A remembrance ceremony will be conducted at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on Oct. 12, commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on the USS Cole. The ceremony will honor the 17 shipmates who lost their lives in service to their country.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles Mayer, a 2014 graduate of Connetquot High School in New York and native of Bohemia, New York, is serving aboard USS Cole, a guided-missile destroyer, that was bombed by a suicide attack while being refueled in Yemen’s Aden harbor.
The attack was attributed to al-Qaeda suicide bombers, who sailed a small boat near the destroyer and detonated explosive charges. The blast created a hole in the port side of the ship about 40 feet (12 m) in diameter, killing 17 crew members and injuring 37. Sailors courageously fought fires and flooding for the following 96 hours to keep the ship afloat.
“The first time I learned about the attack was during boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes,” said Mayer. “They showed us a video during a damage control training class, and we learned about the incident and what the crew did to save the ship. That was the first thing I thought when I received my orders, I said to myself, ‘I learned about this in boot camp.’ After I watched the video, I wanted to go to that ship and coincidentally, USS Cole ended up being my first ship.”
During the memorial ceremony, a 21-gun salute will be fired and taps played to honor and celebrate the fallen service members. A ceremonial wreath, made by Cole Sailors, will be laid off the port side of the ship in memory of the Cole Heroes. The ceremony will end with a bell toll and reading of the names of the 17 heroes whose lives were sacrificed.
A number of Gold Star families will also be on hand, to offer support and pay tribute to the Cole families, and to recognize and honor those who have lost a son or daughter, husband or wife.
“Serving on board Cole is an honor and a privilege,” said Cmdr. Ted Pledger, commanding officer of USS Cole. “Today’s Determined Warriors work hard to carry on the inspiring legacy of those who went before us.”
Aboard USS Cole, there is the “Hall of Heroes” in a passageway along the mess line leading to a memorial listing the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 17 stars are embedded in the blue-speckled deck, representing the Sailors who walked that hallway over 20 years ago.
“The first time I walked into the ‘combat area on the port side,’ I saw the photo of Operations Specialist 2nd Class Saunders,” said Mayer. “I asked about the photo and learned he was the only one who had died while in the hospital. Hearing his story and how he died a hero, really inspired me.”
Mayer is an operations specialist responsible for standing watch in the Combat Information Center area of the ship and managing tactical data links in order to maintain integral interoperability within the fleet.
“There is a strong namesake to the Cole and it makes me feel proud,” said Mayer. “When I wear my ballcap, people always ask me questions about the history of the ship. We’re so busy working every day but it’s like we’re walking on hallowed ground and sometimes, you just have to take a moment to reflect on what happened.”
Cole is named in honor of Marine sergeant Darrell S. Cole, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle for Iwo Jima in February 1945.
Cole’s motto, ”Glory is the Reward of Valor,” underscores the spirit of Sgt. Cole for his extraordinary heroism, his unwavering loyalty to his country and his bravery in facing adversity without fear. His valor and sacrifices is a direct representation of the 17 sailors who lost their lives and the crew for their heroic actions to save the ship on that fateful day 20 years ago, and the resolve and warfighting attitude the “Mighty Cole” continues to embrace.
By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
