Message: compassion and pain still strikes those aware of your losses.  your loved ones will never be forgotten,nor will your sacrifices.  in 2000, we dedicated a Christmas tree at our state park to honor those from the Cole and it contained 17 angels.  I still have the 17 angels, in my possession and in my memory....if you never say hello, you never have to say goodbye...it's the choice we make, the pain we take.  God hold you all in the palm of His hand.  Any loss of our service people, is a loss and pain to us all.  A glance at our flag only serves to remind us of what it takes to keep it flying daily. 

Message: I offer my sincerest condolences to the families of the sailors killed on the USS Cole in 2001. My thoughts and prayers are and will be with you...May blessed Angels bring them to their eternal sleep. May they rest in heavenly peace...

Bonnyvile Alberta Canada

Message: I read this on Veteran's Day, 2000, at the dedication of the Ellis County Veteran's Memorial at Waxahachie, Texas where Timothy Guana hailed from. His Mother was present at the Ceremony and Timothy's name was etched in time for the dedication.Thought you might appreciate, too. I also have two pieces inscribed on the Memorial.

Sincerely,
Del "Abe" Jones
White Bluff, TN
 

DETERMINED WARRIORS

Seventeen of their shipmates
Paid the price, supreme
Thirty-some more, a’hurting
Like in some nightmarish dream.

But, it wasn’t a bad dream
Just the reality, of life
When you go into harms way
In this world of war and strife.

They gave their lives like those before them
Who fight for truth and liberty
For the safety of our country
And countries too, across the sea.

They sail upon the seven seas
Months on end out on patrol
And sometimes, so sadly
Must pay a deadly toll.

"It comes with the territory."
Is what some, may say
But that doesn’t ease the pain
Of the price they have to pay.

My condolences to the crew and families of the USS COLE. 10-18-00 Del "Abe" Jones

Message: I would like to say that I am thankful that there is still an outlet for the COLE sailors to express themselves. I personally have found it hard to talk to anyone about October 12 and to tell the truth, correspond to anyone who would listen. It has been nearly three years since that horrific day,
and contrary to when the specialists say "You will eventually get over it"...Easier said than done...No you always remember.  It's not that easy.

There are times when just sitting watching television or listening to music, I remember things I had not thought of before that bears heavily with the COLE. I still relive the smell of the interior of the ship.  The somber ceremonies we did to honor our shipmates. 

To me, it was never enough,  we were engaged surviving and still in a state of "why". I distinctly
remember assisting with the removal of two deceased shipmate from the decks of the COLE for further transportation to their families and thinking to myself I saw and talked to them before the explosion. Maybe I should not have instructed one to ... I should have shifted the job responsibilities.

I know it wasn't my fault, but I always think "what if" ? I dwell on that a lot. I have and still will never understand the why it happened. 

Message: I had browsed the pages of the USS Cole, and saw the poor souls that had lost their lives upon it! I have always been interested in the US Navy ships, as my brother was stationed 22 years in the US Navy. I have been fortunate to have boarded 2 ships so far.

I copied and pasted the Memorial and the pictures of all the lost souls aboard the USS Cole, and sent them to all my friends.

I have a friend in Canada who is in the Canadian Navy who was interested in the happenings of the USS Cole. We are all praying for their families. I love the internet so much, would never have got to see all this if I didn't have it. God Bless!

Message: Most Sacred Greetings Shipmates and Family, My favorite hymn is "O Sacred Head". One of the verses in the hymn starts " What language shall I borrow, to thank thee dearest friend, for thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end...."

That hymn is obviously a hymn of praise and gratitude to the Lord Jesus for his agony on the cross for our sins. I do not think it would be at all inappropriate to make application to the sacrifice the Sailors of the USS Cole made to insure our freedom.

So Thank you dearest friends and fellow mates,  But what language can possibly be sufficient for to express this gratitude and sympathy?

Message: Although no war was declared, you are war heroes in my book,brave men and women who saved your ship My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the brave men and women who gave their lives for their country.To the survivors, hold your heads up high.You aquited yourselves in a manner that rates a "well done" I am a Master Chief USN,(Ret)and a WW11 Veteran and served in the Atlantic and the Pacific. May God bless you all and keep you in his care.  Brent M. Ramsey

Message: Being in the Navy it really hurt my when I heard the news, though I did not know the shipmates who were killed I still lost members of my family. Daily I think of the families who are suffering the loss of a loved one and it always brings me to tears.Tonight I wrote a poem for them.I think itmay be something youd like to add to your collection for the families. Our fellow sailors were out at sea out protecting you and me, Showing their Honor, Courage and Commitment to all. On October 12th 17 sailors unexpectedly took a fall. I prayed to God "please dont let this be true",it could have been our friend or me and you. Some sailors young and some sailors old ,most of them coming home with stories to be told. I keep asking why these innocent people had to die, with hopes and dreams they'll never see all because they were out there for you and me. 

Message: I am an Australian, but your grief is shared by one and all here. May God bless and comfort you, be proud and strong. Know that the world mourns with you, and are just as proud of these brave American sons & daughters. My prayers are with you all. Lisa Ward. 

Message: We all love our lost shipmates, and yours is deepest in our hearts. May God bless all of you and your 'mates. As you will soon hear, as I had to tell my  youngest brother's widow in Arlington, who was holding her 3 month old son that never saw his dad, after Taps stops and the escort comes over with the American Flag as says "a token of rememberance from a gratful nation" as I told her. That was the hardest day in my life, bar no others. Afterward, I went straight back to my ship in the Gulf of Tonkin, and remembered and remembered, Oh God, He'll never, never let you forget, there is no way you can. Please don't worry about forgetting, that's the least of the problems you have at this time of sorry. Loyalty runs deep at times like this, the stories will be remembered, each minute is as clear now as it was then. One of my youngest brother's West Point classmates family was coming to the mortuary to the "viewing" but asthey started to leave their home, an Army sedan arrived with the Chaplain and an officer to tell them that their son was killed in Vietnam. Now what did they do, they went right to my brother's viewing, that's what there son  would have done. This had such an impact on us, in our sorry, that "feeling the same pain for another fallen hero" made our family realize how powerful God is during such difficult times. Now, we had someone else to help. One more story, when the Chaplain and LT were first coming to tell my family, my Mother saw them and yelled throug the door "which one" as all three of her sons were overseas. We had more problems with that LT that any one in our family, he was a basket case. Hope my rampling brings some truth that others have experienced just a small part of what you are going through. Yes, you will remember, remember all the good, all the fun, all the little and big things from your shipmates, they deserve it. But, you must know that your life will continue, one second at a time. Use that clock to remember by making a significant change in your life. Did he like Boy Scouts, become a Scoutmaster, did she love cooking, become a cooking instructor, look for other ways to use this negative incident to become a positive influence in your life. I chose to improve "training" for the rest of my Navy career and then for the next decade afterwards. Yes, I remembered him by taking him into and devoting my life in his memory by working as hard as I could to prevent another family from seeing a Chaplain and LT coming down the walk. Gold Star Mother clubs are not fun organizations you want your Mom to join. Only by increased training, readiness at the individual level, it first increases you and then your ship, aircraft, or tank will be better than the other side. With enternal viligance, you can make this into a positive, life long experience that will benefit you and society. Yes, it will take time to stop greiving. You have a 60 year old man who has been crying the entire he's typed this message. Yes, cry, cry, cry, it's the most manly thing you can do, but still  look out for one way you can change your life in rememberance of your  loved one. I remembered, and I'm proud of what's happened since. I have two Master's degress (first in the Navy, second via GI bill), a wife of 33 years (she told me that my brother had been killed while I was on my ship inport in Yokosuka, where we were homeported), two great sons who are both computer wizzes, two dogs, a nice home but I remembered and won't ever forget, God Bless America, her sons and daughers, and the entire crew of USS COLE, Marshall Magruder. LCDR USN (Ret.)

Message: We extend to the USS Cole family our deepest sympathies in these darkest of days. To those of you who have lost loved ones, our hearts are breaking for you and we continually pray for you. We would not pretend to know or understand your pain and the depth of your loss, but we are part of the Navy family, and we stand with you. Your loved ones have now joined the ranks of those who have given their lives in the defense of our freedom and way of life. We owe them, and you, a debt that cannot be paid. We will continue to pray for you. God bless you all.

Message: I have a hole in my heart like the rest of my shipmates. To the families of the passed...and the ones injured. Our shipmates will never be forgotten..I am a former destroyer sailor..and have walked inside that ship. I know your pain...God Bless each of you. Gary Gaberdiel..Former Marine/retired navy