For Our Veterans on Veteran’s Day!

For those who served then and those who serve today  – happy Veteran’s Day! Thank you for your service and sacrifice!

Last Sunday at church a hymn kept playing in my husband’s head, one that he hadn’t thought of for a long time – Eternal Father, Strong to Save. It was written by William Whiting, an Englishman born in 1825, and was first published in Hymns Ancient and Modern in 1861. It’s also known as the “Navy Hymn” and is sung at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and aboard Royal Navy (UK) ships. It was sung at President Franklin Roosevelt’s funeral, and the Navy Band played it as President John F. Kennedy’s casket was carried up the steps of the U.S. Capitol for his body to lie in state. Here are the original words of three of the first four verses. Many stanzas have since been added, for each of the branches of service, and I’ve included one written in 1915 by Mary C.D. Hamilton. My mom was an Aviation Machinist’s Mate in the Navy before she married my dad. My father and father-in-law – both 93 years-old! – are career Navy veterans of WWII and the Korean War. My husband is a career Navy veteran and served two tours of duty in Vietnam flying fighter jets off the USS Kitty Hawk. Hope you enjoy the hymn and pictures below!

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked’st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea!

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces in the sky.
Be with them always in the air,
In darkening storms or sunlight fair;
Oh, hear us when we lift our prayer,
For those in peril in the air! (added 1915)

My dad, Lt. Howard Worley, landing his AF on the 45,000 landing on the USS Wright, 1953

My dad’s cake cutting ceremony for the 45,000 landing

My mom, Helen Horton

Howard and Helen Jean Worley

CDR TV DeMarino, Sr., with Tom’s mom pinning on his new rank

My husband, CDR Tom DeMarino, Jr

Tom, Jr’s A7, hook down

Tom. Jr’s A7 in the wires