Relatives And Friends Of Sailors Killed In The USS Fitzgerald Crash Tell Their Stories

On June 17, 2017, the USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Japan. The warship, which cost $1.8 billion and had a crew of 300, was on a secret mission to the South China Sea when it was hit by a cargo ship, which was more than three times its size. The strike's resultant gash was the size of a semi-truck. The battleship was inundated with hundreds of tonnes of water, killing seven sailors in their berthing compartments.

An Ohio guy who was about to retire, a Maryland man who was his father's best friend, and a longtime volunteer fireman in his Virginia community were among the seven US Navy sailors killed in the crash. Here are some stories shared by their family and friends during an interview.

The first story is of Shingo Alexander Douglass from California. Shingo Alexander Douglass, Yeoman 3rd Class, joined the Navy in 2014, following in his father's footsteps and joining a marine branch of the service.

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He began working on board the destroyer in 2015 and, as part of a community service initiative, accompanied his shipmates on a visit to an orphanage in South Korea last October. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Douglass was spotted wheeling a handicapped orphan in a wheelchair. His father retired Marine Corps, Master Sgt. Stephen Douglass told the newspaper that his 25-year-old son was a "very decent kid" who loved video games.

In May, he had received a promotion. He was an unmarried 2010 Fallbrook High School graduate from Fallbrook, California, north of San Diego. He was characterized by his family as "Adventurous," he added, adding that scuba diving and tennis were among his pastimes. "Shingo honorably served his country, and we are proud of him and his service as well," his family said in a statement.

The next tale is of Noe Hernandez from Texas. Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez was a tremendous source of pride for his family, a relative told Dallas television station KTVT. "We all came from poverty in Guatemala. He was the one who made it," said cousin Aly Hernandez-Singer. "We lived through his experiences. His travels."

Since entering the Navy in 2009, Hernandez, a native of Weslaco, Texas, had been stationed in Illinois, Italy, California, and Japan. Hernandez-Singer informed the TV station that he died in the accident from a head injury while sleeping. Hernandez, she claimed, met his wife in high school and leaves behind a 2-year-old kid.

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Another story is of sailor Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan who hailed from California. Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, Fire Controlman 2nd Class, said serving in the Navy was a rewarding experience "A buddy claimed he enlisted after graduating from high school in 2013 because it was "his calling."

Chase Cornils, a cadet at Chaparral High School's Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Sibayan, of Chula Vista, south of San Diego, was always making people laugh. "Cornils described him as having a pleasant demeanor and a smile on his face at all times. The 23-year-old enlisted surface warfare specialist joined the USS Fitzgerald in July 2014 as a crew member. (VOA/JC)

(This article is a rehash from Voice Of America)