Another one of my Sailors promoted to Chief and will soon be retiring

[BOSSHOG]

I got an invite to his retirement today along with a really old picture of him and me and one of those personal notes that make ya wanna cry. If I had been a hateful old coot maybe I wouldn't now be getting these tearjerking strolls down memory lane.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Good on him - and you, BOSSHOG. Chiefs are what make the navy go...

Dad used to say the best officers were those that knew when to take orders from their chiefs. And he was an officer!

It looks like you left the navy with some good ones when you left. Congratulations to you, too!

[sarge43]

2. Your kids love you, Boss because you did right by them. n/t

[madokie]

3. Congrats are in order I say

I would have been proud to have been a sailor on your ship with you Boss.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. oh wow

I sort of understand--its like when I taught elementary school and years later was invited to the wedding of one of my students. Cherish the memories and be glad you'll get to see him again.

[BOSSHOG]

6. I'm really looking forward to it

In the past year I've been to two promotion ceremonies for my former Sailors. It really is heartwarming. But I must say, the old picture of me showed a guy a lot smaller then I am today.

[Hand]

5. A big salute to him and you!

"Don't call me Sir--I work for a living!"

:patriot:

[Parche]

7. Chief

Mem'ries,
Light the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories
Of the way we were
Scattered pictures,
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me, would we? Could we?
Mem'ries, may be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget
So it's the laughter
We will remember
Whenever we remember...
The way we were...
The way we were...




Hey Boss,

Goin to Pearl Harbor 11October 2007 for the solemn 64th anniversary loss of the Sub USS Wahoo

[Captain Hilts]

8. Today's the anniversary of the loss of Thresher - 593.

I'm going to the reunion of my dad's sub in Groton first week of May.

[BOSSHOG]

9. What a beautiful profile

That cantankerous ole Mush Morton just had to have one more patrol. And Forest Sterling typed up his orders for Steno School per Morton's orders and missed that last patrol.

[DinahMoeHum]

10. I understand Sterling is buried in Biloxi - I read his book many years ago.

I hope his headstone wasn't too badly damaged during Katrina.

:patriot:

[sarge43]

11. Lord, be good to us.

For the sea is so wide and our ship is so small.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/e/t/eternalf.htm

Deepest thanks and gratitude from an old zoomie to all who have guarded the seas and our beloved nation.

[Hand]

12. That hymn is so beautiful.

The congregation of the local Anglican church sang it recently at the memorial service for our next door neighbour, a veteran of the British and Canadian navies--and in the words of one of his colleagues, "A damn good officer."


:toast: to LCDR John Henry Anthony Huxtable, RNVR, RCN (ret.) :cry:

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who biddest the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who walked on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our family shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect us wheresoever we go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

[sarge43]

15. Yes it is. A following wind and a steadfast star for LCmdr Huxtable. RIP n/t

[Hand]

17. Thanks. He was a lovely man and a good neighbour.

Passed on to Valhalla in March. Very British in the best way--loved his garden, enjoyed a good chat and a whiskey and had no complaint over the course of his life. We miss him. :cry:

[Captain Hilts]

16. My great uncle was RN, then RCN director of material during WWII.

My dad, USN. Three great navies fighting as one!

[Hand]

18. Yes. War's a terible thing.

For so many of these men, it was also the formative event of their young lives and they've lived with it ever since. They all, in their way, helped save the world from fascism. I can't idealize the horrors of that war or its massive destruction and suffering, but they gave up their youth to do a dirty and unwelcome job, and we all owe them for what they lost. :patriot: :toast:

[Captain Hilts]

19. My uncle saw some bad stuff while on Iowa during The War.

It took him decades to talk about it, and he was riding a comparative luxury liner compared to a lot of folks. He wasn't even 21.

[BOSSHOG]

13. Thats very kind of you My Dear

We were all in it together, fighting the good fight. We (members of all services) could not have succeeded without each other. And we had the good natured ribbing thrown in to boot.

[sarge43]

14. I can't see the old photos of Pearl or the Big E without thinking,

"What we owe you is beyond measure."