Fond memories of national anthem

One of my fondest memories as a young sailor was when my crew mates and I returned from a nine-month deployment to Southeast Asia.

Our home port was San Diego, however we made port in San Francisco for liberty. We were on an aircraft carrier and were all lined up on deck in dress whites. As we approached the Golden Gate Bridge, a huge American Flag was unrolled off the side of the bridge. The Navy band was on the bridge and struck up the national anthem. We all sprung to attention and cheered. We were all so glad to be home. Every time I hear The Star Spangled Banner, I think of that moment. The time I spent overseas on deployments made me appreciate the United States more.

This story was originally published October 10, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Fond memories of national anthem."