USS Cole Memorial

On October 12, 2001, just one year after the attack, the USS Cole dedication ceremony was held at Naval Station in Norfolk, VA. The memorial honors the 17 sailors who lost their lives and the crew for their heroic actions to save the ship. It was funded by the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and designed in large part by USS Cole crew members. The memorial is a gift of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society to the navy.

The Three Central Pillars

These are the 3 central pillars of the memorial. The middle one reads, "IN LASTING TRIBUTE TO THEIR HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT." Of the two outer pillars, the one on the left has 9 names and the one on the right has 8 names, totaling in the 17 names and ranks of the people who were killed on October 12, 2000.

Determined Warrior; Events of that Day

At 1118 on the morning of October 12, 2000, as USS COLE (DDG 67) was refueling in Aden Harbor, Yemen, suicide bombers detonated an explosive-laden boat directly against the port side of the ship. The resulting blast killed 17 sailors, wounded 37 others, and tore a hole forty by sixty feet in the ship’s hull. In the aftermath of the explosion, the crew of USS COLE fought tirelessly to free shipmates trapped by the twisted wreckage and limit flooding that threatened to sink their ship. The crew’s prompt actions to isolate damaged electrical systems and contain fuel oil ruptures prevented catastrophic fires that could have engulfed the ship and cost the lives of countless men and women. Skillful first aid and advanced medical treatment applied by the crew prevented additional death and eased the suffering of many others. Drawing upon their Navy training and discipline, the crew heroically conducted more than 96 hours of sustained damage control in conditions of extreme heat and stress. Deprived of sleep, food and shelter, they vigilantly battled to preserve a secure perimeter and restore stability to engineering systems that were vital to the ship’s survival. As a permanent symbol of the strength and resolve, steel from the ship’s damaged hull is forged into this plaque. By their sacrifice and braver in the face of daunting adversity, the crew of USS COLE personified Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

DEDICATED OCTOBER 12, 2001

Plaque of Dedication

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

USS COLE (DDG 67)

12 OCTOBER 2000

You will forever be in our thoughts, our memories never forgotten, you will live on in out hearts, and may this tree temind every ship rolling by, of your sacrifice.

This plaque is under a tree that is on the ocean in the memorial as a constant reminder to all ships and people that pass of the day, October 12, that the USS Cole was attacked.