| Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2001 —
More than two weeks have passed since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Reaction to the attacks and expressions
of support for the United States continue to be received.
What follows is a first-person account of a day at sea aboard one of
the Navy's newest guided missile destroyers, USS Winston S. Churchill
(DDG 81) in the days following the attacks. This account was in an e-mail
sent home by one of Churchill's officers.
" We have seen the articles and the photographs [of the attacks],
and they are sickening. Being isolated as we are, I don't think we appreciate
the full scope of what is happening back home, but we are definitely feeling
the effects.
"About two hours ago the junior officers were called to the bridge
to conduct Shiphandling drills. We were about to do a man overboard when
we got a call from Lutjens (D 185), a German warship that was moored ahead
of us on the pier in Plymouth, England.
"While in port, Winston S. Churchill and Lutjens got together for
a sports day/cookout on our fantail, and we made some pretty good friends.
Now at sea they called over on bridge-to-bridge, requesting to pass us
close up on our port side, to say goodbye. We prepared to render them
honors on the bridge wing, and the captain told the crew to come topside
to wish them farewell.
"As they were making their approach, our conning officer ... announced
that they were flying an American flag. As they came even closer, we saw
that it was flying at half-mast. The bridge wing was crowded with people
as the Boatswain's Mate blew two whistles — Attention to Port."
Lutjens "came up alongside and we saw that the entire crew of the
German ship were manning the rails, in their dress blues. They had made
up a sign that was displayed on the side that read "We Stand By You".
Needless to say there was not a dry eye on the bridge as they stayed alongside
us for a few minutes and we cut our salutes. It was probably the most
powerful thing I have seen in my entire life and more than a few of us
fought to retain our composure.
"It was a beautiful day outside today. We are no longer at liberty
to divulge over unsecure e-mail our location, but we could not have asked
for a finer day at sea. The German Navy did an incredible thing for this
crew, and it has truly been the highest point in the days since the attacks.
It's amazing to think that only a half-century ago things were quite different,
and to see the unity that is being demonstrated throughout Europe and
the world makes us all feel proud to be out here doing our job.
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