Levittown is home to many veterans – one of whom is my grandfather, Dennis Flanagan.
Flanagan, now retired, went to college at Villanova, where he was part of the ROTC. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the USS Randolph CVS15 where he served his active term.
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Flanagan remembers one instance where, while 300 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina, where the Randolph was refueling a destroyer. The carrier collided with a Liberian Tanker. “There was fire all over, there was fuel down below (deck) which could have exploded.”
Flanagan actively served from 1961 until 1963 on the USS Randolph . For the majority of the time, the Randolph was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. However, during the Cuban Missile crisis, the Randolph moved to the blockade.
Flanagan was a Registered Publications Officer as well as a Signal Officer. He was in charge of all classified publications and codes, as well as being in charge of intership communication.
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“The whole country was unsure. Nobody knew what was going to happen,” reflected Flanagan. “No one was sure what the Soviet response would be,” he noted.
The weight of the situation was not lost on any of the men on the ships; “It was a very important part of the cold war. If Russia succeeded, it would have affected the strategic balance,” Flanagan noted.
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Flanagan described his time dealing in the Cuban Missile Crisis as “the most important part of my naval career.”
After the crisis, the Randolph returned to Norfolk.
While he served actively, Flanagan also later served 30 years with the Veteran’s Association.
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“Its fitting that Veteran’s Day is on the day that ended World War I, the ‘war to end all wars,’” Flanagan said, explaining the importance the date has for him.
“We have Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day, and the number of parades and celebrations is huge. I’m very proud of the honor bestowed upon the men and women who serve our country.”
