More School...

Well, since I'm still in the Albany area for another school for the Navy, you would think I would have time to get more done on the page here. But I decided that last week would be a good time to go back home on a week of leave, and so I did. Being a few hundred miles away kind of kept me away from the ship for a bit. But I figured I'd drop a line to let my loyal fans (all three of you) know that I didn't drop off the face of the planet.

Now, I'll apologize from the start that I really don't have much to add here. Hopefully that will change tomorrow, and if it does, I'll go for the unprecedented two-updates-in-a-single-weekend. But don't hold your breath.

This weekend was the 75th anniversary celebration for the Port of Albany, and the festival was held at our pier. There were plenty of folks on hand, and we had the ship open free of charge. But to deal with the masses (I've heard estimates of 1,000 to 1,800), we shortened the tour route and stationed guides along the way to give some brief points before the crowds moved along. So, other than two restroom breaks and a lunch break, I stood in forward bearthing and repeated the same five or six sentences for 6 hours, along with answering a question or two. I debated taking photos of all the folks who passed through, just to spice things up, but decided against it.

There are also two other important events that were commemorated today. Of course the Navy had yet another birthday, but on this day, 13 October, in 1944 a small portion of the US Navy won the most improbable victory probably in its entire history. A handfull of destroyers (DDs), destroyer escorts (DEs, like SLATER) and escort carriers (CVEs) faced off, toe to toe with the main Japanese battlefleet that was on its way to Leyte in the Philippine Islands to wipe out the American landings there and forced the Japanese to turn back. It's the best David-and-Goliath story I can think of since, well, David and Goliath.

I haven't the space or ability to do this subject justice in this small forum, so I apologize, but I'm going to make the closest thing I can to a demand. I very highly suggest to go to the library or the bookstore and get a copy of The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James D. Hornfischer. I'll make it easy for you. Click on the link at the bottom of the page and you'll go to the page to buy the book on Amazon.com. If you want to know what heroism is, you'll find it between the covers of this book. There were several places in the book that I had to stop and think about exactly what I had just read. And a few times, after I reflected on the heroism and sacrifice and plain horror that these men faced, I had to put the book down and dry my eyes. I can't say enough to do the book and the story behind it justice. Read the book. Read it, and you'll see what I mean. If this book won't make you proud to be an American, nothing will. When you're through with it, you'll know without a doubt exactly what a hero is.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Stand-Tin-Sailors-Extraordinary/dp/0553802577