Serving At Thanksgiving by Craig Ruhl

As we sit down to our Thanksgiving Day meals and reflect on all the things we must be thankful for, please find a place to include our men and women who will stand duty on that day in service to our country and our communities. In every area of our country and around the world, there are people in public service who daily stand their watch and assume the duty of protecting us. They are not exempt from their duty on holidays. They will be medical, emergency, fire, police, and military professionals. Included are those who will be scheduled to work their shift in utility and vital service industries, convenience businesses, and so many other workplaces that allow our economy and lifestyle to continue.

Many who serve in our military will be deployed outside our country or, because of duty assignments, cannot be with their families during the holidays. While we all enjoy the blessings that God has granted us, someone has to stand the watch, stay the course, and protect all of us. Let’s remember them at Thanksgiving and Christmas with our prayers, respect, and thanks.

I think that the only times I missed being with family at Thanksgiving or Christmas were while I was on active duty with the U.S. Navy. One of those times was Thanksgiving Day in 1968. There was a war going on in Southeast Asia. Although my duty assignment was not in the war zone, our military was at heightened alert levels. I was stationed aboard the USS Everglades (AD24), a large destroyer tender, with a home port of Charleston, SC.

This holiday season, we were wrapping up a several months-long cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. Our ship was a large repair ship and it was sitting at anchor in the port of Naples, Italy with two other U.S. Navy ships tied alongside. Our ship had a complement of over 800 sailors, officers and enlisted, and could transport additional troops if needed.

The Navy is noted for its excellent food service. Our ship was a very large ship with an expansive kitchen and mess deck areas. The cooks always went all out for holiday meals, and this Thanksgiving was no exception. Food in the Navy is a 24/7 evolution. Think of your home kitchen on turkey day. Now imagine what it must be like to prepare and serve a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings for hundreds of hungry sailors and Marines. Our crew was scheduled to eat in three shifts so that, at all times, one-third of the crew was on duty and available if needed. The process of prepping, cooking, cleaning, and then doing it all over again was like a finely tuned ballet. Many professional chefs and restauranteurs received their start and early training as a Navy Ship’s Cook or as they are now called, Navy Culinary Specialist.

That Thanksgiving was loud, fun, and delicious. The special Thanksgiving dinner was duplicated on each of the ships next to us with the crews of each ship working in concert to ensure that the meals would be delicious and as much like home as possible. Leftovers were laid out on the serving line later in the evening for those who still had room for them. Our military family is not too much different from the one at home.

The Thanksgiving Day meal I enjoyed while deployed to Italy in 1968 was special, but I am reminded that many of our service personnel don’t have the opportunity that I did. War zone meals are not able to be as elaborate as ours was. At that time, there was a war raging on the other side of the world and those involved took meals when and where they could.

This season, please remember our friends and family members who may be away from home during this time protecting us and our way of life. The same goes for those at home, but who may not have the opportunity to be with their families due to work, illness, or other reasons. Pray for them all.

On that ship, on that Thanksgiving Day, we gave thanks for our bounty and God’s grace and mercy. We prayed for everyone at home, too.

Craig Ruhl PO2 1968

Craig Ruhl is the Managing Editor of Faith On Every Corner, he is also a Published Writer and handles the business side of Faith On Every Corner, LLC.

USS Everglades AD24 – USS Bigelow DD942 – USS Norris DD859 (Naples Italy) Photo Credit - USS Everglades.org