Mrs Ready, I felt that your husband was the Best Capt. that i had served under in the 22yrs. that I was in the Navy and Navy Reserves. I do remember very clear that after the Ashtabula had been Decommissioned, I made my way over to the east coast where I was stationed onboard the USS Seattle AOE-3, and our ship was having a Change of Command, I beleive this took place sometime in 1984 and I beleive your husband was the guest speaker onboard the USS Seattle, because he was very good Friends with our new Capt. of the USS Seattle Capt. Frost, well anyway before our Change of Command had started I I seen your husband on our flight deck and then he walked up to me and remembered me from serving under him onboard the Ashtabula as our Capt. and he was wearing his dress whites with his sword by his side and wearing his white gloves and said my name, then he asked me how my Father was doing, because he remembered when onboard the “Bula ” he notified my younger Brother and myself that he received a message from the Red Cross that my Father had a heart attack, I just felt honored that your husband still remembered me along with my younger Brother and to think of asking about how my Father was doing made me feel very special deep down insidefor your husband to be able to remember all 3 of us especially seeings how that was 2 long yrs. ago since we were oboard the ” Bula ” and especialy seeings how he had been on a much larger ship with a much larger crew. Plus he even asked me how I was being treated onboard the USS Seattle. Your husband was a very Special Man and I think he was a very special Capt. and like a Father figure to alot of us sailors onboard the ” Bula ” I’m just very glad that he was a partof our lives for a very short 2 yrs. onboard the ” Bula ” so I thankyou very much for sharing him with us for that time. may God be with you and your Family during your time of sorrow. Sincerley Jeff Witter ( SK2 ) USNR RETIRED
The Ship's Bell
In Memory of
Walter B Carroll Jr