Memories strong five years after Cole blast
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ARLINGTON, Va. — Command Master Chief James Parlier was forced to decide to let a sailor die.
It was Oct. 12, 2000, he said, aboard the USS Cole. Terrorists had just blown a gaping hole in the ship using a suicide boat. Seventeen sailors died in the attack.
What did demoralize the crew was Yemenis celebrating the attack in view of Cole crewmembers for a couple of nights following the attack, Parlier said. They felt the Cole was their trophy, he said.
“Boy, that sticks [with me], seeing all these guys in white outfits jumping up and down, partying music blaring,” he said.
Which speaks volumes about who exactly the enemy really is...