USS Stark Memorial: 30 years since deadly missile strike

Exactly 30 years ago Wednesday, the USS Stark’s crew worked to save their ship after it was hit by missiles.

One by one, Naval Station Mayport honored the 37 sailors who were killed aboard the guided-missile frigate.

"We love them. We love their family. We love their kids – we were all kids at that time," said Armando Asencio, who was on the fleet when two Iraqi missiles struck the USS Stark during the Iran-Iraq conflict.

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"I was inside the compartment where the missiles came through. I was lucky the first one didn't explode, so I was able to escape the back door," Asencio said.

The 1987 crew gets together each year to honor their close friends who were lost at sea.

It was "hard work to keep the ship afloat and for us to make it here. Thirty some hours fighting fires. It was hard," Asencio said.

Young and old sailors united. Many were emotional as they remembered the great sacrifice these sailors gave for our country to ensure its freedoms.

"It's hard to do this. Time didn't move for us. It was nice to see the families yesterday (of) those who didn't make it," Asencio said.

Many sailors said the ceremony is about never forgetting the people they served alongside.

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