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Dennison presents gifts to Captain Bill Brandel

Lincoln Memorial

National Cathedral

Dennison Speaks

Following Captain Joe Murray's address, Dennison resumed the podium to introduce another celebrity guest...

In my dinner address eighteen months ago at the Baton Rouge reunion, I read to you from a letter sent to me by a grateful naval aviator who involuntarily ended up in the Atlantic Ocean one night while completing his carrier quals from the deck of the USS Independence.  It was 1962 and Manley was one of the plane guards and fortunately for our aviator, she was nearby.  This pilot took pen in hand and wrote his letter to me after seeing my name in Shift Colors along with the Baton Rouge reunion announcement.  I found his narrative of that fateful night to be very moving and truly another definition of the word shipmate.  I would like to reread a part of that letter to you now...

"My name is Bill Brandel, retired Navy Fighter Pilot, and in the Upcoming Reunions column of Shift Colors, spotted a very special ship -- USS Manley (DD-940).

I won't be in attendance, but there might be one or more attendees who would recall one busy period of plane guard duty for Manley back in 1962.  USS Independence (CVA-62) had been working carrier quals for several squadrons for over a week in tough winter weather up and down the East coast.

On the evening of 28 February 1962 at about 2130, with rain and swells of 10 to 12 feet, I was set to launch for the last of four night traps needed to complete my quals.  Bad luck! the holdback fitting was not fully seated, and I was turned loose prematurely, couldn't stop on the wet deck, and dribbled off the bow in a trusty F8 Crusader.  Good luck! survived the impact and the plane didn't break up.  Got back to the surface alive and afloat.  From there several 38 tracers and two night flares to steer on, and in what seemed like really rough water, the Manley skipper slipped alongside and came to stop with yours truly just a few feet away abeam the bridge - Impressive!..."

Ladies and gentlemen, with us this evening to give his thanks to the rescue crew that pulled him from the sea and perhaps saved his life back on that fateful evening in 1962, the gentleman who wrote that letter, Captain Bill Brandel, U.S. Navy retired...

At this time, Captain Bill Brandel addressed the group.  Simultaneously, about six men in the audience stood slowly.  They were the original members of the rescue team present at this reunion.  Brandel shook each man's hand in a gesture of sincere gratitude.

In his initial communication to the Manley Association, Captain Bill Brandel, USN (Ret) remarked: "As the Navy's "infantry" and all-purpose arm, Destroyer Men are special."

As we gather here this evening to celebrate our naval service, our commitment to peace and freedom, our love of shipmate, friend, country, we are at a time in our civilization when courage, good judgment, and principled leadership is at the fore.  This morning, a formal memorial service was held in New York on a small piece of earth that will be known forever as Ground Zero.  Many of the seven thousand present there lost a love one in the most tragic attack upon our freedom. 

Nearby to us, is the remnants of the Pentagon.  We have seen first hand the destruction that was caused on September 11.  Many of the casualties there were sailors and perhaps neighbors of some in our company tonight. 

As loved ones grieve their loss, we share their loss.  Our hearts bleed with them.  Many of us no doubt have shed tears in the last six weeks.

 The country has been united, made stronger, because of an ugly stain brought upon humanity by a no-face  group of inhumane animals who victimize innocents in the name of a blurred cause.   Promise me this night, promise yourself,  promise all of them as we gather in this reunion of pride, honor and celebration of duty that we shall never allow two thousand one, nine-

eleven to be forgotten.

Two thousand one, nine eleven
Three thousand plus arrive in heaven.
As they pass through the gate,
Hundreds more appear in wait.

A bearded man with stovepipe hat
Steps forward to say:
"Let's sit; let's chat."
They settle down in seats of clouds
A man named Martin shouts out proud:
"I have a dream!" and once he did.
The Newcomer said, "Your dream still lives."

Groups of soldiers in blue and gray
Others in khaki and green then say:
"We're from Bull Run, Yorktown, the Maine."
The Newcomer said, "You died not in vain."

From a man on sticks one could hear,
"The only thing we have to fear, is fear..."
The Newcomer said, "We know the rest.
Trust us, sir, we've passed that test."

"Courage doesn't hide in caves.
You can't bury freedom in graves."
The Newcomer had heard this voice before, a distinct
Yankee twang from Hyannisport shore.

A momentary silence fell within their midst.
Somehow the Newcomer knew that this
Meant time had come for him to say
What was in the hearts
Of the three thousand plus that day.

"Back on earth, we wrote reports,
Watched our children play in sports,
Worked our gardens, sang our songs,
Went to church to honor and repent our wrongs.
We smiled, we laughed, we cried, we fought.
Unlike you, great we're not!"

The tall man in the stovepipe hat
Stood and said, "Don't talk like that!
Look at your country, look and see.
You died for freedom just like me
And he and she and he."
"This is not a time to be denied,
Embrace that pride! For you have guaranteed their liberty.

Then before them all appeared a scene
Of rubbled streets and twisted beam
Death, destruction, smoke and dust
And people laboring 'cause they must.
Hauling ash, lifting stone,
Unable to mend broken bone,
Knee deep in hell, but not alone.

"Look! Blackman. Whiteman. Brownman. Yellowman.
Side by side helping their fellow man!"
So said Martin as he watched the scene,
"Even from nightmares can be born a dream."

Down below three fireman raised
The colors high into ashen haze.
The soldiers above had seen it before
On Iwo back in forty-four.

The man on sticks studied everything closely
Then shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly.
"I see pain; I see tears; I see sorrow;
But I do not see fear."
"You left behind husbands and wives
And daughters and sons and so many lives
Are suffering now because of this wrong.

But look very closely.  You are not really gone.
All of those people, even those who have never met you
All of their lives they will never forget you.
Don't you see what you have done?
You have brought them together, together as one.

"This is not a time to be denied,
Embrace that pride!
For in vain you have not died.
You have guaranteed their liberty."

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said,
"Take my hand," and from there he led
Three thousand plus Newcomers to heaven
On that day, two thousand one, nine eleven.
 

My friends, shipmates, this letter has been received from the White House and is dated October 1, 2001......

I am delighted to send warm greetings to all those gathered in Washington, D.C. for the USS MANLEY (DD-940) reunion.

The sailors who fought for America served our Nation with honor and distinction.  Your sacrifice protected the
democratic ideals on which America was founded, and

your courageous devotion serves as an example to all Americans.  We must always remember that our country has remained strong since its birth because of men and women who were willing to fight and die in the name of patriotic duty.

Best wishes for a reunion filled with friendship and memories.

As our nation copes with the horrible tragedies of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, please continue to pray for the families and loved ones of the victims.

May God bless them all and may God bless America.

                              George W. Bush              

Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished guests, it has been my pleasure to have served you in bringing this seventh reunion of this great Association and great destroyer to you.  Thank you. 

This page last updated 09 December 2007