USS Reuben James Assists Fisherman in Arabian Sea

Navy NewsStand ^ | Ensign Jon Derges

[SandRat]

ARABIAN SEA (NNS) -- USS Reuben James (FFG 57) rendered medical assistance to a Sri Lankan fisherman while conducting maritime security operations (MSO) as part of a Dutch-led task force in the Arabian Sea, April 21.

During a routine visit to a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, the Deuedu Pietro, Sailors from Reuben James discovered that one of the vessel’s crew members had sustained a knee injury five days earlier that had become infected. The Sailors radioed back for medical assistance from Reuben James’s independent duty corpsman, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF/PJ) Matthew Breske.

Breske joined the boarding team aboard the vessel and immediately treated the crew member’s knee to ensure the infection didn’t spread any further.

“It was a great feeling helping out the fisherman,” said Breske. “My job is to provide for the health and welfare of the crew [of Reuben James], which is an awesome responsibility with no actual doctor on board. It’s also my duty as a corpsman to provide medical assistance to anyone else in need of medical attention.”

The Sailors from Reuben James were glad to have the opportunity to help their fellow mariners.

“Providing assistance to those in need is the right thing to do,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/FMF) David Lockard, Reuben James’ assistant boarding officer. “It’s just plain common sense. If you treat people nice, maybe they’ll treat you nice back. We’re contributing by letting everyone know that we are out here to provide security in international seas. Most people we see are just out here trying to make an honest living.”

MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. These operations deny international terrorist use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

[SandRat]

At sea with USS Rueben James (FFG 57) Sep. 23, 2002 -- An aerial view of the U.S. Navy guided missile frigate USS Reuben James (FFG 57). Frigates fulfill a protection of shipping (POS) mission as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys. Rueben James is a part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Battle group and is on a scheduled six-month deployment conducting combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Aaron Ansarov. (RELEASED)

[SandRat]

NAVY Cares and follows the law of the Sea for Ships in Distress.

[Alter Kaker]

What were their names? I have a friend on the good Reuben James.

[SandRat]

Don't have that.

[Bean Counter]

USS Reuben James was one of the vessels in Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising", was it not???

[SandRat]

I believe so.

[MikefromOhio]

I think he also used the name in either the book or the movie adaptation of The Hunt for Red October

[buccaneer81]

USS Reuben James was one of the vessels in Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising", was it not??

You are correct. In the novel, a Royal Navy vessel, HMS Battleaxe, asks, "What is a Reuben James?". The reply: "At least we don't name our ships after our mother-in-law."

[Alter Kaker]

Don't have that.

Really? She's run by hard fighting men both of honor and of fame.

[rmlew]

LOL.
Wasn't she sunk in the book, just like her namesake?

[buccaneer81]

Wasn't she sunk in the book,

That, I don't recall.

[July 4th]

She was also sunk a month before Pearl Harbor.

http://history.acusd.edu/gen/WW2timeline/reubenjames.html

[July 4th]

Different boat, of course.

[Non-Sequitur]

Really? She's run by hard fighting men both of honor and of fame.

She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free. But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

[edwin hubble]

Ballad of the Reuben James
Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie 1942

Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James
Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and fame?
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

CHORUS:
Tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names,
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

One hundred men were drowned in that dark watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved.
'Twas the last day of October we saved the forty-four
From the cold icy waters off that cold Iceland shore.

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we watched for the U-boats and waited for a fight.
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared
And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor.

Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright
In the farms and in the cities they're telling of the fight.
And now our mighty battleships will steam the bounding main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

From back when you could be a leftist and still believe in defending America.

[BohDaThone]

Of course, the Seeger-Guthrie leftists only believed in defending america after June 1941, when Hitler attacked Stalin. Before that, Seeger wrote pacifist, don't be beastly to Hitler, songs, since Hitler was an ally of Stalin at that time.

There certainly were leftists who were pro-America and Anti-Hitler from the get-go, or at least since 1938, but many of them were Troskyites who later became Neo-Cons.

[Nuc1]

Pretty ship. Interesting that the one apparent gun is mounted amidships and high rather than on the fore deck near the nose cone, bow to all you skimmers. What ever happened to tradition?;)

[nomorelurker]

Thanks for that post. I think I know who and what Guthrie was but I will have more respect next time I hear "This land is your land" or "Roll Columbia Roll". Did not know he tried to get into the Merchant Marine.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT