A true story written by me (Peg), June 1992 TRIBUTE TO THE USS WVA - SSBN 736 AND ITS CREW

It was a typical July evening storm in Orlando, FL. Electric raindrops angles past my car window as I sat patiently waiting for my friend to finish her shopping at the K-Mart on Orange Blossom Trail. I hardly noticed the small red car that pulled in beside me as I strained to see through the iridescent droplets, hoping to spot my friend. I watched as several people hurriedly passed the back of my car, jumping across the puddles on the warm pavement. Suddenly, someone was tapping on my side window! A tall slim man holding the hand of a shy young boy was pointing at his hat grinning as the rain softly drowned the both of them. Of course I wondered what he wanted, a little scared for my safety. West Virginian's don't trust easily and this gal was a thousand miles from home. Reluctantly, I lowered my window enough to hear his shouts. "West Virginia," he shouted above the noise of the wipers and the pelting rain. "West Virginia!," he was shouting. "You're from West Virginia!" "Yes, yes," I finally responded as I realized he was pointing at the white West Virginia lettering on his dark hat. He explained that he was serving aboard the USS West Virginia, which as stationed in Kings Bay, Georgia and he and his family were in Florida visiting Disney World. Upon seeing my West Virginia license plate, he came back in the rain just to tell me he loved meeting people from West Virginia and felt a connection since he was serving on a submarine that represented our state. His eyes gleamed through the drenching water as he spoke fondly of my state as if it were some rare jewel. I searched frantically for some morsel of exchange to serve as a momentary souvenir of our meeting. He finally settled for a window sticker from Marshall University that he peeled from my back window. His young son watched patiently as I handed his father an umbrella while he wrote his name and address aboard the ship. He ask if I would write to him as he pointed to the West Virginia T-shirt his son was wearing. "The state of West Virginia has been wonderful to me and my family," he spoke softly looking up from the umbrella. I smiled back. We exchanged damp, limp pieces of water soaked paper bearing our addressed. We parted, promising to exchange letters and I promised to send him another West Virginia Hat. PRIDE. West Virginia pride. That is what oozed from this gentle man who had never stood atop her mountains, drove her winding country roads, watched her mountains burn with red, orange and yellow in the Fall of the year, nor played in her streams as a child. As he walked away in the rain my own flood burned softly down my cheeks and an Appalachian mountain swelled within my heart. I could not forget this fellowman and his simple honest expression of pride for my homeland. His pride made me realize I was longing for a piece of the Earth that I had taken for granted all my life. I cringed as I passed wrecks along the highways of busy Florida. Helicopters and planes circled constantly reporting on local radio stations the most convenient paths to travel among the mazes of vehicles. I could not find anything man-made in the area to love, except the ocean itself. The people are wonderful though (and I suspect a great many of them are from West Virginia). I longed to hear the "locals" exchanging idle chatter at the McDonalds, the simple sight of a rock lying on the side of the road, the beautiful trees and plants, soft grass and the rolling green summits framing my horizons. Just a few days after my encounter with my friend, I shouted for joy and shed a few more tears as I passed the familiar exit signs. I came back home to West Virginia. I'm quite sure the reason for our meeting was to guide this silly girl back to West Virginia. I kept my promise to Greg Campbell and sent him his hat and he returned my letters with pictures and stickers of the vessel. Its been several years since our meeting, but I still like to think someday we will say hello again upon West Virginia soil. I would like that. The USS West Virginia is the eleventh Trident submarine and the 3rd Trident submarine to be fitted with the Trident II D-5 missile system. It is homeported at Kings Bay, Georgia. With its increased range and advanced sonar and fire control systems the West Virginia is considered to be the most modern and survivable strategic deterrent in the world. It was built by General Dynamics Electric Board Division and was cristened on October 16, 1989 by Erma O. Byrd in honor of the state of West Virginia. I would like to pay tribute to the crew and especially to Greg Campbell, wherever he is. Montani Semper Liberi, which means Mountaineers are always free, but I like to think they are more so upon that sweet West Virginia soil!