I lost a shipmate at the Pentagon on 9/11. I served with CDR Robert Schlegel on the Arthur W. Radford from May 1999 until Sept 2000. He was the XO of the ship. As the Combat Systems LCPO, I spent many days walking around doing inspections of berthing compartments with him. He had a keen sense of humor for an XO and was sharp as a tack. He used to carry a bowl of grapes during some of the inspections and he’d throw one in a corner to see if the Sailors were cleaning properly. I used to tease him about looking like a dancing bear, as he was kinda portly. One day when we were alone conducting one of the inspections, he suddenly broke out in a dancing bear kind of dance (feet shuffling and such). I laughed so hard that I blew coffee out of my nose. Every year on 9/11, I pause and reflect on the short time I served with him. God bless him and his family.
https://pentagonmemorial.org/explore...t-schlegel-usn
Thanks for listening.
Bubba