Dolphin Recognition
From the
Braden Files comes a wonderful reminiscence regarding the US Silent Service:
bq. Thanks to the remarkable record turned in by U.S. Submarine crews in World War II, by the time I came along, our pocket insignia of two dolphins and a smokeboat were widely recognized. We were the recipients of the awesome reputation those brave men left us. How many of you remember having someone tap you lightly on the arm followed by,
bq. "Pardon me sir, are you a submariner?"
bq. "Yes Ma'am..."
bq. "My Uncle Joe was a submariner."
bq. Within five minutes you learned that Uncle Joe was a really good guy...That he earned his first bike mowing lawns in some one horse town in Ohio, that no one at National Geographic ever heard of. He volunteered two days after the damn Nips hit Pearl. He rode some submarine that that didn't have a name that could be remembered. Uncle Joe sent her a silk kimono from Japan after the war. He returned a hometown hero, his yellowed photo is still on the wall of his Methodist Sunday School room and folks still set him up for free beers at the VFW. Somehow, it was very important for you to know that this lady was damn proud to be related to a submariner.
Read the whole thing - it's on the par with Bill Whittle's essays.
The Right Stuff!
Posted by DaveH at February 1, 2004 10:10 PM