A somber story 10 years in the making

         Today is Feb 9, that means I am 10 years removed from the most trajic day of my life. Due to the Confidential nature of some of the details I will keep this fairly broad.
        
         After a day of entertaining VIP's on our 1 day cruise it was time for the shining star of all VIP cruises on a US Submarine, the Emergency Blow training evolution. I was in the front part of the ship monitoring my equipment. At the peak of the accent the was a bang, then a strong grinding sound that rattled the 6,000 ton ship. What had caused the noise and that none of us could see was that the rudder (pictured below after the accident) had cut through the hull of the 200 ft boat in the Ehme Maru. What would follow would be a blur. What I do recall vividly was watching the ship sink via a screen hooked up to an intergrated L.A.N. system that I had installed on the ship. I could see what the periscope could see. Shortly after I was the 1st man through the top of the sail to see the wreckage first hand. My eyes burned from the diesel fuel-oil slick, there were parts of the ship floating every where.
        
         Eventually all survivers we rescued by the Coast Guard. Our sub was unable to really assist in the rescue as sub's are not designed for open ocean rescue.There were many people to blame but I will not point fingers. I will say Cmdr. Waddell was and is a great man. This was a tough day for all of us: The crew members who endured the accident, the VIP's that witnessed and were involved, those who had to appologized for the accident, the survivors who were rescued, and mostly the families of those who were lost. 
        
         I am sharing this story not to ask for sympathy as I am far removed from my emotional recovery from this event. I am sharing this because there are Soilder's, Sailor's, Marine's, and Airman have experienced much worse and continue to have trouble sharing their emotions reciprocating from their service time. Employers, frineds, and families need to have layers of compasion for all of those who have exprerienced some level of trama in the military. For those who have never served, you will never completely understand. Just know that if you are friends with, know, or love a Vet, know that they did what they did for you.

                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehime_Maru_and_USS_Greeneville_collision

Here is the article from last year marking the 10th anniversary: http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Cermony_marks_10th_anniversary_of_Ehime_Maru_sinking_observed.html?id=115679949