2 May 2007

Compiled & Edited by:

Leslie Gray

On Thursday, March 22nd, the ASYMCA and

the Cara Knott Foundation dedicated a
memorial oak tree in memory of the sailors
who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on
the USS Cole at the San Diego Crime Victims’
Oak Garden in Poway. Our Military Volunteer
Program provided the manpower to prepare
the site. This Snapshot reveals both the
build-up and the emotionally charged
ceremony that ensued.
 The wine was originally purchased in Slovenia. Commander
Peterschmidt had quite a lot of it, bust almost all of it was
destroyed during the blast. Only a single bottle had
survived and he had been saving it for a special
occasion. Commander Peterschmidt poured a glass of the
wine, and gave it to Chief Justin Crowe, another survivor of
the Cole attack. Chief Crowe was an MA1 at the time of the
attack. CDR Peterschmidt told a beautiful story - to fully
appreciate it you have to understand how passionate sailors
are about keeping their ships “clean”. Once the wounded
had been treated, and once the bodies had been removed
and the chaos had dissipated, Crowe took charge of
“cleaning out” his ship. He went through the blast area and
slowly began identifying things that did not belong with the
ship. He collected small pieces of metal, fabric, or anything
else that seemed out of place. During the criminal
investigation, the material he collected became evidence,
and was ultimately used to convict the terrorists who had a
hand in facilitating the attack. CDR Peterschmidt gave the
glass of wine from the surviving bottle to Chief Crowe; he
followed last in line behind the stone bearers. Once the
stone bearers had completed the circle, Chief Crowe waited
for his Commander to join him in line. They stepped into
the circle and poured the wine into the soil, making it a
permanent part of the memorial. The remainder of the
bottle of wine was then poured over all of the rocks. They
are now permanently stained by the red wine that once was
part of the USS Cole.

The San Diego Armed Services YMCA and the Military Volunteer Program would like to thank the
following individuals and organizations for their participation in the planning, preparation, and
dedication of this memorial oak tree in honor of the sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice in
defending our country aboard the USS Cole:

CDR James C. Peterschmidt Survivors of Violent Loss Program

Commanding Officer, USS Pinckney
Cara Knott Foundation
Joyce Knott, Mother of Cara Knott
San Diego Crime Victims Oak Garden
Chief Justin Crowe
 By SSGT Trylonda Keller
I transferred from MCAS
Cherry Point in Havelock, NC to
MCAS Miramar in March of 2004.
One of my friends, Sgt Reginald
Davis was showing me around San
Diego. While driving down Interstate 15 South, we drove past the Scripps Poway/Mercy Road Exit and he told me the
story of a girl whose body was found on Mercy Road - she had been murdered by a CHP Officer. The story hurt my
heart. He couldn’t remember what her name was but from then on, every time that I drove past that exit, I would say a
prayer for her. I would just ask the Lord to allow her soul to be at rest.
Three years later, I was at work, and my Sergeant Major asked me to find a Marine to participate in a dedication
for the Sailors who were killed on board the USS Cole. So in an instant, I volunteered.
The morning of the ceremony, I passed that horrible spot and I said my prayer as usual. I got to Cara Way,
but nothing hit me yet. I met up with some of the Sailors and Marines, along with Rebecca. It was not until she began
to tell us the story of the Garden, and Cara Knott, that the light bulb in my head finally turned on.
I finally realized that the woman I never knew but prayed for every day for the last three years, was the woman
whose death had started this all. She was the reason I was there today. I felt this feeling come over me that was so
overwhelming. It was a feeling of peace, a feeling of sadness, and so many mixed feelings for Cara, her family, and
now the Sailors from the USS Cole as well.
Rebecca asked us to come and look at the stones, and I immediately picked out the stone bearing the name of
Seaman Recruit Lakiba Nicole Palmer, a native of San Diego. I felt that I had to carry her stone.
I saw a family walk up. I soon found out that it was the Palmer Family. This too, took its toll on me. Not only
was I in a Memorial Garden for a woman who I prayed for every day, now I was meeting the family of yet another
murdered woman.
After the ceremony, I found Rebecca, and thanked her for allowing me to participate. I explained to her that I
was part of the Miramar Single Marine Program Volunteer Program and that I was interested in becoming involved.
Then I simply left. As I was driving home, I said my prayers,
now for both Cara and Lakiba, and went on my way.
Once I got home, I took the time to relax and reflect on
everything that had happened to me on this day - a day that I
will never forget. I thought of how everything now fit together
and how weird it was...how Cara's death had opened my eyes
and heart up to Lakiba’s death and tied it all together.
I went to work, contacted Johanna Jones and Lance Corporal
Kayla Nelson, the Volunteer Coordinators for SMP and told them
my story. We have now made connections and are working to
set up dates to come to the Garden and help to keep it alive.
Although the events from both days, 28 December 1986
and 12 October 2000 were sad and terrible, I will never forget
those days for the rest of my life. Cara and Lakiba are both a
part of my life and always will be.
 HT2 Kenneth Clodfelter

ETC (SW) Richard Costelow

MSSN Lakeina Francis

ITSN Timothy Gauna

SMSN Cherone Gunn

ITSN James McDaniels

EN2 (SW) Marc Nieto

EW2 Ronald Owens

SN Lakiba Palmer

ENFN Joshua Parlett

FN Patrick Roy

EW1 Kevin Rux

MS3 Ronchester Santiago

0S2 (SW) Timothy Saunders

FN Gary Swenchonis, Jr.

LTJG Andrew Triplett

SN Craig Wibberly

“Our growth, our purposefulness, our determination is built on the memory of sacrifice and those who paid the ultimate price.”
CDR Peterschmidt, 22 March 2007