ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — May 17, 2021 marks 34 years since the USS Stark was attacked by Iraqi missiles, killing dozens of sailors on board.
One by one, 37 names were read aloud. Every one of those names are sailors that made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Great friends of mine,” Retired Captain Steve Hales said. “I think about them every single day.”
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The Retired Captain was one of more than 200 sailors on board back in 1987. He survived the blast. Hales traveled back to Jacksonville on Monday from San Diego to honor his “Stark family.”
“I knew every single person on there very well,” Hales said. “I had a story to tell about every single person.”
The USS Stark was based out of Mayport. It was assigned to patrol the Saudi Arabian Coast, near the Iran/Iraq war boundary. Iraq’s leader at the time, Saddam Hussein, said the pilot mistook the Stark for an Iranian tanker.
While each year doesn’t get any easier, those in attendance said it’s important to remember.
“It’s good to come back,” Hales said. “Kind of re-live and remember the guys who gave everything they had.”
There will also be a Memorial Day service at the Veterans Memorial Park in Atlantic Beach to honor those who died on the USS Stark.
Action News Jax livestreamed the Monday ceremony. If you missed it, you can watch it below on Facebook:
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