Burial at sea

[Blueline]

[video]http://loyceedeen.webstarts.com/uploads/GoingHome.mp4[/video]

[rhino 2]

http://loyceedeen.webstarts.com/uploads/GoingHome.mp4

***********

Sad....But that was reality.....

Thanks for the post....

[peteg59]

There are a few "old salts" and former sailors out there who'd sooner be buried at sea, than take up space in a land based graveyard.

An interesting bit of trivia:The USN will carry out a BAS for anyone who's served honorably.

Not sure if its "free", but hope so...

[nucseal]

There are a few "old salts" and former sailors out there who'd sooner be buried at sea, than take up space in a land based graveyard.

An interesting bit of trivia:The USN will carry out a BAS for anyone who's served honorably.

Not sure if its "free", but hope so...

Its free. Your cost is to pay airfare to ship for burial. But your on wait list, too.

Nuc

[peteg59]

The 2 burials @ sea I personally witnessed while serving on a FF over 30 years ago, were held in rather plain looking metal caskets with holes all throughout the outer casings, presumably to speed up the sinking? The caskets were gone from sight in less than 1 minute after being released overboard, to their final resting places in the Atlantic Ocean.

I remember them as a solemn service held with utmost dignity to honor those who served in our seagoing military.

[Blueline]

The story behind the video...Nov. 5, 1944. Imagine being there to witness it.

Loyce Edward Deen an Aviator Machinist Mate 2nd Class USNR was a gunner on a TBM Avenger and was killed in a raid on Manila.

The pilot, Lt. Robert Cosgrove managed to return to his carrier, the USS Essex. Both Deen and the plane had been shot up so badly it was decided to leave him in the plane.

It is the only time in U.S.Navy history that an aviator was buried in his aircraft after being killed in action.

[extxn]

Unfortunately, as you see close to the end of the video, onboard ships ~ we honor, we remember, but then it's back to work before we have to honor another.

I spent time in the Tonkin Gulf onboard the U.S.S. Hancock (CV-19) and decommissioned the U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11), both sister ships of the U.S.S. Essex. Only difference, by the time I served onboard, both ships had been converted to angle deck carriers but still had partial wooden flight decks.

Last ship was the U.S.S. Eisenhower (CVA-69), so much larger ~ but traditions and jobs on the flight deck remained the same whenever we lost someone.

Having spent so much time out there on the blue water, even though I'm from the desert, I have given thoughts to last wishes of a sea service.

I suppose time will tell, maybe I'll get around someday to making my own capsule.