Posted on 05/29/2006 8:59:59 AM PDT by SmithL
ABOARD USS KEARSARGE
IT'S been 56 months since the onset of the Long War. Time for a break.
So this most modern of the Navy's warships - recently back from the Mideast and in training for a return trip - turns her bow toward New York City and Fleet Week liberty for her 1,800 sailors and Marines.
What sort of a ship is she?
"Forty-thousand tons of twisted steel and sex-appeal," says Rear Adm. Garry Hall, with a broad smile. "There's no beach beyond our reach."
It's a time-tested trope, no doubt about that, but no less true for the re-telling - certainly not the beach part. Kearsarge can put 2,000 Marines and their equipment across a contested coastline in a matter of hours and sustain them for as long as it takes to get the job done.
And there have been many jobs since 9/11. Kearsarge has ferried Marines to combat in the Mideast. Its helicopters flew combat resupply missions during the early weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
There have been two additional months-long deployments to the Mideast since then, the most recent ending last September - but not before Kearsarge came under terrorist rocket attack while pierside in Aqaba, Jordan, on Aug. 19. (The ship was undamaged, but a Jordanian sentry was killed.)
Soon Kearsarge, refreshed and replenished, will return to the region - as it must for as long as it is necessary for the Navy to project power in service of American security interests.
But how is the crew holding up?
Amazingly well, says Hall, given the stress. "More than 70 percent of the youngsters [aboard ship] enlisted after 9/11," he adds proudly.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
As the ship entered New York Harbor last week, the topside chatter stopped twice: When she passed the Statue of Liberty and, again, when she rendered honors to Ground Zero, they stood proudly to parade-rest.
Can anyone tell me what it means when a ship "renders honors"?
In effect, it is like a salute rendered by the entire ship. Crewmen in dress uniform line the rails at attention for the formal version; for the less formal version all hands above decks cease activity and face the honoree at attention. At an announcement, a hand salute is rendered.
It is an old naval custom.
THEY SERVE WITH HONOR.
The parade rest part is partially accurate; in formal rendering of honors the crewmen go from attention to parade rest after the salute, and remain for awhile after passing the honoree.
Thank you very much for the information.
For info: Parade Rest is a position of attention; At Ease is a relaxed position. (If my memory from Navy OCS serves.)
Photos are here:
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.