Capturing Daily Life
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Candidate Insider
I Salute My Hero
Rear Admiral Steve Tomaszeski
United States Navy
My High School Classmate, 1968
May 25, 2004 (Tuesday)
Actually, we weren't in the
same classroom, but we were in
the same graduating class, 1968.
At St. Peter's Prep
in Jersey City, New Jersey,
they put us in a homeroom
of about 30 students,
and those students attended
all classes together, all year.
They re-sorted us in sophomore year.
There was an honors class
that studied Greek, and there were
two science honors classes,
and then the rest of us were in
the regular college prep curriculum.
So, in 2nd year, we were
with a new group in a new homeroom,
though a few of them were from our first year homeroom.
And, again, we attended
all of our classes with our homeroom classmates,
for the next three years.
The freshman enrollment for our class was about 350,
and I think about 250 graduated.
I just read "Big Russ and Me"
by Tim Russert (Hyperion 2004).
Russert was also class of 1968,
but at a different Jesuit Prep School,
Canisius, in Buffalo, New York.
Russert does a good job of describing
the Jesuit High School experience,
and his experience was
remarkably like mine,
including the one-hour commute
to and from school each day.
While Russert's commute was
to downtown Buffalo and then
out to the suburban area
where Canisius was located,
my commute was to downtown Newark,
and then by train to downtown Jersey City.
In senior year, a few of us would
occasionally skip school grounds
and walk a few blocks
and have lunch on the docks
of the Hudson River at the Colgate plant,
right across from the future
World Trade Center site.
*******
I joined the Navy in December, 1973,
as an enlisted man, and served in the
Engineering Department of the
USS Enterprise.
Whenever I meet a "Star Trek" enthusiast,
I tell them that I used to
cruise around the planet, Earth,
in the USS Enterprise,
and it is true.
It's been a while
since I've spoken with Scotty,
but I digress...
Usually of late, I've been driving a truck
to generate income, and I often feel proud
when I am in command of a vehicle
that weighs in at 80,000 pounds
(that's eighty thousand pounds,
for those of you who attended
California public schools),
and I drive responsibly over our nations highways,
aware that many lives depend upon my being
competent and professional when I drive.
How many of you, I wonder, realize
the tonnage and power and responsibility
involved in a Carrier Battle Group ?
It's Big...It's Real Big.
In fact, it's so big
that I'm not even going to try to describe it.
Just briefly, I'll repeat the facts.
The carrier, with its air wing aboard,
consists of 5,864 sailors.
Carriers are often referred to as "floating cities".
Now let's not forget the other 14 ships
that Admiral Tomaszeski commanded.
And the two subs?
Yeah, we have to count them, too.
They're real and they're there,
even though we can't see them.
That's the way it's supposed to be.
OK, let's see...
5,864 + 14 + 2 =
Oh, forget it. It's Big...It's Real Big.
"I've never been on a ship with morale so high.
We've been ready since September 12,"
said Admiral Tomaszeski in February, 2002,
less than 4 months after the 9/11/2001 attacks.
Admiral Tomaszeski said about a third of the ship's
crew had never been on a deployment before.
I was there, Admiral, one of your crew,
in 1974, on my first deployment.
I don't know your military bio,
but I know it must be awesome.
My understanding is that only Carrier Pilots
with combat experience get to command carriers,
and that would be even more true
for the Commander of an entire Battle Group.
What an honor it is, how proud it makes me,
and what a cause for reflection,
when I see your photos in the 2003 Prep Report !
You make prep alumni proud,
You make America proud,
and you're one helluva role model !
I salute you, Admiral Tomaszeski.
Posted by dscully at 07:77 PM Top of Page
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David Scully
email
davidscully
@hotmail.com
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