What a wonderful day for the Military.
As we were watching the ceremony today
we both were struck by the excitement surrounding the commissioning.
The fact that this is the last WWII class era ship and a President who at age 18 made his first journey to "service to the / Our Country" during that time and as a Naval pilot flying bombers off a 'street in the seas'. makes one proud.
To know that this is the last of this Class of ships honoring Admiral Nimitz.
To hear about the History of the building of this
Ship;
To find out how nature seemed to slow the process down;
To listen to Our President George W. Bush
comment on this part of the story by saying..."I brought along my own force of nature...my Mother..."
All Mothers out there must have had a great laugh; oh yes, the true force of nature often is and always can be that Force of Motherhood.
All sons & daughters of Mothers relived their own memories at the utterance of those words.
To watch those who will serve on this ship run to get on board--Officers and enlisted.
Knowing that all who serve on ships do this same 'move to board' did not lessen the visual impact of
seeing our 'Best and Brightest' ready and willing to go aboard.
And, did you see President George H.W. Bush's face when 'his' plane was flown in the "fly overs"?
as beautiful a moment as could be seen.....hope that photo will be shared around the globe.
That made me think of Phil: who 'rode his plane almost into the Ocean rather than eject over
California homes,
who flew many missions during
his 'time in the sky'
THUS:
To also realize that I / we have a connection to this day too;
All be it a 'relative' connection. but a true one at that;
....during the Carter administration.....
...the Iranian take over of our Embassy in Tehran....
....the USS Kitty Hawk....the aborted rescue via helicopters....
....My youngest brother, Phil flew off that carrier during those tumultous times...
....experienced the loss of the Commander and crew....as they flew the difficult skies of the Middle East where it was often impossible to tell where the sky ended and the Sea began.
They flew their mission that morning....off the Kitty Hawk....
leaving in the red - yellow glow of sun rise.....only
to never return..... to never be found.....
buried in the then red-orange sun set Sea.
Leaving crew , family & country in true mourning.
Phil flew many time after that episode off the Hawk;
flew so many times that his eyes were somehow
'blown out' by the g forces that he had to turn in his wings.
Though we have grown apart over the years since..
I really hope that he was present there today...That was one of his base assignments before he
retired.
Though he never regained his ability to fly,
he never lost his loyalty to the Navy &
his fellows with whom he shared many adventures on the sea and in the air.
He lives in Virginia and is surrounded by Naval families along with other branches in the military--though he only acknowledged other Branches in the joking camaraderie found there-in
I did and do thank him for his service and sacrifice; and hope this day renewed him within.
We also want to thank any of you in the 'Rain' who too, served and sacrificed so that I can sit here today in snowy Michigan and post this message.
a GREAT BIG THANK YOU is sent your way today.
Barb & Sal
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