USS Rodney M. Davis: Ship Where I Became a Conservative

This past Friday, I published a piece detailing how my former ship, the frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60), was used as a target for Canadian, American, Australian, and Malaysian missiles during RIMPAC, a multinational military exercise. When stationed aboard, I would have gladly volunteered her for such a fiery demolition immediately — no more cleaning stations, no more RHIB maintenance.

But now, as an old man of 28 who recognizes how vital his time aboard was to his personal development, it hurt deeply to see the Davis manfully, yet in vain, shrug off bombs and missiles as the smoke gathered around it, a hulk striving to avoid its predetermined grave thousands of fathoms below. Only eight years ago, the Davis was a RIMPAC participant; we may have broken down and limped back to port, but by gum, we were in formation for the photo shoot.

About the Author

Luther Ray Abel

Luther Ray Abel is an Associate Editor for National Review. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Luther is a proud native of Sheboygan, Wis.

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This past Friday, I published a piece detailing how my former ship, the frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60), was used as a target for Canadian, American, Australian, and Malaysian missiles during RIMPAC, a multinational military exercise. When stationed aboard, I would have gladly volunteered her for such a fiery demolition immediately — no more cleaning stations, no more RHIB maintenance.

But now, as an old man of 28 who recognizes how vital his time aboard was to his personal development, it hurt deeply to see the Davis manfully, yet in vain, shrug off bombs and missiles as the smoke gathered around it, a hulk striving to avoid its predetermined grave thousands of fathoms below. Only eight years ago, the Davis was a RIMPAC participant; we may have broken down and limped back to port, but by gum, we were in formation for the photo shoot.