A Great Gray Lady Sunk
Unless you consider the drama of the event as some sort of mega performance, this has little to do with the visual arts as we understand it (I think), but here it is nonetheless, as it packs some pretty powerful visuals for me:
I got this from an old Navy friend:
"Ex-USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) was sunk by USS Mobile Bay as part of a Navy exercise. They fired the first Harpoon at her yesterday and today EOD (Navy Seals) set off bombs. It only took an hour after that, but previously she had been taking hits all day yesterday from the other ships.... she just wouldn't sink.
She wasn't designed to sink.
She was designed to fight, to stay afloat, and carry her crew through the perils of enemy hostilities. How confusing the last moments must have been for this great lady to have the guns of those she once held so dear be the ones which fired the fatal blows that would carry her to the depths of darkness.
May she rest in peace, and may all those who served upon her feel her presence with each misty spray of ocean breeze. Farewell USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA-3)."
3 comments:
I served on the USS Belleau Wood from 2001-2004. She was a good ship. I have a great number of fond memories from my time aboard her.
May you rest in peace. To the "Greatest Gator Freighter" ever. Went to many places on your back, got to meet many new friends there too. I shall remember her.
MM3 Lyons, Roger A.
She was a great ride. Hate they put her down like that. Good memories and friends inside the skin of that ship.
SK3 Shores, Kevin B.
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