USS SPHINX-ARL 24
EM3rd L.F.Scarberry,my husband


Where Would We Be?


Where would we be without our men,
All dressed in Navy blue?
They sail the seas and man the guns,
Get our troops safely through.

With determination in their eyes,
Faith in God; their only shield.
They face new dangers every day,
But, to the enemy, they will not yield.

So, we hold these sailors in our hearts
As each day we deligently pray-
*God, bring them swiftly home again,
Where in safety they might stay.*

I also had three sons in the Navy.
My oldest son, Fred, was in the service for six years.
Then Denny (unk) was in for four years.
Youngest son, Tom, was released
after just a couple weeks
due to an old knee injury.
His heart was willing to serve,
but his injury ended his ability.
I did have one picture of Tom in uniform

This is a poem written by my son, Fred
about his ship,a destroyer,the USS Moale shown above.

The USS Moale

The USS MOALE is a fighting ship
that sails across the sea.
and who is a sailor aborad that ship?
that little ole Boilerman, Me.

The USS MOALE is a fighting ship
With men of every sort
and when the ship sounds Liberty Call
there's Gals in every port.

The USS MOALE is a fighting ship full of loyal and fighting men
and if the time should ever come
we're ready to defend.

The USS MOALE is a fighting ship
yet it is rather old
the fights for right and freedom
has always been its goal.

This is Dennie and his ship
The USS DULUTH
DESTROYER
Dennie was a cook....doesn't sound too exciting does it?
Try cooking for a few thousand men
Someone has to feed those men
Now he is a cook as a regular job
and a real good one, too.
He can cook my holiday dinner anytime..
and usually does now.


Dee & Fred
My Tar-Babies
This is Denny
who also joined the Navy

Don't they look so sweet and innocent?
Then, they grow up and enter the real world.
You try to talk them out of it
but they know by the time they are 17
that this is the life they want.
To serve their country in peace or war.
When they come home,
they are no longer the teenagers
they were before.They have become men!
Their ideals and futures, changed forever.
The ones who went to war
are changed by the memories,
grounded deep into their minds.
They try to leave the past behind,
but cannot.
It is there, everyday,
lurking in the deep recesses of their hearts
and bringing hidden fears
to the surface once again.
A mother cries *Oh God, I want my little boy back.*
But, it is too late.
that little boy is no more. Before you, stands a man,
wise beyond his years.
Now all you can do is pray God will
bring him peace and strength
to build a future with peace and tranquillity
for his own children.
And, you thank God that he came home at all.
Some did not!!

USS INDEPENDENCE-AIRCRAFT CARRIER

***NOTICE***

USS COLE

"Letter requesting prayer for servicemen"

Subject: Prayer Request Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 14:11:16 -0400

George and I would like to request a favor of each you in regard to our extended Navy family. Please remember the crew members and the loved ones of the USS Cole, a part of the USS George Washington battle group,in your prayers. The ship was the victim of what appears to be a terrorist attack in port in Yemen, while pulling into port to refuel on her way to the Persian Gulf to assist in the peace-keeping mission in the area. The terrorists who attacked the USS Cole were part of the mooring team there in Yemen, and the feeling is that the attack was carefully planned, according to Sen. John Warner of Virginia.

At this time, the estimate is that at least four United States sailors have been killed, 12 are missing and 35 injured. There are 350 families with loved ones serving on this ship who are waiting now to find out whether their loved ones are still safe or not. Please pray for them to have the strength to face whatever lies ahead of them.

In addition, please remember the rest of our military and those serving in our embassies in the Middle East at this time as well, as they are also in potentially grave danger. All other United States ships serving in the Middle East have been order out of port and back to sea where they will hopefully be in less danger. The members of the other branches of the military are on equally high alert as well.

These men and women represent our country and the effort to keep peace in what has become an extremely volatile situation in recent days. They are not faceless robots doing a job. Each one is someone's child, someone's spouse, someone's parent, somone's friend. They stand in each one of our places to protect freedom for our country and the world at large. They lay their life on the line to do so, and what has happened to the USS Cole proves that they unfortunately have to make the ultimate sacrifice to do so sometimes.

Please keep each and every member of our military and governmental staff and their loved ones in your prayers -- especially the crew members of the Cole who have lost shipmates and may be in danger still themselves, and their families who are awaiting now in the Cole's homeport of Norfolk, VA, and all over the country.

And, above all, pray for peace. It's what these sailors died for, and the best way to honor their sacrifice. Pray hard.

If you have access to other prayer lists or friends who care about those who protect our country, please pass this prayer request along to as many as possible.

Sincerely, George and Mary Lynn Hatfield Retired US Navy


-- A Steel Magnolia's Perspective http://www.steelmagnolia1.com

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