Carolyn's Blessing 4

----- Forwarded message -----
From: Carolyn & Everett McEachern
ourfarm2@myfairpoint.net


Carolyn's Blessing 4

YOU ARE MINE
By Elder Richard Carlson

I was stationed aboard the USS LIBERTY (AGTR-5) in 1966 and 1967 when we were attacked by air and sea forces. My job was deeply classified and even today, I can not talk about it. As we say – neither confirm nor deny. The USS LIBERTY incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship, by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats, on 8 June 1967, during the Six-Day War. The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two marines, and one civilian), wounded 171 crew members, and severely damaged the ship. At the time, the ship was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25.5 nmi (29.3 mi; 47.2 km) northwest from the Egyptian city of Arish. Israel apologized for the attack, saying that the USS LIBERTY had been attacked in error after being mistaken for an Egyptian ship. Both the Israeli and U.S. governments conducted inquiries and issued reports that concluded the attack was a mistake due to Israeli confusion about the ship's identity. Others, including survivors of the attack, have rejected these conclusions and maintain that the attack was deliberate. In May 1968, the Israeli government paid US$3.32 million (equivalent to US$24.4 million in 2019) to the U.S. government in compensation for the families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March 1969, Israel paid a further $3.57 million ($24.9 million in 2019) to the men who had been wounded. In December 1980, it agreed to pay $6 million ($18.6 million in 2019) as the final settlement for material damage to Liberty itself plus 13 years of interest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident

During the attack, I was on the highest level on the ship standing by the searchlights watching the bombing by foreign jet aircraft at something on land, when the first wave of jets came in and sprayed the area and bridge with rockets. The intent was to destroy the ship and sink it with everyone on it. They failed in that the ship did not sink. The ship was rescued the next day by the 6th Fleet and later escorted to Malta for repairs after which it sailed home to Norfolk, Virginia. It had over 800 holes in it not including the large hole made by the torpedo. I had received leg and head shrapnel wounds and was evac’d the next morning following the attack by hello with all of the other wounded to the aircraft carrier USS AMERICA for further treatment at the Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy where shrapnel was removed. Eight days later, I boarded a Med-Evac flight and flew to an Army hospital in Frankfort Rhine-Main, Germany, then an overnight stay at a temporary hospital at Andrews AFB, Maryland and finally to the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia for recovery.

I had plenty of time to think about what had happened, and why I was still alive. I had been in the direct line of fire of the jets, yet all I received was shrapnel. When I ran down the ladders and down the port side to an unlocked hatchway to get inside the ship, I was wounded and bleeding, yet I didn’t feel anything when jets strafed the ship. I remember being terrified and falling to the deck and hugging the wall. I made it to my General Quarters station which was 2 levels below the main deck. Here a United States Marine gave first aid to staunch the flow of blood from my leg and head. During the first aid, word was passed to bring all wounded to the mess decks, up one level, but still one level below the main deck. I was carried there.

While lying on the table with others who were severely wounded, torpedo boats arrived and launched 5 torpedoes. Four missed and one hit the compartment from which I had just been removed, killing every one in there.

Three times it seemed, my life was spared. I’ve often considered that moment when I’m tempted to take a wrong path in life.

Elder Paul Dillon of the RLDS church in Portsmouth, VA came to visit me often in the hospital while I recovered. He and his family were about to leave for Deer Park in Pennsylvania for a RLDS family weekend. I wanted to ask for baptism, but I didn’t want to ruin his weekend. We talked at length. The Spirit encouraged me to speak and so I said, “Paul – when you return, I want to be baptized before anything else happens to me.” We had tears in our eyes. I wanted to “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” as Peter had declared.

A few days later, I asked to leave the hospital to be baptized into the church my wife Merlene was a member of. The surgeon told me, “Dick – if you can walk to the end of this long room and back without holding on to anything or anyone, you can go.” I struggled to walk. It took every ounce of strength and determination to make that long walk. I sensed that I was walking toward something that was more profound and meaningful than anything I had ever experienced in my life.

The baptismal service began at 1900 in the RLDS church in Portsmouth. The font was recessed in the floor. Elder Dillon (Paul) beckoned me to approach the font. I was wearing my white trousers. My leg was wrapped in plastic and sealed with tape so that blood would not seep out. I remember standing at the top of the font, looking down at Paul. He held up his hand while I carefully took each step to join him in the waters.

He looked at me and said, “Dick – are you ready?” I replied that I was. He spoke saying “Richard – Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” and lowered me into the water and that’s when I experienced something that guides me even this day.

I heard a strong, kind voice, or sensed that voice, in my head, sternly proclaiming, “Richard. You are Mine.” And then, with my eyes open while under water for that brief moment, I ‘saw’ unimaginable colorful lights that even today, I cannot even begin to describe them. They were NOT of the rainbow. It was as if the veil was parted a little and I had a glimpse of what lay ahead for us when we join Him in heaven. Later, I asked Paul about the “lights in the font”. He looked at me and said, “There are no lights in the font. What did you see? I told him and again, tears fell. “You heard and saw something that few witness. It’s pretty obvious that you have a work to do.” I’m writing this now and tears are falling. But the voice – it was so beautiful! It was a voice with authority, yet comforting. I close my eyes and listen even now – I can hear that voice. “You are Mine!”

Why would the Lord say this to me? What did I do to deserve this? I’m no one special. I don’t have answers except a testimony that was given by Leona Bowden, my wife’s mother. Leona was very susceptible to the urgings of the Spirit. It woke her up one night and told her to “Pray for Richard. He’s at the bottom of a ship and in danger.” (I was more or less in the bottom of the ship 3 levels below the main deck at the time being cared for by a Marine following and during the attack. That room was destroyed and everyone died when the torpedo hit.) She did. She sat at the kitchen table and prayed the rest of the night. NO ONE knew where we were. The ship was in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and ordered to proceed immediately to a location near the Suez Canal in the Mediterranean, stopping first in Spain to pick up my personnel and supplies then proceed to our area of operations. There was no time to write letters. No one knew. Yet Leona was asked to pray for me that early morning. And she did.

I’ve attempted to live my life as I would hope would be pleasing to our Lord. I often stray, but managed to find my way back quickly. I’ll never forget Him telling me that I belonged to Him, and that it was HE who saved me that fateful day in June 1967. Apparently I had and still have work to do. I often wonder………. Did I have a small glimpse of paradise? I’d like to think I did, but that would presumptuous of me I suppose. Still…………… I wonder……… Praise God.