WHEREAS, The USS COLE was certified to deploy from Norfolk, Virginia on August 8, 2000; and
WHEREAS, The ship was sent to conduct operations in the Mediterranean Sea, which lasted until October 9, 2000, and then was ordered to travel to the Suez Canal in order to conduct maritime operations in the northern Arabian Gulf in support of enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolutions; and
WHEREAS, On October 12, 2000, the USS COLE, while making a brief re-fueling stop in the port of Aden, Yemen, was rammed by a boat filled with explosives, a deed perpetrated by nameless, faceless cowards; and
WHEREAS, Due to this gutless and spineless act of terrorism, 17 crew members lost their lives and an additional 39 seaman were severely injured; and
WHEREAS, In the face of this enormous tragedy, the officers and crew of the USS COLE continually manned the ship, doing a magnificent job of stabilizing the conditions onboard, moving the injured to safety, saving the ship from sinking in the ensuing aftermath and finally, making preparations for returning the ship to the continental United States for repairs; and
WHEREAS, Since that fateful October day, the officers and members of the COLE have received numerous awards, including 54 Purple Hearts and over 100 other decorations for their heroic acts; and
WHEREAS, On September 14, 2001, in a symbolic message to the rest of the world about this nation’s resolve, the USS COLE was re-launched to defend our country against the terrorism that had tried to sink the ship less than one year before; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor and commend the officers and crew of the USS COLE for their heroic acts of bravery and also remember those who gave their lives in the service of our country onboard the USS COLE on October 12, 2000.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the crew of the USS COLE as further evidence of the sincere admiration of this legislative body.
End