Badge11
07-04-2002, 13:53
Although I did not know them well, I had the honor of serving with these two fine sailors. They are part of the Naval Law Enforcement Community and were serving in support of Operations Enduring Freedom/Noble Eagle.
Sailor dead, another missing in scuba-diving accident off Okinawa
By Mark Oliva and David Allen, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition
Thursday, Prefectural Police identified the dead sailor as Seaman Apprentice Daniel A. Dotta, 28. The missing sailor was identified as Seaman Apprentice Steven M. Mejie, 19. The third sailor, whose name has not been released, returned to the beach by himself about 2:30 p.m. and asked for assistance at a local resort. Nylander would not confirm the names and ranks of the sailors, pending notification of next of kin. According to police, Dotta was found floating face-down in the water and not breathing. He was rushed to Chubu hospital in nearby Gushikawa, where doctors pronounced him dead at 6:40 p.m. Police listed the cause of death as drowning. The three sailors were assigned to Commander of Fleet Activities on Kadena Air Base. Japanese search-and-rescue helicopters and small boats combed the surf around Ikei for Mejie until 9:30 p.m. The search resumed Wednesday morning. Okinawa weather forecasters said the area around Ikei Island, which is connected to Okinawa by a long bridge, had waves cresting up to 12 feet due to the approach of Typhoon Rammasun, which was predicted to pass about 200 miles southwest of Okinawa early Thursday. At the time of the incident, military bases on Okinawa had gone into Typhoon Condition 3, which meant winds exceeding 50 mph were expected within 48 hours, the sea condition was EW, meaning waves off the island’s east coast were being whipped up by winds exceeding 29 mph.
Eternal Father! strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Savior! whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amid its rage didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Sacred Spirit! who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
Who bad'st its angry tumult cease,
And gavest light and life and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
Sailor dead, another missing in scuba-diving accident off Okinawa
By Mark Oliva and David Allen, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition
Thursday, Prefectural Police identified the dead sailor as Seaman Apprentice Daniel A. Dotta, 28. The missing sailor was identified as Seaman Apprentice Steven M. Mejie, 19. The third sailor, whose name has not been released, returned to the beach by himself about 2:30 p.m. and asked for assistance at a local resort. Nylander would not confirm the names and ranks of the sailors, pending notification of next of kin. According to police, Dotta was found floating face-down in the water and not breathing. He was rushed to Chubu hospital in nearby Gushikawa, where doctors pronounced him dead at 6:40 p.m. Police listed the cause of death as drowning. The three sailors were assigned to Commander of Fleet Activities on Kadena Air Base. Japanese search-and-rescue helicopters and small boats combed the surf around Ikei for Mejie until 9:30 p.m. The search resumed Wednesday morning. Okinawa weather forecasters said the area around Ikei Island, which is connected to Okinawa by a long bridge, had waves cresting up to 12 feet due to the approach of Typhoon Rammasun, which was predicted to pass about 200 miles southwest of Okinawa early Thursday. At the time of the incident, military bases on Okinawa had gone into Typhoon Condition 3, which meant winds exceeding 50 mph were expected within 48 hours, the sea condition was EW, meaning waves off the island’s east coast were being whipped up by winds exceeding 29 mph.
Eternal Father! strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Savior! whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amid its rage didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Sacred Spirit! who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
Who bad'st its angry tumult cease,
And gavest light and life and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.