Category: War

We Took An Oath

Reading today’s news- a member of the current administration took issue with the idea of disobeying illegal orders. Some folks never took the oath. Or put their behind on the line. They are often loud. And talk a lot about that which they know, nothing.

“I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Lawful Orders: Uniform Code of Military Justice

USS Andrew Jackson SSB(N) 619 – U.S. Navy Photo

Unlawful Orders

Long ago (1968 to 1977), I served on active duty in the U.S. Navy. I willingly swore this Oath of Enlistment (Twice -a $$$ re-enlistment bonus paid for 1st marriage).

“I, Brooke Meyer, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. “

USS Andrew Jackson SSB(N) 619 – U.S. Navy Photo

Got FBI & NIS Background Checks and a Final Top Secret Clearance. Qualified Crew as a Submariner and Missile Control Center Supervisor (Mk. 84 Polaris & Mk 88 Poseidon Fire Control Systems) . It was not AI.

Decades later, my sons suffered my lectures at the dinner table about the part of the UCMJ that says “OBEY LAWFUL ORDERS”. That means, “YOU DO NOT OBEY UNLAWFUL ORDERS“. So I am dumbfounded at news about US military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America

A. They are already bound by oath to be silent.

B. They could rightfully say: “No Sir, I am not obeying an unlawful order”

“I was obeying orders” didn’t work at the Nuremberg Trials.

Anchors Aweigh and Drink To The Foam!

The Bloody 100th

“For decades, Mr. Luckadoo rarely spoke about his time in the war, especially in public.” ….”His wife told him he had a duty to talk about the horrors of war”

Mr. Luckadoo framed his talks around the sheer terror that comes with knowing that making it through combat is often as much a matter of luck as it is training or courage. “I’m not a hero,” he liked to say. “I’m a survivor.”

In Quiet and Peace

USS Andrew Jackson SSB(N) 619 – U.S. Navy Photo

Long ago, three addresses and two houses and one widower hood past, a summer visitation to Grandmas settled one evening to watch “Band of Brothers”. A grandson by marriage, left to his room while watching, finding it too violent. Which I thought was, “good on him”.

I cannot, not remember the scene where Dick Winters is portrayed on D+1, of 7 June 1944: “I would live this war one day at a time, and I promised myself that if I survived, I would find a small farm somewhere in the Pennsylvania countryside and spend the remainder of my life in quiet and peace.”

As an old man, I cherish my quiet and peace. And understand how much of modern noise is exactly that, just meaningless noise. I remarked today, to my very young neighbor and dog rescuer, that as much as her dog has learned to trust me, she still suffers from unimaginable treatment before her rescue as a puppy, from a Dumpster. Some scars are always felt.

Sea Story -And This Is No Sh*T!

It is nearly an obligation to relate the experience of the previous generation to the latest. Which explains my relating the experience of a then, very young Submariner to my young neighbor last afternoon. I told her about “Kiddie Cruises” aka Annapolis Midshipmen ordered to the USN Fleet, in summer.

USS Andrew Jackson SSB(N) 619 – U.S. Navy Photo

I was crew aboard a Lafayette Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine. We operated from a tender in Rota, Spain.

Weapons Gang is also Deck Gang so I was top side when a Midshipman (not lying, blonde good looking boy) crossed the brow and announced to the Chief Steward, Senior Chief Petty Officer Willie Jackson (who NOBODY messed with and whose shoulders blotted out the Sun) his bags were on the Pier. Chief Jackson rolled his eyes while our XO, LCDR Russell took his cigar out of his mouth and explained to the Midshipman how much time he would be allowed to retrieve his bags and report to the Wardroom where the errors of his ways would be explained, in plain language.

Submarines are a meritocracy and nobody cares about your rank. And no one aboard was going to sign that Child’s Qual Card.

Garden Of Stone

Aisne-Marne American Cemetery – Belleau, France

Made this photograph in late September of 2o17. From St. Paul Metro Station in the Marais District of Paris, it’s a short ride to Gare Est. Then, a morning express train to Château-Thierry. Next, a local taxi.

99 years after the Battle of Belleau Wood and 1 year before the American President, in Paris, chose not to attend the Centennial Memorial. It was attended by the Commandant of the Unites States Marine Corps. And Marines.

On my visit, I walked the Battlefield in silence and solitude. The American President who dishonored Marines, I do not forgive.

The Cost of Freedom

On this day of Declaring Independence, the cost is sobering. Every warrior, in some fashion, makes a decision to kill an enemy. There is no victory in killing. Necessary to preserve human liberty -yes. Victorious and celebratory – no. Hard on the soul.

50+ years ago, in the Missile Control Center of a Lafayette Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, I was fully responsible for putting “Birds” on target. Cautious of my Top Secret Clearance, I wondered about, what my targets were. We received regular, encrypted high altitude weather messages so as to refine the launch equation. In lower levels ops, outside my “Office” was a world map on the bulkhead. And I would look at the lat & long coordinates. And I knew that I would be responsible for incinerating some millions of innocent humans.

“Mutually Assured Destruction” may be necessary. But the cost to the soul is incalculable. Even 50+ years on. The Submariners currently on Patrol will, as I have in my dotage, meet that understanding.

Memorial

As a Submariner, I only made two Surface voyages. Both, were as one of six Enlisted Sailors and a LTJG, as a USN security party aboard Merchant Marine converted WWII Victory Ships: USNS Norwalk & USNS Marshfield.

USNS Marshfield (T-AK-282)
USNS Norwalk (T-AK 279)

It was a long time ago. Charleston to Rota, Spain or Holy Loch Scotland were about 10 days, each way, at about 17 knots. Good chow and decent twarthship racks.

We kept watch on a cargo hold of Polaris Missiles. Thermonuclear weapons included. Monitored temperature and potential leaks of hydrogen isotopes.

Had an M1911A in a holster, riveted to a desk. Of boredom, on watch, I would field strip and reassemble the other five stored there. Like solitaire. After awhile, I would do it with eyes closed and time myself.

There is great spiritual peace to be found, alone on the fantail at 0300, mid Atlantic. No light pollution and the stars are clear.

Both ships have been scrapped, long ago. Memory continues.