US guided-missile destroyer makes port visit to Scotland
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley arrived at HM Naval Base Clyde - Faslane - for a scheduled port visit on Friday of last week, before departing two days later.
Bulkeley is on patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. She began her current patrol in early April and has sailed from the Atlantic prior to the visit to Faslane.
Cmdr. Arturo Trejo, commanding officer of Bulkeley, said: "Our fourth patrol has been a professionally rewarding experience for this hardworking crew.
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"I can think of no better opportunity than an initial stop in Scotland to see and experience this majestic country."
The ship is named after Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II and commissioned Dec. 8, 2001. The squadron embarked aboard the Bulkeley are the 'Griffins' of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79.
The Bulkeley is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
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Chicago Tribune
21 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Gathering of Marmion Class of 1965 grads makes memories come alive
Three years ago, I took a walk down memory lane in this space, and invited about three generations of men to travel with me to remember the old Marmion Academy Lake Street Campus in Aurora. The all-boys Catholic high school, then known as Marmion Military Academy, operated on the corner of North Lake Street and West Illinois Avenue from 1933 until 1971, when it merged with the residential campus on Butterfield Road. Vivid memories of the old location live on for many grads of the campus that today is the home of the Prisco Community Center of the Fox Valley Park District. Many of those memories came alive again recently when nine members of the Class of 1965 attended their 60th class reunion at the academy. I was fortunate to join my classmates Tony Johnson, Bill Loftus, Tom Huberty, Bob Weber, Bob Woodrick, Gael Brewbaker, Dan Fox and Marty Cavato for an evening of renewed friendships and storytelling. Although there were many fun remembrances of the Lake Street Campus days and it was still very nice to see old friends, the 60th reunion seemed to be different from reunions of previous decades. We lost three of our classmates soon after graduation as a result of the war in Vietnam, and have lost many others along the way. It was, after all, a gathering of 78-year-old men who could not quite believe that 60 years had gone by so quickly. Our group of nine attendees represented a class of 168 young men. We remembered our living classmates who could not attend, but tried not to forget our friends who have passed away. They were an important part of our lives, and we had spent 12 years together in Catholic schools with some of them. Conversations became more about careers, retirement, spouses, kids and grandkids, and less about the fun times of 60-plus years ago. Short discussions of various medical issues were of course included but, thankfully, none about politics. This reunion was different, but in a good way in my opinion. The great Chicago columnist, Mike Royko, would frequently write about 'complaints and great thoughts from readers.' In that spirit, I asked several of my classmates for some of their 'great thoughts' about the six decades of our lives since we parted in 1965. These are samples of some of their reflections: 'The greatest change over the last 60 years has certainly been technological, but societal change has been most dramatic.' 'Sadly, we are seeing Catholic schools that were built to serve growing enrollments in the 1960s now sitting empty and shuttered.' 'I'm much less optimistic about the future of our society than I'm sure my parents were at a similar age.' 'When I drive past the playgrounds where we played endless summers of ball games, they are abandoned and lonely looking.' 'I see too much egoism and greed these days, and not sufficient concern for the common good.' 'My kids experienced more world travel before they reached age 30 than I have in my entire life. Not because they were wealthy, but because of their expertise and talents.' One classmate listed 'things a suburban 1965 grad could never imagine he would see 60 years later': 'More women than men would be graduating from college.' 'Smoking would be banned inside buildings, airplanes and even outdoor venues.' 'The Catholic Church would elect Polish, German and American popes.' 'Middle-income American families would typically have a car that cost over $50,000, and often two such cars.' 'There would be five presidential elections in a row, and the winners would have no military service.' 'West Point would begin accepting female cadets in 1976, and Marmion Academy would do the same a brief 50 years later.' A 'reality check' happened for me in the days following the recent class reunion when the concept of 60 years really began to hit home. The guys who live in my memory as strong, young teenagers (many of whom were star athletes and seemingly indestructible) are now much older men. Many of them have grandchildren, and some have great- grandchildren. Many have had difficult lives, and almost one-fourth of them have passed away according to the published alumni guide. Our elementary and high school friends, living and deceased, were and are important to our lives. Away from the classroom, we learned important life lessons from one another without actually realizing it. We learned to get along, and as much as some of us disliked it at the time, the military environment of Marmion Academy probably helped us with some of those life lessons. Reminisce with some of your oldest friends and make an effort to reunite with others while you and they are still able. You were important to one another, and you may find that those relationships are still rewarding.
Yahoo
a day ago
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Instead of downsizing, we bought a bigger house. Our family uses the space, even if cleaning is endless and bills are higher.
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Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
A ‘double joy': Navy veteran couple marks 80th wedding anniversary on V-J Day
A Navy veteran couple celebrated their romantic and patriotic 80th wedding anniversary on the same day World War II ended in 1945, marking a milestone both personal and historic. Ray Williams, 101, and his wife Ellie Williams, 99, spoke with Fox News senior correspondent Jonathan Serrie to share their "lifelong love story" on "America Reports." For most Americans, Aug. 15, 1945 — Victory over Japan Day, or V-J Day — commemorates the moment Japan announced its intent to surrender, informally bringing an end to World War II. But for Ray and Ellie Williams, it represents something even more profound: the start of their marriage and eight decades of partnership. Ray and Ellie Williams were serving together in the Navy when their romance budded in the midst of World War II. "I thought he looked good in his hat," Ellie Williams recalled. Ray Williams was enlisted, and Ellie Williams was a volunteer with Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), a branch of the Naval Reserve created during the war to integrate women into the wartime effort. Their courtship was short at just four months, but it was enough. "I just liked the way we kind of enjoyed being together," Ellie Williams told Fox News. After their whirlwind romance, Ray Williams proposed, and the pair set a wedding date for Aug. 15, 1945. By chance, their chosen date coincided with one of the most significant days in world history. The very day they made their nuptials, Japan announced its surrender, effectively concluding years of global conflict and putting World War II to an end. Japan's surrender sparked celebrations across the United States and among Allied nations ahead of the official signing of the surrender document on Sept. 2, 1945. For the newlyweds, the day carried a double meaning. "V-J Day was a tremendous happening, and of course, we had the personal joy of being newlyweds," Ray Williams reflected. "It was a double joy for us." Today, the couple live together at WellStar Atherton Place, a senior living community in Marietta, Ga., which held a ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the couple's "double joy," remembering the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and honoring the beginning of Ray and Ellie Williams' enduring marriage. The "sheer coincidence" has tied their marriage to history. Each year, as the world commemorates the end of World War II, the duo have had another reason to celebrate — the success of their own union. The couple told Serrie their advice for a lasting, loving marriage: Don't hold grudges, and be prepared to compromise. They also said they have relied heavily on their Christian faith. While many remember V-J Day for its victory for world peace, Ray and Ellie Williams celebrate even more.
