Epilogue:
There were, obviously, other events and moments - work, weather, liberty, work, jokes and arguments, work (did I say that?). Shore Patrol, Fleet Landing. John Bull's and the Kit Kat in Piraeus;
the Three Belles in Cannes; Naples; Livorno; Nice. The tables at Monaco; Gaeta (before it became a home port); San Juan; Pearl Harbor; Waikiki Beach. Bangs and I hitchhiking Norfolk to Boston and
back - my parents finding us along the road and taking us to end of NJ Turnpike - NO - to the Kiptopeake ferry. My Harley ride from Bangs' house in Leominster to Secaucus (one weird trip). The
motorcycle guys in North Chicago, Ill. and their reaction to my smoking machine; QMC Sam DelVecchio and his family's family in Pignatarro, Italy ... Herb Rutter, a reserve CPO from Altoona, PA who always
seemed to have his annual two weeks on my ship(s). And more.
There were ships - and there were ships. The two classes that really moved me were the DD-445
Fletcher Class and the DDG-2 Charles F. Adams Class.
Each with sleek lines, formidable fire power for their times; and both serving the country well. Fletcher, indicative of the load that all destroyers carry - today and yesterday -
received 15 battle stars for World War II service, and five for Korean War service for going in harm's way. And while the history of ships of the DDG-2 Class is not quite written,
they too, perform(ed) valuable service.
These ships were - are - my favorite experiences, my best liked duty, my most respected ships-of-the-line. But the Destroyer - of every class, of every era - has been, is, and always will be, the war
horse and the work horse of our fleet. And those who crew them, male and female, old salt and young tar, Shellback and Polliwog - "Snipe", "Twidge", "Deck Ape", "Scope
Dope", "Scivvy Waver", "Cannon-Cocker", "Ping Jockey" - any and all who serve here - are the finest of the fine. They are ... DESTROYERMEN. And that is my
call!
What are the odds that, across 20 years and 10 ships, the first ship would have a voice call of "Pirate" and the last ship "Privateer"? Is
there a message in there, somewhere?
Then there's marriage, kids, grandkids - and now ... great-grandkids (my, where
will it end?).
And there are things that weren't supposed to be - medical insurance premiums for one and a dwindling respect for doing
the right thing ...
They say the best ship is the one you just left and the one your going to. There's truth in that - somewhere. But, if I apply that same philosophy to the Navy, I'd have to say that not
the Navy before my tour, nor the Navy following it, but the Navy in which I served, was the best. After all, it was "My Navy", right?
"Sir, request permission to leave the ship."
Andy Barr
