USS Pittsburgh - welcome home boys!

[stlrtruck]

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=6e4...1-68c7c40cfaa9

Groton - Sonar Chief Art Harley brings his “Terrible Towel” on deployments so he can take a photograph with it at every port.

During his most recent deployment on the USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720), Harley learned the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to the Super Bowl, so he began collaborating with the other Steelers fans on board to do something special to commemorate the occasion.



Using Harley's Terrible Towel- the yellow-and-black rallying flag of the Pittsburgh Steelers- as a model, the crew members made their own Terrible Towel out of yellow nylon, which is used onboard during drills, and wrote on it with black marker.

It flew from the sail Wednesday as the Pittsburgh, a Los Angeles-class submarine, pulled into the Naval Submarine Base after a six-month deployment.

These Steelers fans have missed just about all of the games this season since the submarine does not have the technology to allow them to watch television underway.

They heard the score from the Super Bowl over the submarine's radio.

Even some of the officers and sailors who typically root for other teams had been cheering for the Steelers since they serve on the Pittsburgh, including the ship's commanding officer, Cmdr. Andrew Jarrett.

Jarrett, of Gales Ferry, is a former Dallas Cowboys fan who started following the New England Patriots when he moved to Connecticut.

Enthusiasm for the Steelers spread to some of the crew's relatives, like David Alling, whose son-in-law is Lt. Erick Hill.

Dressed in a New York Giants jacket and Red Sox hat for the homecoming, Alling said he would have rather seen the Giants in the big game, but he did “pull for Pittsburgh.”

”But I will see the Red Sox win this year against the Evil Empire and that will make it a good year for me,” said Alling, of Bristol.

The Terrible Towel is headed to Harley's home in Groton, where he has a roomful of Steelers memorabilia.

Harley, who grew up outside of Pittsburgh, in Apollo, Pa., has rooted for the Steelers since he was a child.

He has served in the Navy for more than 20 years and plans to retire soon.

”I figure this is the perfect place,” he said. “I started off in the Navy in Pittsburgh and I'll end on Pittsburgh.”

[markymarc]

Now that is a cool story and thanks for sharing.

[kittenfantastico76]

LOVE IT!

[mesaSteeler]

Very cool. All hail the Silent Service.

[TheWarDen86]

Thanks, that was a great story.

[steelersfanman92]

That is a really good artical thanks

[SteelersMongol]

Does anybody have a decent pic of this sub? Boy I would love to have a mini model of it at home.