When the USS Guam LPH9 visited Barcelona, Spain in 1979, Guam’s Chaplin John Baldwin offered the following prayer to God for our shipmates, who were lost in the liberty launch accident on 17 January 1977.
“Lord, God, our Father, we praise you for the mysteries of life – a great gift given to us and to those we remember here today. We remember that day in January when our countrymen, our brothers, were suddenly taken from this earth here in a friendly but far distant country from our homes. We pray that they will live with you. In your never-ending love and mercy you turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life. Be our refuge and strength in giving us the grace to bring about your kingdom of justice, peace, and brotherhood. For it is through your kingdom coming here that time unites with eternity.”
* designates plankowner
** Sailors and Marines, stationed on the USS Guam LPH-9, killed 17 January, 1977, at Barcelona, Spain when their liberty launch collided with the Spanish freighter "Urlea". Twenty-five Sailors and Marines from the USS Trenton LPD-14 also lost their lives in this accident.
***Brian "Butch" Barlow died from a wound he received from a piece of shrapnel off a helicopter rotor blade. The accident happened during flight operations in heavy weather. When a helocopter pitched over, its rotors crashed into the deck, causing shrapnel to be thrown in all directions |
