Captain George F. Silvani Cdr.
USN '59-61 |
From; Commanding Officer U.S.S. Hopewell (DD-681)
To: All Hands
Another WestPac cruise has been successfully
completed, but how many of us realize the importance of the past and future WestPac tours?
As distasteful as it is to be away form home, it is these cruises that make it possible to
have a home to which we may return.
The Seventh Fleet, of which we have been a part,
is the only real deterrent to complete Communist domination of Asia. In the Atlantic it is
the Sixth Fleet that is helping to prevent Communist domination of Europe and the Middle
East. If Asia and Europe were lost to Communism, surely North and South America
would shortly follow suit.
Never in the history of the world has so much
responsibility been forced upon so few - You. Yours is the responsibility of
protecting the rights of all people to live as they wish to live. In order to properly
carry out this responsibility, it's going to mean a lot more WestPac Cruises and a lot
more self sacrifices from you, but it surely is great to be able to come home to a way of
life we cherish.
Home - mission accomplished.
George F. Silvani |