Underway for Enduring Freedom

Yes, day I will never forget, the Twin Towers where hit, I was on duty that day and we got the orders to light off, still couldn't believe what had happend, but I knew something major had happend and they where requesting us on station to help out wherever needed.  At first we where to go to North Carolina to pick up the Marines to take them to New York for relief, instead, we sat off the coast for 3 days, only to return to Norfolk, VA to pick up our uniform items and other sailors and to say good by to our family because we where off to war.  After we got back underway, headed south again to pick up our fellow Marines.  Once onboard we steamed east to Rota, Spain.