Posted by Tim Gulliford on September 23, 2008 at 4:01am
By Patrick MayMercury NewsSixty-six years later, and all the madness of that night is still there. Shells whistling over their heads . . .The black water filling their nearly scuttled destroyer off Guadalcanal . . .The fire storm of shrapnel raining down from the night sky . . .Traveling from around the country to Santa Clara, crewmembers from the USS Farenholt gathered one last time on Saturday to share their stories, to finish each other sentences, to see in each others eyes all they'd been through together aboard "The Fightin' F."And to celebrate the news that the government had finally honored their heroismFor years, they had unsuccessfully fought the Navy and lobbied Congress for the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action that they say was recommended Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz."We were recommended for the citation not once but twice,'' said Gene Fithian, 82, a cook aboard the Farenholt during some of its 13 Pacific Theater battles during World War II "But for six decades, we couldn't get a senator or a congressman to listen to us ''Full Story:
You need to be a member of Navy Veterans to add comments!
Replies