Sailors Respond to Long Letter of Support

The crew of the San Diego-based warship that shot down an Iranian airliner in the Persian Gulf responded in kind Thursday to a supportive message from 10,000 San Diegans.

Capt. Will Rogers III and 103 sailors aboard the guided missile cruiser Vincennes, which on Wednesday received the 1,000-foot-long letter assembled by Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego), cabled San Diego with brief statements of thanks and surprise.

The sailors’ quotes ranged from the likes of “This is freedom, this is America,” to the more mundane “I wonder who Shawn is, she writes cute,” and “Are there any phone numbers?”

On July 3, the Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655 after mistaking it for a fighter plane when it refused to identify itself, U.S. officials have said. All 290 people aboard the Airbus were killed. The incident is under investigation by the Navy.

Lowery, who was unavailable for comment Thursday, has described the original message as a show of support and understanding for the men involved in an episode he called “tragic, a mistake.”

Other responses from the crew included:

“I’ve been in this Navy for 18 years and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“The support is appreciated.”

“They aren’t kidding, are they?”

“This is worth getting shot at.”

“Only in San Diego can you find support like this.”