RNS Kursk Memorial and Information
Antey Class Submarine Kursk
May God be with the crew of the submarine Kursk and give them peace. We pray that the families of the crew receive comfort from his goodness and blessings. May God also bless and protect those who endeavor to recover the remains of the crew and grant us all peace.
Kursk Crew July 2000
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!
Lord God, our power evermore,
Whose arm doth reach the ocean floor,
Dive with our men beneath the sea;
Traverse the depths protectively.
O hear us when we pray, and keep
Them safe from peril in the deep.
Also, please visit Uri Dotan's site and say a prayer for all of our comrades on eternal patrol and for their families and friends.
Click for Uri Dotan's Prayer for the Kursk web page.
August 21, 2000
TO THE VALIANT WARRIORS OF THE KURSK
From the United States Navy Submarine Force and submariners around theworld…
Toe-to-toe, eye-to-eye we have faced each other under the silent seas. Unseen, unnoticed and unknown by most of our countrymen whom we were there to protect and defend. Once enemies, now only wary observers and today only brothers….
Only we, as few others can even begin to comprehend, know the full measure and extent of your sacrifice to your country as you went about your job. We know the isolation and loneliness you endured so that others might enjoy their families in peace. We know the years of children’s lives lost and lover’s arms unfilled. We know the unforgiving hostility of the environment in which you lived, equaled only by those who go into space, not for days or weeks but months on end. We, know the knowledge you carried with you every moment tucked neatly in a box in the corner of your mind, that you walked in the belly of a beast. A capricious beast who merely tolerated your presence. One that, at any moment, might decide to allow the most insignificant part of itself malfunction and devour you, as it has done. We, understand the unspoken fears and thoughts you carried with you of just such an eventuality. We, know the close camaraderie and bonding with your fellow shipmates, each there for the other – each dependent on the other to be the very best they could be, as you faced the dark, cold, silent crushing depths together. Few men ever have the privilege of knowing the spirit of that bonding.
From that brotherhood shared, through the long days of not knowing, we were with you perhaps not in body but certainly in mind and spirit. So it is on this day with thankfulness in the final knowledge, or at least the prayer, that all of you mercifully never even had the time to even realize your fate much less experience it, we accept the finality of your passing. There but for the grace of God walk any of us, so we stand in unison and salute you … our fallen brothers.
Now our thoughts and feelings turn to those who loved you and remain in this world without you. Our prayers ask to give them strength and solace for the pain and grief they are enduring.
We hope the lessons to be learned from your death and ultimate sacrifice will be seized upon, by all nations and especially by yours, and be taken to heart by those who can correct the causes and can prevent it from happening again so that your deaths will not be in vain and may someday keep other brothers from the same fate.
Nevertheless, with honor and respect we shall keep your memory alive, as we do for our own that are Forever On Patrol…….
Raymond (Rusty) W. Trent, Jr. MM2 (SS)
U.S.S. Thomas A. Edison SSBN 610 (G)
Contributions to the Families of Submariners Lost on Kursk
One method: There is a Submariners Club in St. Petersburg, but they require wiring money since mail is unreliable and checks and cash could be lost. Here is some information I received from Igor Kozyr:
Dear sisters and brothers,
Only another submariners knows that danger and sacrifice we take by
daring to go beneath the sea. And only submariners wives and sweethearts
knows that is to wait for us.
But at these day of tragedy we see that all barriers od differences and
transgressions ceased and we experienced a new dimension in our
mentality.
All churches around the world prayed for Submariners and their families
of the stricken Submarine "Kursk". We have never felt a human support in
the same scale.
Our special gratitude to national submariners associations in USA, UK,
Germany, France, Israel, Italy, Argentina and Chile, as also to the
Naval Attaches of USA and Great Britain. Our profound sorrow over the
loss of our brothers on board of Kursk we sharing with you all. And we
see among you Admiral Copart (France), Admiral Carol (USA), sub veterans
from USSN Triton and Nautilus, those who made first patrols under ice
and circumnavigation, captains and men, our old and new friends, who
took part in International Submariners Convention in May 2000 or visited
Saint Petersburg (Hi, brothers from Providence Club and crew of USSN
Halibut), sub veterans of the WWII and veterans of the cold war. Your
love and kindness, your compassion and solidarity reinforced our
strength against the pain of loss. It was very difficult and may be
really impossible to process all your messages coming through the
Internet. We told about and passed your messages in assistance with mass
media and our friends who serves in Vidiaevo and Severomorsk to the
families of the Kursk. We'll repeat it again on meeting with families
living in Saint Petersburg on September.
All Russian navies - former and present - are feeling pain and guilt for
what might have been done and shame as they face the people. I quess
that Admiral Popov became a first Admiral in the modern Russian history
who ask forgiveness standing alone opposite the Russian people in front
of TV camera.
Hope that this tragedy was the beginning of a new era of peace and
foresight between our countries and I see the same thoughts in your
messages.
Our submariners community understand responsibility regarding the
families of the Kursk crew. In cooperation with the officials from
Moscow, Saint Petersburg and others cities we started a company on
donation gathering. We see that we must take in account a submariners
community support, first of all. Donation which was announced in the
official declarations is about 1.5 thousand dollars to one family only. We'll take a trust for all kind of social support to widows and orphans. Hope that all our friends all over the world could assist us.
You can use our special account for Kursk's families.
Be sure, we are working only heart to heart with our trapped brothers
and sisters, because we are submariners too.
God bless you all
Chairman of the Submariners Club,
Captain 1st Rank (ret) Igor Kurdin
Liaison officer of the Submariners Club
Captain of 1st Rank (ret) Igor Kozyr and all members of the Submariners Club
Correspondent bank:
BANK OF NEW YORK
SWIFT: IRVT US 3N
Beneficiary bank:
INKASBANK, ST. PETERSBURG
SWIFT: INKS RU 2 P
ACCOUNT: 890-0260-963
Beneficiary:
40703840200029000028
SUBMARINERS CLUB, SAINT PETERSBURG
LINIA 9, 50, V.O.
ST. PETERSBURG
(DONATION TO THE KURSK CREW FAMILIES- DOBROVOLNIY BEZVOZMEZDNIY VZNOS NA BLAGOTVORITELNIE TSELY, PRODAZE NE PODLEZIT)
Another method: I called the Greek Orthodox Church in Rockford, about 15 miles from my home here in Byron, Illinois, and spoke to the Reverand John Artemis. The Greek and Russian Churches are somewhat affiliated and he told me how to get donations to them. The Russian Orthodox Church in America is now called the Orthodox Church in America (I guess the attempt here is to make it less ethnically titled and attract non-Russians). Rev. Artemis told me that contributions could be sent to this church to with specific directions with the donation as to how it should be used. The point of contact he recommended is (with proper address and title):
His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius
Orthodox Church in America
PO Box 675
Syosset, NY 11791
Still another method: Local Orthodox Churches in your area may also have funds set up to do this. You may want to check with them. Personally, I am a Lutheran. It is heartening that when situations arise like this that political and religious boundaries blur and we commune as humans to serve the common good of God's creatures in need. I have posted this information on my website and forwarded this to everyone I know so that they may also donate to the families of the men who died. I hope you will do the same.
Some more methods: The Moscow Times also has a page on how to contribute:
The Moscow Times Kursk Donation Web Link
Kursk Submarine Badge
(from a Series of Russian Submarine Badges)
