JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A ceremony at the Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville will mark the 30th anniversary of a missile strike that killed 37 sailors on the USS Stark.
The frigate was on patrol in the Arabian Gulf when it was struck by two Iraqi Exocet missiles on May 17, 1987. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mayport's memorial park, which was established months after the attack with the dedication of the USS Stark Monument.
The Florida Times-Union reports efforts by the crew kept the severely damaged ship from sinking. It was decommissioned in 1999.
Family members of those who died and people who were part of the ship's crew return to the base each year to pay their respects.
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Information from: The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com
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