Commander Peter K. Nilsen,  the new Commander of the USS Cole is not a stranger to BND.  He is the former XO and enjoyed a visit here in August , 2011.  In fact, Commander Nilsen is looking forward to bringing his crew down here again to enjoy our BND hospitality.

“This morning I spoke to South Floridian and Pearl Harbor survivor, Abe Stein, who as a United States Army Staff Sergeant, witnessed the Japanese Naval attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack killed more than 2,400 Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, and injured 1,000 servicemembers, marking the beginning of World War II.

Yet, it is the actions of the American military in retaliation to this sneak attack – not the attack itself – that has defined this great nation. Americans everywhere banded together – men volunteered to join the military and women went to work in military supply factories – everyone doing their part for the war effort. Political leaders made hard choices they knew were imperative to the future of this nation. Never has there been a time in American history when this country was more united and focused, as it defended itself against Germany and Japanese totalitarianism.

As the son of a World War II Veteran, Pearl Harbor influenced my father, and thousands of others, to join the United States Military to serve their nation. The commitment of my father to our great nation also influenced me to follow in his footsteps and join the United States Army.

As the decades pass and those who served in World War II fade away, let today not only be a tribute to the sacrifice of lives lost, but also let it be a tribute to the undeniable American spirit and patriotism that is indicative of who we are as a nation.

Just as the USS Arizona still resting in Pearl Harbor today is a reminder of the sacrifice made by so many on this day in 1941, let the continued rise of leaking oil from the ship’s hull to the water’s surface be a reminder of the rising of courage exemplified in American exceptionalism.”

Port Everglades, Fla. — What John Zarli says most people don’t know about Dec. 7, 1941, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, was that Friday, Dec. 5 was Navy Payday.

“Most people don’t know that,” said the 89-year old former sailor. “That means most of the fleet had been out partying that weekend and weren’t in the best shape on Sunday morning.”

But, he guesses that the Japanese knew that quite well.

Zarli and an Army veteran of the attacks, Abe Stein, were honored at the Ft. Lauderdale Coast Guard Station on Dec. 4 in a ceremony held by the Coast Guard, the Navy League and the Broward County Navy Days.

The ceremony included dropping a wreath in the water to honor the XXX U.S. service members who died that day and a young Coast Guardsman playing taps on a bugle.

But the fact it was payday was how Zarli, a machinist’s mate and a submariner came to have the duty on Dec. 7th. It was he who was standing the quarderdeck watch on the small seaplane tender Swan when the attack started around just before 8am.

“I’d just made third class on Dec. 3 and as the most junior petty officer in the crew, I pulled the duty Saturday night — putting me on the quarterdeck watch on Sunday morning, Dec. 7.

Zarli wasn’t even supposed to be in Pearl Harbor that Sunday morning and he wasn’t a permanent part of the Swan’s crew. His real command — a diesel submarine had left on patrol nearly two months before and he’d been sick — too sick to accompany his shipmates.

“So I got stashed in various jobs — the first was as the engineer on an admiral’s barge where I got to meet Halsey and Nimitz among others — then it was on to the Swan.

But though his first taste of combat was onboard ship — that ship wasn’t in the water. Instead it was purched on a large marine railway car inside a drydock when the Japanese started dropping bombs all around.

As the watch, it was Zarli who saw the first Japanese bombs drop at 7:55 am and he immediately called away general quarters. Seconds later he heard from the gunners manning the ship’s two machine guns and two 3” mounts that they had no ammunition — it was locked up below for the weekend.

“I went below to the armory and found it locked up tight as a drum,” Zarli recalled “It had one of those very large Navy padlocks on it and whoever had the key was nowhere in site.”

It was decision time. Zarli said that padlocks in the Navy are sacred — you don’t go around breaking them off without a good reason.

But immediately he realized this was as good a reason as any. Across the passageway he found a found a fire axe with a broad blade on one side and a pointed pick on the other and grabbed it.

“My shipmates were warning me — ‘don’t do it, don’t break down that door — it’s a court martial offense’,” he said. “Somehow that didn’t bother me and I did what I had to do and got our gun crews the ammunition they needed — I’m still waiting for that court-martial.”

Zarli’s quick action got the Swan’s gunner’s working almost immediately — making them among the first to fire back at the Japanese aircraft at 8:05 am. At 187 feet long and 35 feet wide, the Swan was probably one of the smallest ships to fight back at the Japanese that Sunday morning, they made an impact nun the less.

“We did manage to shoot down a more than one airplane that day,” Zarli said.

Official Navy records confirm Zarli’s story — at least in part.

Here’s some excerpts from the official reports filed by the Pacific fleet and dated Dec. 11.

“The 3″ anti-aircraft battery opened fire at 0803,” the reports read. “Some 50 caliber fire only was heard at this time — after this no chronological log was possible.”

In the thick of the fighting, the report said, the gunners were spotting their own targets and firing away on their own because “targets were changing too rapidly for spotting,” the report said.

Meanwhile, Zarli and others were moving ammunition topside as quickly as possible, while the rest of the engineering gang prepared the ship to get back in the water

“One direct hit was obtained by the 3″ battery, and the plane crashed in flames, beyond the dry dock area,” ” as the report officially credits the Swan with it’s own kill burt as for Zarli’s claims they got more — it’s not so definitive.

“The ship was firing on two other planes that crashed, but it was impossible to determine which guns were effective,” the report said as it summed up the Swan’s participation.

The Swan didn’t take any hits and suffered no damage in the attack and was back in the water and underway quickly after the attack.

They did have one casualty, the report read as “the port 3″ gun pointer was injured slightly by machine gun fire,” though the report didn’t say whose fire it was.

“The entire crew showed exceptional calmness and courage throughout the action,” the reports summary said.

The newly minted 3rd Class machinist’s mate was soon back on duty onboard submarines and spent the rest of the war – “doing some good” in the Western Pacific taking the fight directly to the Japanese.

Zarli would make chief before the end of the war and left the service to get a degree in civil engineering before being called back to duty for two years during the Korean War.

“I did a total of eight years on active duty,” he said. “I didn’t do anything special, really — I did what I had to do at the time – we all did.”

Abe Stein, is the last know survivor of Pearl Harbor living in South Florida was honored on Sunday, December 4th at the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale in Dania. WLRN reporter Christ DiMattel interviewed Abe Stein which will air on Wednesday morning, December 7th. This will be the 70th anniversary of the surprise Japanese attack on the U. S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii that pushed the United States into World War II.

Admiral Roughead

Mary Anne Gray and Garry Murphy attended the Chief of Naval Operations Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Admiral Roughead was the 29th Chief of Naval Operations and was one of only two officers in Navy history to have commanded both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.  Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert became the 30th Chief of Naval Operations. His career was as a submariner and most recently was the Vice Chief of Naval Operations.  Both of these Admirals are good friends of Broward Navy Days and have attended Fleet Weeks here at Port Everglades. Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus gave the remarks and we were fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with him for a few minutes before he went back to Washington.

Admiral Greenert

The reception gave us  the opportunity to see and talk with many other friends of Broward Navy Days: Admiral Mike Mullen, Joint Chief of Staff, Admiral Vernon Clark, former CNO, Admiral Ted Carter who was with the USS Truman when we had the USO show on board the aircraft and he is now going to take over the Enterprize Battle Group, Admiral Vitali, Admiral Tony Kurta, Admiral Barry MxCullough, Admiral Dawson (Ret), Admiral Mike Malone (Ret), and Admiral Fallon (Ret).

The night before the Change of Command we sat with Admiral J. C. Harvey, Jr. , U. S. Commander,  U.S, Fleet Forces Command at dinner. For just a short 24 hour visit we were very honored to meet and greet so many friends.

4351 NE 12th Terrace

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Joe Millsaps Memorial Celebration

Hugh’s Catering

Guest Speaker Commander Kirk S. Lippold, USN, (Ret)

Commanding Officer of the USS Cole when under attack in Aden, Yemen

Hors d’oeuvres, wine included with Dinner (Cash Bar)

Dinner Sponsor Cliff Berry Incorporated

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Prior to the Center, she was in the high tech industry with Fortune 500 companies Computer Products, Inc.and Gould, Inc., Computer Systems Division where she traveled throughout the United States as Director of Contracts working with companies such as the Boeing Company, General Dynamics, Inc., Lockheed Martin and United Technologies.

Linda was recognized as a Florida Trend Magazine Trendsetter in 2007 and American Electronics Association’s High Tech Executive of the Year in 2005  She is a Gubernatorial Appointee having had the honor to serve under Governor Jeb Bush for two terms with Workforce Florida.  Linda is currently on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and serves as Member of the Board of Trustees.   She is on the Board of Governors for the Nova Huisenga School of Business, Member of the Executive Council of America Electronics Association, Chair of the Community Relations Council of Broward General Medical Center and an active member of the Advisory Board of Regent Bank. She recently completed a two-year term as President of the Tower Forum working with her Board of Directors to double its membership.

As Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors of the Wasie Foundation, Inc., Linda is proud of Wasie’s philanthropic activities in helping children with life threatening, chronic, terminal, or severely disabling medical conditions, cancer, arthritis and schizophrenia.

Her long-standing relationship with Broward Navy Days, Inc. has spanned approximately eight years in support of the men and women of the seagoing services.  Linda served on the Board of Directors in various positions including Treasurer, community relation’s projects, and fleet week activities.  As a Plank Owner of the USS Cole, she has traveled with the team to celebrate the many Sailors of the Year.  She is honored to again participate as a member of the Board of Directors of Broward Navy Days and to work with the team in fulfilling its mission.

Linda is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University and is a native Floridian.  She spends her leisure time reading, traveling, exercising and enjoying time with friends and family.

** Click to view pictures here  **

All Hands Party – Briny Pub, RiverWalk

Take a Hero Fishing

Dolphin Cheerleaders Visit USS Cole

BROWARD NAVY DAYS, INC. (BND) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit with a mission of supporting the morale, welfare, & recreation of our nation’s Navy, Coast Guard and Marines services. Fleet Week Port Everglades 2012 – presented by title sponsor Humana Military Healthcare Services – is South Florida’s occasion to honor and celebrate our Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen for their services to our country. Demonstrate your support for our active duty military and their families by supporting BND Fleet Week Port Everglades and our mission of honoring and celebrating these patriots. Join us in thanking men and women of the military through public events that entertain and recognize these heroes. Fleet Week’s magic is in the power of the partnership between our communities and the men and women who serve our nation in the naval services. These great young Americans felt a call to serve their country and are routinely sent to represent our nation, and to defend our strategic interests at great personal risk. Hours are long, pay is low, and physical hardships and family separations are part of the job. South Floridians feel a unique bond to these Sailors, Marines and Coastguardsmen, and hundreds turn out to demonstrate that support each year and to enjoy the fun and excitement of world-class special events.

• VIP Reception – Seminole Hard Rock & Casino

• “Roll Call” and EPOY Recognition – Seminole Hard Rock & Casino

• All Hands on Deck Welcoming Party – Seminole Hard Rock & Casino

• Damage Control Olympics – Resolve Marine Group

• Blood Drives – Red Cross

• Community Relations Projects – Local Schools, Hospitals, Churches, Civic Organizations

• Ships Tours – Special days for ROTC, Sea Cadets

• Salsa Dancing – Complimentary instruction for sailors – Presented by Dance for Your Health

• Chief Petty Officers’ Reception - Coral Ridge Yacht Club

• Junior Officers’ Party – Presented by Navy League

• MWR Intramural Athletic Tournament – Sponsors Needed

• Celebrity Chef Luncheon – Presented by local restaurants

• Ship Honorary Dinners – American Legion Posts 142, 222 & 304

• Submariners Reception – Wilton Manors Kiwanis Club

• Take a Hero Fishing Tournament – Local fisherman and yacht owners

• ESGR Luncheon – Presented by Kaplan University

• Galley Wars Competition – Hugh’s Culinary, Mercator Asset Management, CSX Group

• Int’l Emergency Response & Rescue Roundtable

• Dignitary Reception – Sponsors Needed

Your sponsorship will provide you unique contact with military families while providing behind-the-scenes access that can engage customers, clients and employees by leveraging the power of entertainment. As part of BND’s Corporate Circle, you will be able to provide your guests;

• Premium seats

• VIP privileges

• Pre-public ticket purchasing

• Company visibility

• “Gratitude” of the United States Armed Forces

• PLUS, additional benefits offered throughout the year…exclusively for BND Corporate Circle members!

For more information on sponsorship and corporate visibility programs please contact;

Jean-Sebastien Gros (954-684-0855) or Mary Anne Gray – Chairman (954-649-4777)