...not widely reported in German media, though.
German Sailors Render Extraordinary Honors to US at Sea
Honor: The officers and crew of the FGS Niedersachsen
render honors to the USS Doyle on Sept. 11, 2003.
Quote:
"Military vessels routinely render honors to military ships of other countries when they pass at sea by dipping their flag, as a sign of respect. The German frigate FGS Niedersachsen went above and beyond this normal gesture of respect when it asked to come alongside the USS Doyle on September 11, 2003, the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the US. ...
The unexpected gesture touched the US sailors, Vice Admiral Timothy LaFleur described in an unclassified email: “From their main mast they flew our flag and they held their covers over their hearts. Needless to say, the whole crew was choked up and a few tears formed in our eyes. Both ships stayed next to each other in silence for about 5 minutes. These are the days that remind me why I joined the Navy.”"
Read more.
Update (1): Bill has some thoughts on the topic.
Update (2): It has happened before.
Awsome. I've linked to you on my page.
Posted by: Raging Dave | September 24, 2003 at 07:38 PM
Interesting bit of trivia on the Lutjens, the first vessel to render honors like this (covered in the second Update): it's an ex-USN vessel. I can't find it in my reference materials right now, but it was built for the US Navy, served in the US Navy, and then went to the Kriegsmarine.
Means nothing, of course, but I thought it interesting when I found it out.
Posted by: Wonderduck | September 29, 2003 at 01:56 AM
And WHAT exactly is so extraordinary about this gesture? Germany has been a staunch U.S. ally in the war on terror, especially in Afghanistan. Iraq? Well, it is just that most Germans, like myself, did and do not believe that the war in Iraq would help us win the war on terror - quite the opposite.
Posted by: Lutz Kleveman | September 29, 2003 at 05:23 AM
Well Lutz it probably wouldn't be the first time most Germans were wrong, now would it? Probably not the last time either.
Posted by: Imam Psycho Muhammed | September 29, 2003 at 07:36 AM
The US Navy is well aware of the honor. I seriously doubt there are many who have not heard of this; I received two copies of the picture in my e-mail (from other sailors) and it was posted on the official US Navy website.
Despite our differences over the Iraq issue, the Germans are (and will be) our friends and allies.
Posted by: timekeeper | September 29, 2003 at 07:48 AM
According to this website: http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/01028.htm, the Lutjens is a Charles F Adams-class Guided Missile Destroyer. There were originally three of them in the Bundesmarine: the Lutjens, Molders and Rommel. It seems that the Rommel has been decommissioned.
Posted by: Dr_Funk | September 30, 2003 at 12:44 AM
@ Dr Funk
I remember the christening of the Rommel when I was in Junior High School. The Rommel was built in Bath, Maine for the Kriegsmarine. It was never a decommissioned U.S. Navy ship.
What caught my attention when I was a kid was the ship was named after the famous "Desert Fox." If I remember correctly, his widow and son attended the christening. His son was the former mayor of Stuttgard.
Frohe Weihnachten und guter Rutsch ins neuen Jahr!
Posted by: George M | December 24, 2004 at 06:22 AM