Alex Thomas
The streets around the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan were lined with people on Tuesday who came to pay their respects to the seven sailors who perished on the USS Fitzgerald when the ship collided with a cargo vessel off the coast of Japan. The crash, which occurred on June 17, has raised scrutiny about the methods and warning signals practiced by the Navy and spawned a number of investigations.
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Yokosuka was enveloped in a somber air on the street as the group of buses carrying friends and family members of the deceased sailors. The buses traveled to the Fleet Theater where a memorial service was held for the men. In the days following the crash, their bodies were recovered by a team of divers. A statement by the Navy stated that more than 2,000 people were lined along the streets, and the theater was filled to capacity and closed to the media.
The seven deceased sailors included,
Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, from Halethorpe, Maryland
Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from San Diego
Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T Truong Huynh, 25, from Oakville, Connecticut
Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, Texas
Gunner’s Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, Virginia
Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23, from Chula Vista, California
Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37, from Elyria, Ohio
The USS Fitzgerald is currently docked and undergoing assessments. It will be shipped back to the United States to receive repairs.
