Below is a recent e-mail from a young ensign aboard the USS Winston
Churchill to his parents. (Churchill is an Arleigh Burke-class AEGIS
guided-missile destroyer, commissioned March 10, 2001, and is the only
active U.S. Navy warship named after a foreign national.)

"Dear Dad,

"We are still at sea. The remainder of our port visits have all been
cancelled. We have spent every day since the attacks going back and
forth within imaginary boxes drawn in the ocean, standing high-security
watches, and trying to make the best of it. We have seen the articles and
the
photographs, and they are sickening. Being isolated, I don't think we
appreciate the full scope of what is happening back home, but we are
definitely feeling the effects.

"About two hours ago, we were hailed by a German Navy destroyer,
Lutjens, requesting permission to pass close by our port side. Strange,
since we're in the middle of an empty ocean, but the captain acquiesced and
we
prepared to render them honors from our bridgewing. As they were making
their approach, our conning officer used binoculars and announced that
Lutjens
was flying not the German, but the American flag. As she came
alongside us, we saw the American flag flying half-mast and her entire
crew topside standing at silent, rigid attention in their dress uniforms.

"They had made a sign that was displayed on her side that read, "We
Stand By You."  There was not a dry eye on the bridge as they stayed
alongside us for a few minutes and saluted. It was the most powerful
thing I have seen in my life. The German Navy did an incredible thing for
this
crew, and it has truly been the highest point in the days since the attacks.
It's amazing to think that only half-century ago things were quite
different.

"After Lutjens pulled away, the Officer of the Deck, who had been
planning to get out later this year, turned to me and said, 'I'm staying
Navy.'

"I'll write you when I know more about when I'll be home, but this is it
for now.

"Love you guys."

And here's a picture of what that scene actually looked like: Go to this
web
page and view it:    http://www.wnd.com/images2/germanship.jpg

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