Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 30, 2025 Celebrating 52 Years! Dan Chris Have A Cigar on Dan! Come on Friday, May 30th and receive a Free Cigar to celebrate Dan’s life!* R.Y.O. TOBACCO & TUBES ON SALE! SPECIAL SALE! TRAVEL HUMIDORS & ALL BONGS! Daniel Moore - 3/31/32 - 4/6/25 A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 For Advertising with RESULTS, call The Advocate Newspapers at 781-233-4446 or info@advocatenews.net SAVE $350when you transform your patio into an outdoor oasis. Instant shade—at the touch of a button. Enjoy more quality time with family and friends. Up to 10-Year Limited Warranty. SAVE$350 TODAY! Call 1-833-626-0576 now to America’s #1 Awning! --------HUMIDORS ON SALE! STARTING AT $99. COMPLETE! --------Drop by and share your memories of ABC Cigar’s beloved founder! * One Cigar per customer - offer good on 5/30/25 only REFLECTIONS | FROM PAGE 4 the world’s international trade passes through this waterway every year. As history tells us, sailing into gunfire is nothing new for the United States Navy, but for the crew of the Thomas Hudner this was a first for many. In fact, most of the crew’s complement was under 25 years old; many were born after 9-11; and only a handful had seen a previous deployment. As young as they were, they were ready for anything that came their way. Courage like this is not developed overnight, but rather the product of growing up in communities like this where the value of service and sacrifice is upheld. In the early morning hours of our first engagement, the battle space was different. Activity in the area had shifted and I was receiving more frequent reports from the Tactical Action Officer in combat. After a series of rapid-fire mandatory reports, he asked if I wanted him to keep calling, and I replied, no need, I am coming down to you. What started off initially as a feeling of uncertainty was quickly vindicated with increased abnormal activity in the area. The rhetoric in the area was also becoming more invasive, especially in light of a U.S. MQ-9 shot down – the first of the conflict. The sequence of events that unfolded leading up to the engagement was truly textbook. The coordination across theater assets and our ship was efficient and deliberate. It was clear the time was now. While our first missile reached its intended target, there was an insurmountable urge to chant, U –S – A, but I thought it best to support my crew and remain Jesse Brown.” Then in 2022 the movie “Devotion” was released, featuring “An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos, which tells of the comradeship between naval officers Jesse L. Brown and Tom Hudner.” This year’s keynote speaker was Wakefield native Shelby M. Nikitin, the former naval commander of the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner. calm. My mother would expect a graceful winner, and I did want to disappoint. In the days and weeks that followed, there were more engagements, most notably on Thanksgiving morning, and other complex and dynamic mission sets would emerge. The crew safeguarded the ship and company against multiple rockets launched one-way attack, unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic missile launches, piracy operations and boarding missions. THD superbly employed THD’s weapon systems against airborne threats with zero damage to ship, crew or neutral shipping in the area. The crew also prevented civilian casualties from hostile action in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Israel. As a combat team, THD was awarded seven combat navy commendation medals, 10 combat navy achievement medals, the combat action ribbon and the Navy Unit Commendation for distinguishing themselves by outstanding heroism in action against enemy forces. To receive the NUC, a crew must have performed service of a character comparable to the Silver Star while acting uniformly as a team. Additionally, the crew was recently awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for engaging in operations against armed opposition. As a VERY proud Captain of her combat-tested crew, I thank you again for inviting me to spend time with all of you today. It is a true honor to celebrate the victories of my crew with all of you while honoring the heroes of our past. Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. MEDAL OF HONOR | FROM PAGE 7 “As Captain Castinetti mentioned, we stand on the shoulders of giants, like Capt. Thomas Hudner, who served with such distinction that the generations who follow are compelled to honor such an extraordinary legacy,” Commander Nikitin said. Commander Nikitin is currently Director of Maritime Warfighting at the Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, R.I.
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