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KANEOHE, Hawaii - Marines and sailors of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay celebrated the Navy’s 236th birthday at Hangar 105, Oct. 7.
Petty Officer 1st Class Devaye Kelley, air traffic controller, MCAS, kicked off the party by sharing a brief history of the Navy with the unit. The Marines and sailors, accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band, then sang “Anchors Aweigh.”
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pellegrino, commanding officer, MCAS, credited the nation’s freedom to the efforts of the Continental Navy, Marines and Army serving during the revolutionary war. He described the modern day Navy as having “total and complete dominance in the sea and the air above the sea.”
“It’s because of the Navy that Marines are allowed to be expeditionary. There’s no way that the Marine Corps can do its mission without a strong Navy,” he said.
After reading a special Navy birthday message from Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, Pellegrino introduced guest speaker Sterling Cale, a former sailor and retired Army sergeant major.
Born in Macomb, Ill., Cale, 89, enlisted in the Navy and became a hospital pharmacist’s mate. He was assigned to the U.S. Naval Hospital at “C” Landing at, then, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, and later transferred to the shipyard dispensary.
On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Cale had just finished his night shift at the shipyard dispensary and was signing out when the Japanese attacked. He broke into the armory to get weapons, and was later given a court martial for doing so.
“Fortunately the next day President Roosevelt declared war on Japan so they called me back in [and] I got an award for breaking into the armory and a carton of cigarettes,” Cale said with a smile.
For six weeks, Cale was at the site where USS Arizona sank, retrieving more than 100 bodies of the dead service members from the wreck. It wasn’t until 1974 when he returned to the memorial that he realized there were more than 900 men still in the fallen battleship.
“Now I go down and pay my respects to the men I left on the Arizona,” Cale said.
Cmdr. Eric Barkdull, executive officer, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Willis, a MCAS air traffic controller, cut the corner of a blue and white Navy birthday cake. Barkdull, 49, is the oldest sailor in the unit, and Willis, 23, is the youngest.
“We’re fortunate to be part of the most powerful Navy where we can project power anywhere in the world,” Barkdull said. “We’re the envy of every nation as far as that goes, so appreciate that, appreciate what it took to get here … we appreciate Mr. Sterling and his sacrifice and those of his day establishing that fact in launching us into being the most powerful Navy in the world.”
Willis, of Palmdale, Calif., enlisted in the Navy in 2007 to serve his country and travel. During his career so far, he has traveled to places like Thailand, Jordan and Dubai. He recently reenlisted for six more years and plans to retire as a chief petty officer or an officer. He finds being a sailor most rewarding when people see him in uniform, offer respect and thank him for his service.
“There’s no greater force out there than a Marine air-ground task force in battle,” Pellegrino said. “There’s no way we can get to that battle without support from the Navy. We enjoy a great relationship with the Navy and that’s what makes us a strong force … a lot of these battles, at least in recent history, were fought right here in the Pacific, in the Hawaiian Islands. There were sailors deployed on ships who were probably younger than even the young Marines and sailors sitting here today. They went out in harm’s way and they did great things. It’s because of them that we’re able to stand here today ... and we’re able to gather today to celebrate the 236th anniversary. We honor them by doing this, we also honor you for taking a stand for your country as well.”
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2011 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 78509 |
| Location: | KANEOHE , HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 178 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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