USS Stark FFG-31(Billy Sample) Every memorial day I think about my friends who died on May 17, 1987, on board the USS Stark FFG-31. One of them was my next door neighbor. For those of you who may not be familiar, the Stark was accidentally attacked by an Iraqi jet fighter during the Iraq/Iran war in the mid 80’s. Two Exocet missiles were fired from miles away by a pilot who thought he was firing at an Iranian destroyer. When the smoke cleared, 37 Sailors died that night, 2 were never recovered from the waters of the Persian Gulf.

The Stark was one of the ships that relieved the USS Talbot FFG 4, my ship after our 6 months in the Persian Gulf. I remember exchanging signals with them as we passed each other in the Atlantic. When the news reached us in Mayport it was shocking to say the least. The section of the ship that the missiles entered would have been the same area that I slept in. When I deployed, his wife told my wife that it would be a long 6 months and she had been through it several times but one thing was sure, they always come back.

A memorial service was held on May the 22nd with President Reagan attending. Two sailors off each ship in Mayport were chosen to be escorts, I was selected from my ship. We were stationed at the entrance to the aircraft hanger the service was held in. As the family members came in we would take them to their seats. Most of them had a look of shock on their faces, many of those faces were tear stained from hours of grieving.

Before the President took the podium several dignitaries spoke, Admirals, Chief of Naval Operations, Chaplains. During one of the speeches a man walked up to me and asked me if I could show him where he could have a smoke. He was an African American man of maybe 60, he looked very tired and his red eyes showed the pain he was in.

I took him to a designated area outside one of the exits and he lit his cigarette then took a deep draw and exhaled. He looked at me and shook his head. I asked him who he lost and he told me his grandson. He said they had wanted him to go to college but he wanted to live a little first and see the world. He then began to cry, I put my hand on his shoulder but didn’t know what to say, he put his hand on mine and took another drag of his smoke, wiped his eyes and I took him back to his seat. There were about 6 other family members there all with the same red eyes.

President Reagan spoke and did a masterful job of consoling the family members. The service ended with a 21 gun salute outside the building that reduced us all to sobs and tears. He and Nancy walked though the crowd and shook hands with everyone in attendance.

When I returned to my ship everyone had seen the service on TV live and all wanted to know what it was like to be there. I told them I would never forget the experience and nearly 30 years later I guess I was telling the truth because I remember it like it was yesterday.

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