30 Years, 47 Dead and One Personal Miracle

Kelley's Dog Blog is stepping away from the dogs today. Please bear with me. You see, 30 years ago today something horrible happened -- and I missed it. A random decision made by someone I never met changed the course of my life. At the time I was annoyed, but now I'm eternally grateful. Here's the story of my personal miracle.

Me & my M-14 (Gaeta, Italy, 1988)

In late 1988 I was in the US Navy. I was on the fast track in the male-dominated field of weapons technology. In December of that year my naval career was derailed by a surprise pregnancy. At the same time my new husband (also a sailor) was offered his dream job: Turret Two, Center Gun, Gun Captain on the USS Iowa. The Navy was not friendly to dual-military families in the 80s so we had a hard decision to make: one of us had to quit to raise that baby.

In January of 1989 I (begrudgingly) returned to civilian life and started packing up our household to make the move from Mayport, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia. At the last minute my husband received a call from a Senior Chief Reginald Ziegler. The senior chief wanted Hubby to attend a school in San Diego, California for three months before reporting to the Iowa. This required us to put all our stuff in storage and drive across the country (and back) in an '89 Camaro as my belly grew larger and larger. Hubby was to join the ship in June, a week before it left port for a 6-month Mediterranean cruise. This new plan left me to find a place to live and unpack, alone and eight months pregnant. Yeah, I grumbled. In fact, I bitched at all the way to California.

The USS Iowa in all her glory

But then tragedy struck. On April 19, 1989, there was an explosion on the USS Iowa inside the center gun of turret two. 47 people died, including Senior Chief Ziegler and the gun captain. Had it not been for that last minute change I would've been a 20-year-old unemployed, pregnant widow. I know, wow.

The story doesn't end there! When the Iowa pulled back into Norfolk in December of 1989 families of the 47 victims visited the ship and laid a wreath upon the turret. Iowa sailors then gave tours to various family members. Can you guess who Hubby was assigned to escort? Mrs. Ziegler. (I couldn't make this up if I tried!) She shared that she was suffering from some serious health issues and was having a hard time with her husband's death. Hubby shared the story of how her husband's arbitrary decision saved his life, and then showed her a picture of our newborn son -- one he would've never met had it not been for her husband. They both cried.

The moment Hubby met our son for the first time

Several weeks later, Hubby was assigned to discreetly remove and dispose of the wreath. He did, but not before pocketing one of the iridescent plastic stars. It's chipped and it's ugly, yet I hang it on my Christmas tree every year in memory of the Iowa 47.  

On this day every year I say a prayer for the families, with an extra one for Mrs. Ziegler. The accident was pre-internet. I have no idea where she is or what became of her. If I did, I would tell her how sorry I am for her loss and how grateful I am for her husband. I would tell her that Hubby and I have been happily married for over 30 years and have two grown children. Her husband saved me from the unimaginable grief she had to go through. My family is forever indebted to her husband. I feel so blessed. And at the same time I feel so guilty. I hope that Mrs. Ziegler eventually found peace and happiness.

I rarely tell this story because I can't share it without sobbing uncontrollably. Fortunately, I can cry and type at the same time. Thank you for reading this to the end. Please say a prayer for the families of the Iowa 47. I know it's been three decades since the accident, but I doubt that the pain of their losses will ever completely go away. And say an extra prayer for the family of Senior Chief Ziegler.

OK, enough tears. Fun doggie stuff returns tomorrow. Promise. -- K