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thedrifter
03-06-06, 09:45 AM
Farrell recalls time at sea ... and on land

By JOSIE McCORMICK
Staff Writer

COSHOCTON — When Dave Farrell graduated from Coshocton High School in 1981, he knew college wasn’t the next step for him. So he chose the U.S. Navy.

“I didn’t want to stay here after I graduated, so I signed up for four years,” he said.

Farrell’s family has a tradition of being sailors. His father served during the Korean War and a brother served during Vietnam and re-enlisted later.

“My dad never really talked about it and my brother served when I was still in school,” Farrell said. “I wrote to him and he’d send me stuff from places he went. I thought it was neat to get to see these different places and see what it was like there.”

Farrell and his brother actually served together in Florida at one point in time.

“We got to hang out together a little bit and that made it nice,” he said. “I’m sure it took a toll on our parents though.”

Farrell’s time in Beirut, Lebanon, probably worried them the most. He was there in 1983 when a Marine barracks was blown up. The catastrophe took the lives of 262 Marines and one sailor, who was a chief petty officer on Farrell’s ship.

“The whole time we were over there, right on the edge of things, we were so confident,” he said. “The military attitude at the time was that we were strong and invincible.”

The explosion at the barracks, however, changed their thoughts a little bit.

“It sunk in how vulnerable we were,” Farrell said. “We thought we were made of steel and no one could hurt us. It was a reality check, but it made us more angry than anything.”

The sailors had a wake-up call, but they still knew they had a job to do.

“I never once went to sleep fearing I wouldn’t wake up,” Farrell said. “We were there to for one purpose — to keep peace and we’d kick the butt of those not wanting us to do that.”

Beirut was not the only place Farrell went to preserve democracy. His Naval career also took him to Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Italy, France, England, Sweden and many other places.

“I liked Asia and the Pacific area, but I really enjoyed it all,” Farrell said. “Each country had its own unique thing that I kind of enjoyed.”
However, if he had to pick an area to go back to and visit, it would be Hawaii or the Virgin Islands.

“You could look in the water and see down for what seemed to be miles,” Farrell said. “It was an awesome thing to see.”

His sea duty was spent on the USS New Jersey and the USS Leyte Gulf.

Farrell went around the world on the New Jersey and was on it for its recommissioning on Dec. 28, 1982.

According to, www.ussnewjersey.org, “the battleship was reconditioned with capabilities for carrying 32 Tomahawk missiles: The most advanced of naval missiles and four times the number carried by any ship at that time. She also carried 16 Harpoon anti-surface missiles, four Vulcan-Phalanx close-in ‘gatling-gun’ weapons for defense against incoming aircraft or missiles; a modern electronic countermeasure system; a cruiser-style communication system; aviation facilities and operating stations for SH-60B helicopters; updated air and surface radars; and conversion of the fuel plant to burn Navy distillate fuel.”

He also was on the USS Leyte Gulf for historical events, including the ship’s commissioning and being named its first official sailor of the quarter.

“It was for outstanding performance (on the job) and outside Navy activities,” Farrell said. “I coached youth sports the whole time I was in the military and still do.”

His shore duty was spent in Jacksonville and Pensacola, Fla., and Okinawa, Japan.

Farrell felt both sea and shore duty had their benefits.

“Shore duty was a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job and being at sea was a 22-hour work day,” he said. “There was nothing prettier, though, than to behold a sunset and see it go down over the horizon of the water.”
Rainbows and marine life also were common sites when sailing the high seas.

“You don’t see land for days though,” Farrell said.

One pro of his service in general was getting to be in the presence of several famous people such as Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, Wayne Newton and Foster Brooks.

“I’ll never forget getting to see Ronald Reagan,” Farrell said. “I think he was one of the greatest presidents we ever had.”

Farrell planned to retire from the Navy, but disabilities sustained on active military duty forced him out four and a half years early.

“At first, it (civilian life) was a little rough, but then I got a job as a veterans employment representative,” he said. “I was always able to separate my military life from my personal life.”

Every once in a while, though, his job had a way of bringing up memories he typically kept buried or locked away.

“I usually tell people about the funny and good times in the military,” Farrell said. “The other things are not a benefit to people, but you had to open up to the veterans so they could relate to you.”

Today, Farrell continues to work with veterans through his positions as executive committeeman for the Department of Ohio Disabled American Veterans and chapter commander of the local group, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 74.

His experiences with the military have taught him to be determined and persistent.

“You have to set goals and not stop until you achieve them,” Farrell said. “The military also taught me to be open and understanding of the backgrounds of other people.”

He especially remembers this last lesson when he hears the public criticize today’s soldiers fighting the war on terrorism.

“They’re there doing what the president told them to do for the better of the country,” Farrell said. “It’s not fair to sit there and judge them.”

jmccormick@nncogannett.com
295-3417

Originally published March 6, 2006

Ellie