Mitscher (DDG 57) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ohc ' Daij lOc Said Good- ' Bi|C ■nr lie bic(, d;irk i;ii( clouds lo oked ;is hcavi) as mi| hen - the rain was tallinq almost as fast as the tears tror eart felt and talliiii almost as fast as the tears from mi) eijes that Tridaji morning in June. Che heavens seemed to be si(nipa- thetie of our pli (ht that dai). Preparini to sai) c(ood-bi(e to mi( husband before he left on a six month deploi|ment to the CDediter ranean Sea could easili) be the hardest task I haw had to face to date. As Scott and I were tri(ini to motivate ourselves for the drive to the pier, our dauc hter and I stood quietlji as we watched him bend over and c ive our sleepini little boi) one last kiss before we left. CPith tears in our ejics, we slowli) climbed into the car. Che lump in mji throat seemed to be the sire of a watermelon as I tried not to think about all he would miss over the next several months. I clunc( onto his hand and tried to burn the picture of his l.Kc into mi) mind. Our daui hter was unusualli) quiet. Che bumper (o bumper traflic that has alwai)S been a permanent part of the .onimute was absent on this particular dai). ' But then nothini ibout this dai( would be ordinani. Pctore we knew it, we had arrived Jt the pier. Pace to face with nn husband for the last time in siv months seemed like a nic htmare. As Scott said his last ( ood-bi)es to d|eler, I remember seeini all the other families hanc inc on for the last l;i s, the last hu , the last piece of their sailor before then sailed iw.in. C-hcn it was our turn. U ' kissed and said I love nou for the Lisi tnne in person. At that veri| moment mi) heart felt as cold and lu ' .ivn as the steel that ship Is made of. — 0?ichclc Clll Lett I ' agc- Ihe tugs lielpuig us Ivvisl around. Top- We manned the rails as Ihey hoisted away the brow. Middle- Easing away from the pier with loved ones waving good-bye. Bottom left- MITSCHER and her crew were on their way. Bottom right- One final look. USS MITSCHER (DDG 57) 31

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A Sailors Lonsest Day t li i 30

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% ' j UNREP! VERTREP! CONREP! 32