before an air assault mission on May 11th, 2008. U.S. Army Photo by Specialist Richard Del Vecchio



ROUTINE VISIT
The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Albany arrives for a routine port visit, May 10, 2008. Albany is on a scheduled six-month deployment as part of the NASSAU Expeditionary Strike Group conducting maritime security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Paul Farley



PRECISION FLYING
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly in formation over California, May 2, 2008. The Thunderbirds are the Air Force's premier demonstration squadron and represent the Air Force throughout the nation and abroad. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Matthew Smith



TRAINING FIRES
The Marine Corps Base Japan Fire Department and emergency medical technicians work quickly to remove simulated victims from overturned vehicles while simultaneously putting out fires before they could enter the building to save any survivors during Constant Vigilance 2008 on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, May 6, 2008. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Ricardo Morales

Labels: 101st Airborne Division, At Work In..., Constant Vigilance 2008, Marine Corps Base Japan, NASSAU Expeditionary Strike Group, photos, Thunderbirds, US Army, US Navy, USAF, USMC, USS Albany

PELELIU QUARTERS DRILL
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Adrian Lopez mans a 25mm gun aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu during a general quarters drill, Pacific Ocean, May 8, 2008. The USS Peleliu is in the Pacific Ocean on a scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Sarah E. Bitter

Labels: photos, US Navy, USS Peleliu

DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 9, 2008) NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 88 Navy Cheverolet Monte Carlo, takes a moment for photographs with members of the crew of high-speed vessel (HSV) 2 Swift prior to the start of the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway. Swift Sailors attended the race as part of the Fleet Honoree program sponsored by the Navy Personnel Command. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Curtis K. Biasi

Labels: Fleet Honoree Program, HSV 2 Swift, NASCAR, photos, US Navy

REPLENISHMENT FOR BURMA - U.S. Marines prepare to assist victims of Cyclone Nargis, which devastated Burma on May 2. As part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Marines remove cargo nets from pallets of food, water and emergency supplies delivered to the amphibious assault ship USS Essex off the Gulf of Thailand, May 9, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class David Didier

Labels: 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Myanmar Cyclone, photos, US Navy, USMC, USS Essex

USS ESSEX AT THE READY - The USS Essex, anchored in the Gulf of Thailand, May 8, 2008, stands ready to assist the the people of Burma, where a cyclone and tidal wave struck the nation, killing thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. The Navy is dispatching helicopters from the ship to a staging area in Thailand, where they will be able to reach Burma with relief supplies within hours. Essex is equipped with 23 helicopters and five amphibious landing craft, and carries 1,800 Marines. U.S. Navy photograph by Seaman Kari R. Bergman
Story - More Photos

Labels: Humanitarian Aid, Myanmar Cyclone, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Essex

COUGAR ON THE PROWL - An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the "Cougars" of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 139 makes an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, April 3, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Buliavac

Labels: Cougar, EA-6B, photos, Prowler, Tactical Electronic Air Squadron 139, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

MILITARY 'MAHALO'
The battleship USS Missouri Memorial is illuminated in red, white and blue for the 23rd annual Hawaii Military Appreciation Month opening ceremony, April 24, 2008. The ceremony kicked off a month-long celebration to express appreciation and "mahalo" or thank-you to Hawaii's troops for their everyday sacrifices here and abroad. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul D. Honnick

Labels: Pearl Harbor, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Missouri

RARE RAINBOW
A U.S. Navy sailor stationed at Naval Air Station Key West spots a rare rainbow halo in the skies over the air station, Key West, Fla., April 29, 2008. The halo, which typically indicates rain, is a ring of colored or white light that encircles the sun when seen through a cloud of ice crystals. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Cox

Labels: Naval Air Station Key West, photos, US Navy

ON A CLEAR NIGHT
U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln enjoy a clear night from the bow of the ship during a pause in flight operations, April 11, 2008, in the Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James R. Evans

Labels: photos, US Navy, USS Abraham Lincoln

SAR JUMPER
A search and rescue swimmer, known as a SAR, jumps out of an MH-60S Seahawk assigned during training in the Persian Gulf, April 13, 2008. U.S. Navy Seaman David A. Brandenburg

Labels: helicopter, MH-60S, photos, SAR, Seahawk, Search and Rescue, US Navy

ATLANTIC OCEAN (April 17, 2008) Capt. Norbert "Smurf" Szarleta, commanding officer of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, breaks the sound barrier in an F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter during an air power demonstration aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on 17 April 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Yeoman Augustine Cooper

Labels: aircraft, CVW 17, F/A-18F, photos, Super Hornet, US Navy

Norfolk, Va. (April 18, 2008) Aircraft from the "Pukin Dogs" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143 and the "Checkmates" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 211 perform a flyover during a retirement ceremony for Adm. William J. Fallon aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Fallon has served 41 years in the Navy and is the first Naval officer to command U.S. Central Command. During his career he also served as commander of U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Fleet Forces Command as well as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew D. Leistikow



Pukin Dogs.....gotta love it

Labels: aircraft, Checkmates, photos, Pukin Dogs, US Navy, VAW 211, VFA 143

ASSESSING THE DAMAGE
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Hank Lemar, a corpsman assigned to the Marine Corps' Company D, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, feels the damage of gunshots to windshields. The Company D Marines practiced engaging targets through glass during a week-long training exercise in Melbourne, Fla., April 8, 2008. U.S. Marine Cpl. Nathaniel Sapp

Labels: 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, Iraq, Military Training, photos, US Navy, USMC

POSITIONING A HORNET
A U.S. Navy plane director positions an F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, left, onto a catapult as an EA-6B Prowler aircraft, right, takes off from the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, which is under way in the Pacific Ocean, April 5, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Spike Call

Labels: aircraft, EA-6B, F/A-18F, photos, Prowler, Super Hornet, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

MEDAL OF HONOR - George and Sally Monsoor speak with President George W. Bush during a Medal of Honor presentation ceremony at the White House, April 8, 2008, in honor of their son U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Aho

Labels: Fallen Heroes, Medal of Honor, Michael A. Mansoor, photos, SEALs, US Navy

FLEET FLARE
The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie pulls alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt during a replenishment at sea during a tailored ship's training availability and final evaluation problem, Atlantic Ocean, April 1, 2008. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder

Labels: Military Sealift Command, photos, ships, US Navy, USNS Laramie, USS Theodore Roosevelt

REPLENISHMENT AT SEA
U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate Seaman Apprentice Jacelyn Whitespeare mans a sound-powered telephone aboard USS Ronald Reagan March 26, 2008, during a replenishment at sea with USNS Yukon while under way in the Pacific Ocean with the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher D. Blachly

Labels: Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, US Navy, USNS Yukon, USS Ronald Reagan

LEYTE LAUNCH - An SH-60B Seahawk prepares to launch from the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, which is conducting group sail operations in the Atlantic Ocean, March 27, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael D. Cole

Labels: helicopter, photos, Seahawk, SH-60B, US Navy, USS Leyte Gulf

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 27, 2008) A shooter signals to the operator of one of four steam powered catapults as aircraft are launched from the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 are on a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans

Labels: 5th Fleet, CVN 72, CVW 2, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Abraham Lincoln

HAWKEYE ON DECK
An E-2C Hawkeye is silhouetted on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, Persian Gulf, March 8, 2008. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes.

Labels: E-2C, Hawkeye, photos, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

BAQUBAH, Iraq (March 9, 2008) Iraqi girls walk to school with their teacher in Baqubah, Diyala Province, Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean Mulligan

Labels: Baqubah, children, Diyala Province, Iraq, photos, US Navy

BLUE ANGELS SOAR
The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, perform at the El Centro Air Show, March 8, 2008. The show was the first of 35 planned performances for the Blue Angels in 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Brian Gaines

Labels: aircraft, Blue Angels, El Centro Air Show, photos, US Navy

SQUEAKY CLEAN
U.S. Air Force Airman Waldemar Martinez cleans the canopy of an F/A-18 Super Hornet on the flight deck of the USS Harry S. Truman, under way in the Persian Gulf. Martinez is assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 11, March 5, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes

Labels: aircraft, F/A 18, photos, ships, Srike Fighter Squadron 11, Super Hornet, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Peter Waneck prepares to raise two F/A-18 Hornets to the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes

Labels: aircraft, Carrier Air Wing 3, CVN 75, CVW 3, F/A 18, Hornet, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

PERSIAN GULF (March 3, 2008) An Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) gives hand signals to the pilot of an AV-8B Harrier, assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Reinforced (HMM) 166, during flight operations aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1). Tarawa is operating in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility to help deter destabilizing activities and safeguardi regional links to the global economy. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman David A. Brandenburg

Labels: 5th Fleet, aircraft, AV-8B, Harrier, HMM 16, LHA-1, photos, ships, US Navy, USMC, USS Tarawa

SAN DIEGO (Feb. 26, 2008) A Navy SEAL completes a water jump during a Special Boat Team (SBT) 12 maritime craft air delivery system training exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Syberg (Released)

Labels: photos, SBT, SEALs, Special Boat Team, US Navy

From DefenseLink:


By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, March 1, 2008 – On what was described as a “fine Navy, Marine Corps day,” in New Orleans, Defense Department officials, servicemembers and distinguished guests gathered today to christen a tangible symbol of America’s mettle.

“This is a special day for a magnificent ship that has a special place in the heart of every American,” Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said during the christening ceremony for USS New York.

Everyone in the country, he said, has felt a special connection with New York since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “On the day the towers fell, all Americans were New Yorkers,” he said. It also is true then, England said, that the USS New York, with its bow stem forged from nearly 8 tons of steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, is America’s ship.

Sailing under the motto, “Never Forget,” the ship and its sister ships, the Arlington and Somerset, are living tributes to those killed on Sept. 11, England said. By virtue of its name, he added, New York also carries with it a reminder of the U.S. commitment to freedom.

According to naval tradition, the christening of a ship conveys the spirit of the vessel’s namesake. In this case, the christening may have been a formality, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead said.

“This timeless tradition that is essential in imbuing the spirit of a namesake into a ship may not even be required, because this ship is already imbued,” the admiral said. “It is forged. It is instilled with that identity already.

“(USS) New York will forever conjure the valor, the sacrifice, the heroism and the tenacity of that city, that state, and our nation,” he added.

The christening also is said to convey the spirit of the ship’s sponsor -- in this case, Dotty H. England, wife of the deputy defense secretary. The tradition goes a step further with the New York, she said.

“With this unique ship, we are also going to give it the spirit of the 9/11 heroes, the spirit of New Yorkers and the indomitable spirit of Americans,” she said. “We will keep that same spirit in our hearts and minds forever.”

The fifth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock will transport Marines and their equipment. It also will support amphibious assault, special operations and expeditionary missions.

Though the USS New York has yet to welcome its first crew aboard, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps began writing its storied legacy today.

“In the long years of this warship’s service life, she will help defend America and our allies and friends. Through (that) service, future generations will proudly honor … all of the fallen angels of 9/11,” Gen. Robert Magnus said.

“As sure as day follows the night, good follows evil,” he added. “As you’ve heard (it said), ‘If it takes those who guard the streets of heaven - and it does – to follow evil into the gates of hell, they will come from ships like New York.”

When New York is officially commissioned into the Navy’s fleet in New York City next year, it will carry with it a reminder for all future crews why it’s more than just another new ship.

On Sept. 11, 2006, Boy Scout Troop 40 from Hopewell Junction presented the Navy with a flag flown above Ground Zero.

“Faded, frayed, still bearing the dust and debris from its silent watch, it was an extraordinary gift that will grace the ship forever,” said Navy Rear Adm. Charles H. Goddard, Program Executive Office, Ships. “I can think of no more fitting reminder that freedom is not free.”

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. built the 684-foot ship, which can accommodate 800 Marines in addition to its crew. The corporation has a long history building ships for the Navy that includes building many of the ships in President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet.”

It’s a tradition Northrop Grumman’s chairman and chief executive officer said his company is proud to continue with USS New York.

“No matter how many times she carries young Americans into battle, we can be confident that like her namesake, New York, she may know damage, but she’ll never know defeat,” said Ronald Sugar.

And the ship already has proven to be tough, as it took Dotty England two swings to break the bottle of champagne on its bow.


Biographies:
Gordon England
Adm. Gary Roughead, USN
Gen. Robert Magnus, USMC
Rear Adm. Charles H. Goddard, USN

Related Sites:
USS New York Fact Sheet
Program Executive Office, Ships

Labels: ships, US Navy, USS New York

Saturday, March 01, 2008
AP

March 1, 2008: About 7.5 tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center are cast in the bow stem of the USS New York.

AVONDALE, La. — Thousands of people, including families of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, gathered Saturday for an at-times chilling and rallying service to christen a Navy ship built with twisted steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center.

The hulking grey USS New York, which abruptly rose from the horizon, bore a seal on the bow bearing 7.5 tons of steel from the site. The shield included two gray bars to symoblize the Twin Towers; a banner over that declared "Never Forget."


Read the rest of the article, and view photos, at Fox News

Labels: 9/11, ships, Twin Towers, US Navy, USS New York, World Trade Center

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Feb. 23, 2008) Flag bearers snap to attention before removing the American flag from the casket of Chief Photographer's Mate Edgar Tiemann during a burial-at-sea ceremony aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). The ceremony included the burial of 13 honorably discharged Sailors and Marines. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Mandy Hunsucker

Labels: burial at sea, LSD 48, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Ashland

MISSILE LAUNCH
The USS Lake Erie launches a Standard Missile-3 at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean, Feb. 20, 2008. The objective was to rupture the satellite's fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds of hydrazine, a hazardous material which could pose a danger to people on Earth, before it entered into the Earth's atmosphere. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy
Story - More Photos - Video - Transcript

Labels: missile, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Erie

PREFLIGHT INSPECTION
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Heather R. Holbert conducts a preflight inspection of her CH-53E Super Stallion on the flight deck of the USS Tarawa, under way in the Persian Gulf, Feb. 12, 2008. Holbert is assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Reinforced 166. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Richard Doolin

Labels: Ch-53E, helicopter, photos, Super Stallion, US Navy, USMC, USS Tarawa

SCRUBBERS
U.S. Navy sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex scrub the ship's flight deck between flight operations while under way in the Sea of Japan, Feb. 15, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Ty Swartz

Labels: photos, ships, US Navy, USS Essex

SEA OF JAPAN (Feb. 15, 2007) A Marine from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) practices fast roping aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group and serves as the flagship for Combined Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez

Labels: 31st MEU, CTF-76, LHD-2, photos, ships, US Navy, USMC, USS Essex

PACIFIC (Feb. 2, 2008) - An F/A-18 Hornet from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) escorts a Russian Tu-95 Bear, long range bomber aircraft on Feb. 9, 2008 south of Japan. The bomber neared the vicinity of the carrier resulting in the fighter intercept. Nimitz was transiting through the Western Pacific on a regularly scheduled deployment when the incident occurred. U.S. Navy Photo

Labels: aircraft, CVN 68, CVW 11, F/A 18, Hornet, Tu-95 Bear, US Navy, USS Nimitz

STEAMING TOGETHER
The amphibious assault ship USS Essex and the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Pecos steam together during a refueling at sea, Feb. 6, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua J. Wahl

Labels: Military Sealift Command, photos, refueling, ships, US Navy, USNS Pecos, USS Essex

ELECTROMAGNETIC GUN FIRE
An electromagnetic railgun is fired at 10.64 megajoules with a muzzle velocity of 2,520 meters per second at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va., Jan. 31, 2008. U.S. Navy photo

Labels: Naval Surface Warfare Center, photos, railgun, US Navy, weapons

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 25, 2007) A Sailor from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODMU) 6 Detachment 22 moves away from an SH-60 Seahawk, assigned to the "Dusty Dogs" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 7, after completing a successful fast rope drill on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman is participating in a composite training unit exercise in preparation for deployment to the Persian Gulf. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joshua A. Moore (Released)

Labels: CVN 75, Dusty Dogs, EODMU 6, helicopter, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 7, photos, Seahawk, SH-60, ships, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

AIRCRAFT SILHOUETTE
The sun silhouettes aircraft on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Persian Gulf, Jan. 18, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Matthew D. Williams

Labels: aircraft, photos, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

USS TARAWA REPLENISHES - The amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa conducts a vertical replenishment at sea, Jan. 9, 2008. U.S. Navy Lt.j.g. Lauren A. Goldenberg.

Labels: photos, ships, US Navy, USS Tarawa

SEAHAWK EYE VIEW - A Seahawk lifts off the USNS Flint while loading ammunition with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 9, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin Brossard

Labels: helicopter, photos, Seahawk, ships, US Navy, USNS Flint, USS Ronald Reagan

RED HORNET NIGHT LAUNCH - A Super Hornet aircraft attached to the "Red Rippers" of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 prepares to launch off the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman during night flight operations in the Persian Gulf, Jan. 3, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray Jr.

Labels: aircraft, photos, Red Rippers, Srike Fighter Squadron 11, Super Hornet, US Navy, USS Harry S. Truman

EUPHRATES PATROL - U.S. Navy sailors come ashore after searching for weapons caches islands on the Euphrates River near Haditha, Iraq, Jan. 6, 2008. The sailors are attached to Riverine Squadron Two's Detachment 3, which regularly patrols the river and its surrounding inland waterways to protect their use for legitimate commerce. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kirk Worley

Labels: Euphrates River, Haditha, Iraq, photos, Riverine Squadron 2, US Navy

CIVIC ACTION IN BASILAN - U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley P. Richey, a special warfare operator assigned to SEAL Team One, Task Unit 3, hands out rice and canned foods to students during a medical civic action program at Panunsulan Elementary School in Basilan, Philippines, Dec. 27, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel R. Mennuto

Labels: Philippines, photos, SEAL Team One, SEALs, US Navy

A HARRIER SUNRISE - AV-8B Harrier II aircraft are parked on the flight deck aboard the USS Tarawa at sunrise, Dec. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel A. Barker

Labels: aircraft, AV-8B, Harrier II, photos, US Navy, USS Tarawa

HOLIDAY SHIP - The guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George sits pier-side, ready for a judging panel's inspection during the 2007 Holiday Ship Decoration Contest, Dec. 19, 2007. Ships and shore commands were judged on four criteria: degree of difficulty, originality of display, holiday spirit and creativity. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio

Labels: 2007 Holiday Ship Decoration Contest, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Cape St. George

CAMP COVINGTON, Guam (Dec. 18, 2007) Seabees attached to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1, Guam Det. pose for a group photo with the faculty and students of Chief Brodie Memorial Elementary School after the presentation of the gifts to the children. The battalion raised money to donate bicycles to some of the underprivileged students and presented them during the school's holiday celebration. NMCB-1 is deployed to several locations in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Micronesia providing responsive military construction support to U.S. military operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Demetrius Kennon

Labels: children, Guam, Humanitarian Aid, NMCB-1, photos, Seabees, US Navy

MOVIN' A HUEY - U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Tarawa move a UH-1N Huey helicopter into the hangar during an exercise Dec. 11, 2007, while under way in the Indian Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel A. Barker

Labels: helicopter, Huey, photos, ships, UH-1N, US Navy, USS Tarawa

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Dec. 7, 2007) A bugler from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band plays the traditional call to Taps, during a joint U.S. Navy/National Park Service ceremony commemorating the 66th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. More than 2,500 distinguished guests and the general public joined Sailors, Pearl Harbor survivors and their families and friends on board Naval Station Pearl Harbor for the annual observance. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl

Labels: Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, WWII

Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
Aerial photograph, looking east, with Hickam Army Air Field in center and Honolulu beyond, 13 October 1941. The Pearl Harbor Navy Yard is in the left-center, and Ford Island is at the far left. Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


USS Arizona (BB-39) sunk and burning furiously, 7 December 1941. Her forward magazines had exploded when she was hit by a Japanese bomb. At left, men on the stern of USS Tennessee (BB-43) are playing fire hoses on the water to force burning oil away from their ship. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


Sailors in a motor launch rescue a survivor from the water alongside the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) during or shortly after the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor. USS Tennessee (BB-43) is inboard of the sunken battleship. Note extensive distortion of West Virginia's lower midships superstructure, caused by torpedoes that exploded below that location. Also note 5"/25 gun, still partially covered with canvas, boat crane swung outboard and empty boat cradles near the smokestacks, and base of radar antenna atop West Virginia's foremast. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37). USS West Virginia (BB-48) is burning in the background. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


The forward magazine of USS Shaw (DD-373) explodes during the second Japanese attack wave. To the left of the explosion, Shaw's stern is visible, at the end of floating drydock YFD-2. At right is the bow of USS Nevada (BB-36), with a tug alongside fighting fires. Photographed from Ford Island, with a dredging line in the foreground. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.


The wrecked destroyers USS Downes (DD-375) and USS Cassin (DD-372) in Drydock One at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, soon after the end of the Japanese air attack. Cassin has capsized against Downes. USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) is astern, occupying the rest of the drydock. The torpedo-damaged cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) is in the right distance, beyond the crane. Visible in the center distance is the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37), with USS Maryland (BB-46) alongside. Smoke is from the sunken and burning USS Arizona (BB-39), out of view behind Pennsylvania. USS California (BB-44) is partially visible at the extreme left. This image has been attributed to Navy Photographer's Mate Harold Fawcett. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


PBY patrol bomber burning at Naval Air Station Kaneohe, Oahu, during the Japanese attack. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


Aerial view of "Battleship Row" moorings on the southern side of Ford Island, 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three days earlier.
In upper left is the sunken USS California (BB-44), with smaller vessels clustered around her.
Diagonally, from left center to lower right are:
USS Maryland (BB-46), lightly damaged, with the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37) outboard. A barge is alongside Oklahoma, supporting rescue efforts.
USS Tennessee (BB-43), lightly damaged, with the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) outboard.
USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk, with her hull shattered by the explosion of the magazines below the two forward turrets. Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface, originating from the sunken battleships. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.


"Remember Dec. 7th!"
Poster designed by Allen Sandburg, issued by the Office of War Information, Washington, D.C., in 1942, in remembrance of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The poster also features a quotation from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "... we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain ...". Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Center. Donation of Dr. Robert L. Scheina, 1970. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Labels: Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, USS Arizona, USS California, USS Cassin, USS Downes, USS Helena, USS Maryland, USS Oklahoma, USS Shaw, USS Tennessee, USS West Virginia

The forward magazines of USS Arizona (BB-39) explode after she was hit by a Japanese bomb, 7 December 1941.Frame clipped from a color motion picture taken from on board USS Solace (AH-5).Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

The United States of America had been very clear on its position regarding Japanese aggression in Manchuria - Get out. Now. The U.S. (with the U.K.) had imposed a boycott of scrap metal and oil on the Japanese, too. Japan saw one method to deal with the issue. Even while they entered into negotiations, they were planning to attack.

That attack came early in the morning on December 7, 1941. Unfortunately, although the attacking planes were spotted on radar, that system was new, and the planes were thought to be a flight of B-17s due in that day. The radar operator reported the contacts, but was told, "Don't worry about it."

The first wave of planes hit at 7:53 a.m., with Japanese midget subs also on the attack. Just a little over an hour later, the second wave of planes hit. And an hour after that, it was over. At least, the immediate attack was over. By the time the Japanese planes were gone, they had left inconceivable death and destruction in their wake, and turned a harbor in paradise into a war zone - literally.

"I was about three quarters of the way to the first platform on the mast when it seemed as though a bomb struck our quarterdeck. I could hear shrapnel or fragments whistling past me. As I reached the first platform, I saw Second Lieutenant Simonson lying on his back with blood on his shirt front. I bent over him and taking him by the shoulders asked if there was anything I could do. He was dead, or so nearly so that speech was impossible. Seeing there was nothing I could do for the Lieutenant, I continued to my battle station." -- Marine Cpl. E.C. Nightingale, aboard the USS Arizona

2,403 were dead. Nearly 200 American planes were destroyed, and 8 battleships were destroyed or damaged. But Japan had missed the opportunity to hit what they wanted to - the aircraft carriers they saw as the U.S.' most dangerous assets. The Lexington, the Saratoga, and the Enterprise were all away when the attack came. And the U.S., largely reluctant to enter into the conflict raging in Europe, knew one thing - we were at war.

The Americans got a few small pieces of luck in the midst of all the chaos. The fuel oil storage, right next to the harbor, was unscathed. This was, in part, due to the fact that in those days, they were painted an aqua color that made them appear to be pools of water from the air. The submarines were also undamaged.

"With a quick glance to the right, I noticed the Arizona was a mass of flames and one of the AA guns was blasting away. Just about that time a plane was passing by very low and close. I saw the pilot looking over the Arizona, and as he pulled up, I noticed the red ball on the wing. Yes, I could have hit it with a stone if I had one to throw." -- Paul P. Urdzik, aboard the USS Vestal

But Japan had also seriously underestimated the Americans. Most of the Japanese command, many of whom had been educated in the States, believed the Americans would be unable to mobilize for a year or two - unable to replace what had been lost - and by then, Japan would have secured its interests in Asia. They believed they had rendered the Americans powerless to stop them.

They were wrong.

There has been a great deal of discussion in the decades since about what contributed to the attack. If the planes hadn't been parked the way they were. If the sailors hadn't been given a day off after the music competition. If we'd recognized the radar blips for what they were... In hindsight, it's easy to criticize, easy to blame, easy to divert attention from what matters - thousands of American heroes died that day, in an attack that shattered American innocence, and reminded them that war wasn't always far away - it could come right into one's front yard. The outrage, the horror, the undeniable need to strike back, would only be rivaled one other time in American history - on a sunny September morning in 2001.

"The first Japanese plane flew over us about 0755 and banked to the right toward Battleship Row. Just prior to this pass, we had heard large explosions coming from Ford Island. We did observe planes in the air, and to a man questioned the Army flying on Sunday. Very unusual to say the least.

By the time a second plane made a pass, we were at General Quarters, and one of our gunners was fortunate enough to get a direct hit off our starboard quarter. The plane went up in one large ball of fire, and immediately dropped into the water." -- Roy Cella, aboard the USS Sumner

One day after the attacks, this is what Americans heard from their President:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

-- President Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 8, 1941

Fifteen ships were named in honor of Sailors, to pay tribute to the heroism they displayed that horrible day.

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Photographed by Lieutenant Commander Tracy D. Connors, USN (Retired), June 1987.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Links for more information:
VIDEO: Pearl Harbor, as It Was Told 66 Years Ago
Attack At Pearl Harbor, 1941
Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 (U.S. Navy website)
Pearl Harbor: Remembered
Pearl Harbor Attack, 1941
December 7, 1941 - Japanese Bomb Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Remembering Pearl Harbor
FDR's "Day of Infamy" Speech
USS Arizona (BB-39)
Air Raid Pearl Harbor
My Story: Pearl Harbor Battleship Row
Days of Infamy: December 7 and 9/11
USS Utah (BB31/AG16)
Pearl Harbor Attack, 1941
Pearl Harbor Documents
Naval Institute: Pearl Harbor
Ginger's Diary (account of a 17-year-old American girl living at Hickam Field, Hawaii, at the time of the Pearl Harbor bombing)
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
The Pearl Harbor Attack Hearings
USS West Virginia (BB-48)@
TIME Magazine: The Attack on Pearl Harbor
Naval History Magazine: Pearl Harbor - Attack from Below
Japanese Navy Ships -- Midget Submarines
USS California (BB-44)
National Geographic: Expedition Pearl Harbor
The Day After Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor Operations
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
What the Chaplains Were Doing at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941
Imperial War Museum: Pearl Harbor
USS Arizona Memorial

I will also be posting pictures from my visit to Pearl Harbor later.

Labels: Fallen Heroes, Pearl Harbor, US Navy, USS Arizona, USS California, USS Oklahoma, USS Utah, WWII

OVER THE PACIFIC - An aircrew waits to launch from Catapult 3 during night flight operations on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 2, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac

Labels: aircraft, photos, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Nov. 27, 2007) Sailors aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) heave in a mooring line as the ship prepares to depart Naval Station Pearl Harbor for a six-month deployment. With more than 200 officers and Sailors, the Crommelin deployed to Naval Forces Southern Command area of responsibility to engage in monitoring, detection and counter-narcotics activities. Frigates fulfill a protection of shipping mission as anti-submarine warfare combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl

Labels: FFG-37, frigate, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Crommelin

OCEAN FORCES
Two Japan Self-Defense Force P-3C Orion aircraft fly over U.S. Navy ships and Japan Self-Defense Force ships during the conclusion of exercise Annualex in the Philippine Sea Nov. 16, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kyle D. Gahlau

Labels: Annualex, Orion, P-3C, photos, US Navy

MOORING LINES - Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper take in the mooring lines as the ship departs for deployment. Hopper and the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal deployed with the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group for a six-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Office David Rush

Labels: photos, Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group, US Navy, USS Hopper

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Nov. 17, 2007) An AV-8B Harrier lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) as pilots with the air combat element of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct deck landing qualifications. Nassau is preparing for its upcoming deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ryan Steinhour

Labels: 24th MEU, aircraft, AV-8B, Harrier, LHA-4, photos, US Navy, USS Nassau

ABOARD THE DOKDO - A South Korean navy sailor signals to a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter to land on the flight deck of the South Korean amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo Nov. 15, 2007 during the training to increase U.S.-Korean amphibious operational readiness. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christian Lemus

Labels: aircraft, helicopter, photos, Seahawk, submarine, US Navy

FUJI FLIGHT
An SH-60F helicopter from the Warlords of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 51 Det. 11, flies in front of Japan's Mt. Fuji. The squadron, based in Atsugi, Japan, provides combat-ready armed anti-surface and anti-submarine helicopter detachments to ships deploying in the Korea, western Pacific and Persian Gulf regions. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Bryan Reckard

Labels: aircraft, helicopter, photos, SH-60F, US Navy

In the Hole
A U.S. Soldier feels inside a tunnel for hidden weapons during a joint cordon and search with Iraqi National Police at a brick factory in Narhwan, Iraq, Nov. 6, 2007. The Soldiers are from Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Kingston.




PORT HUENEME, Calif. (Nov. 7, 2007) - Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 warm up with a set of jumping jacks before going on a two and a half mile march in full battle gear on board Port Hueneme. NMCB 3 is training in preparation for their upcoming deployment to the Middle East. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Carmichael Yepez




A Marine with third platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, patrols his neighborhood in Fallujah's Nazaal district, Nov. 6. The leathernecks with third platoon moved into a house soon after they arrived in country and began assimilating into the neighborhood. This increased proximity to ordinary Iraqi folks in the city has brought them to the point of inclusion in the community. Photo by: Sgt. Stephen M. DeBoard , 2nd Marine Division Read the story associated with this photo




5th International Working Dog Breeding Conference
Tech. Sgt. David Adcox holds his military working dog Samo, as decoy Staff Sgt. Jeremy Toliver agitates the dog during a demonstration Nov. 7 for the 5th International Working Dog Breeding Conference at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The conference was attended by 140 people from 16 countries, representing military, government and non-government programs, academia and industry. The conference focuses on the improvement of dogs through selective breeding for working occupations such as military, police, detection and assistance. The sergeants and Samo are from the 341st Training Squadron at Lackland. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robbin




Coast Guard Rescues Passengers from Grounded Cruise Ship
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - A Coast Guard rescue crew from Station Portsmouth ferries passengers of the cruise ship SPIRIT OF NANTUCKET to shore after the ship ran aground in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway approximately 8-miles north of the Virginia, North Carolina stateline,Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007. The Coast Guard is investigating investigating the cause of the grounding. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kip Wadlow)

Labels: 10th FAR, Fallujah, Iraq, military working dog, photos, Regimental Team 6, Seabees, US Army, US Navy, USAF, USCG, USMC

DELTA FORMATION
The U.S. Navy Flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, perform their delta formation during the Blues on the Bay Air Show at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oct. 14, 2007. Photo By: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Hight

Labels: aircraft, Blue Angels, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, photos, US Navy

Wildfires burn near Camp Horno on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Grant T. Walker


U.S. Marines leave Camp Pendleton, Calif., through the Fallbrook Gate to head to their homes after being evacuated from the base on Oct. 22, 2007, due to the California wildfires. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia


U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. David W. Salazar, with 1st Marine Logistics Group, directs traffic at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 22, 2007. Camp Pendleton and the Naval Weapons Station opened their gates from Fallbrook to Las Pulgas for wild fire evacuees heading onto Interstate 5 North. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia


Smoke from the Fallbrook wild fire clouds the sky at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 22, 2007. San Diego has eight wildfires causing a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia


A fire truck heads towards the Fallbrook Gate as it passes a line of cars going to Las Pulgas Gate at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 22, 2007. Camp Pendleton and the Naval Weapons Station opened their gates from Fallbrook to Las Pulgas for wild fire evacuees heading onto Interstate 5 North. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia


Evacuees drive into Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 22, 2007. Camp Pendleton and the Naval Weapons Station opened their gates from Fallbrook to Las Pulgas for wild fire evacuees heading onto Interstate 5 North. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Gabriela Garcia


A fire burns on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents have been evacuated from their homes as various fires burn in San Diego County. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt


A smoke plume from a fire rises in Camp Margarita on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents have been evacuated from their homes as various fires burn in San Diego County. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt


A fire burns on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents have been evacuated from their homes as various fires burn in San Diego County. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt


Personnel from the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy work to stop a fire in Camp Margarita on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents have been evacuated from their homes as various fires burn in San Diego County. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt


A Navy rescue helicopter carries water to a fire in Camp Margarita on Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents have been evacuated from their homes as various fires burn in San Diego County. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Albert F. Hunt




More photo essays at DefenseLink

Labels: California wildfires, Camp Pendleton, photo essays, photos, US Navy, USMC

U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Rexford Sackett, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class William Quadrino, both assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, prepare to assemble a 420-gallon capacity bucket in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. HSC-85 has teamed up with the San Diego California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to help put out the wildfires blazing across Southern California. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey


U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Zach Sykora, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, performs a pre-flight inspection on a MH-60S Seahawk helicopter before take off from Coronado, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dustin Kelling


U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Rexford Sackett, left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class William Quadrino, both assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, prepare to assemble a 420-gallon capacity bucket in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey


U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Rexford Sackett, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, kicks open a 420-gallon capacity bucket in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey


An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, lifts a full 420-gallon extinguishing trough from a local reservoir near the raging wildfires in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey


An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, dumps water from a full 420-gallon extinguishing trough onto of one of the many areas affected by wildfires in San Diego, Calif., Oct. 23, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Fahey



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Labels: aircraft, helicopter, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85, MH-60S, photo essays, photos, Seahawk, US Navy

ARLINGTON, Va. (Oct. 21, 2007) – Daniel Murphy, father of Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy touches the gravestone of Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Chris J. Scherkenbach, during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The same enemy forces that killed Lt. Murphy, also shot down the helicopter Scherkenbach and 15 others were traveling in near Asadabad, Afghanistan, June 28, 2005. Daniel and Maureen Murphy will accept the Medal on Honor of behalf of their son during a ceremony at the White House on Oct. 22, 2007. Lt. Murphy was killed during a reconnaissance mission while exposing himself to enemy fire in order to call in support after his four-man team came under attack by enemy forces. Murphy is the first service member to receive the honor for actions during Operation Enduring Freedom and the first Navy recipient of the medal since Vietnam. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist James Pinsky

Labels: CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach, Fallen Heroes, Lt. Michael Murphy, Medal of Honor, photos, SEALs, US Army, US Navy

PERSIAN GULF — Navy Sailors fire an MK-38 25-mm chain gun while conducting weapons familiarization exercises Oct. 11, 2007, onboard the guided-missile frigate USS Carr. Carr is under way in the Persian Gulf on a deployment in support of maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo Petty Officer 2nd Class Oscar Espinoza

Labels: MK-38, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Carr

IN THE GULF
The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise conducts an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Supply in the Persian Gulf, Oct. 4, 2007, while the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke and the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg follow behind. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing One are currently underway on a scheduled six-month deployment. Photo By: U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class N.C. Kaylor

Labels: Carrier Air Wing 1, Military Sealift Command, photos, ships, US Navy, USNS Supply, USS Arleigh Burke, USS Enterprise, USS Vicksburg

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Garrick A. Bowles and an interpreter warn local fishermen on Sept. 9, 2007, about a planned 24-hour curfew on the Euphrates River near the Hadithah Dam during Ramadan. Bowles is lead petty officer for Maritime Interdiction Operations Team, Detachment 3, Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2. The regiment declared the temporary curfew on the waterway to stem an anticipated increase in enemy activity on the river during the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. U.S. Navy photo Petty Officer 2nd Class Marcos T. Hernandez


Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse D. Mitchell, right, explains the curfew to local fishermen on the Euphrates River near the Hadithah Dam, Sept. 16, 2007. Mitchell is assigned to Maritime Interdiction Operations Team, Detachment 3, Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser


Iraqi fishermen pull in their nets after being warned by sailors with Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2, about the temporary 24-hour curfew on the Euphrates River near the Hadithah Dam, Sept. 16, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser


An Iraqi civilian’s boat sits on the shore of Hadithah Dam, Iraq, Sept. 16, 2007, as sailors with Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2, prepare to leave on a patrol to enforce the temporary 24-hour curfew on the waterway. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser


Navy Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Bennett uses binoculars to scan the horizon for boats while on a curfew enforcement patrol, Sept. 5, 2007. Bennett is a boat captain with Detachment 3, Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2. U.S. Navy photo Petty Officer 2nd Class Marcos T. Hernandez


Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua L. Jackson scans the water during a curfew enforcement patrol on the Euphrates River near the Hadithah Dam, Sept. 16, 2007. Jackson is an aft (rear) gunner with Detachment 3, Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser


A Riverine Patrol Boat with Riverine Squadron 1, Riverine Group 1, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, in support of Regimental Combat Team 2, tows several boats seized while enforcing a 24-hour curfew on the waterway near the Hadithah Dam, Sept. 12, 2007. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marcos T. Hernandez




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Labels: Euphrates River, Haditha Dam, Iraq, Maritime Interdiction Operations Team, military vessels, photo essays, photos, Regimental Combat Team 2, Riverine patrol boat, US Navy, USMC