In Memory of Peter C. Craig

Peter C. Craig, Rota Spain, photo credit to: Donna Kay Coulson, courtesy of J.P. Holloway

9-2-2009  Site updated with a new memory

FUNERAL INFORMATION:    DONATIONS TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ARE PREFERRED

Peter's Final Resting Place is:

Color guard and taps were graciously provided by a Vets Group.

We were also honored to have Sean Cummings Playing The Pipes for Peter:

(For those of you who know Tami, she'd be touched by a call.) 

The clan  gathered to honor a fallen brother.  AS IT SHOULD BE.

This page is dedicated to the memory of my sea-daddy, Peter C. Craig.  I'm Joe Courtemanche and I served with Pete in Rota during the 1980's, and that's the last you'll hear of my name here, except to say that if you have an urge to contact me with stuff about Pete, the links are at the bottom of the page.

Peter committed suicide on April 28th, 2006.  He left behind a wife & child, hundreds of friends, thousands of shipmates, and  a nation that owes him much for his service.  But, as we all know, spooks don't usually take the limelight and he will be on eternal patrol with only our memories to light his way.

Consequently, this page is dedicated to good memories of Pete.  If you've got a great sea-story (please make sure it's unclassified), a story of a drunken debauch that ended well, or just a tear you want to share with your brothers and sisters, please do so below.  Just email your photographs (small file size, please), memories, mp3 files (if you'd like to do an oral memory) and/or anything else that helps remember Pete.  His son Brenden will be thankful for some good stuff about his dad.  And, I know his wife Tami will appreciate it as well. 

The memories rules are simple:  email them to me and they'll be posted in their entirety.  I will only edit them if there's something really wrong with them (And, as CTs we all know how low that bar is set, so as long as it's not outrageously hurtful it will get posted.  I will not edit for language, we're all spooks here.)

Please say a prayer for our shipmate. 

EDITORIAL -  I've consistently heard one thing over and over from the respondents:  I loved Pete.  This, coming from some very tough, tested and savvy operators who have risked life and limb time and time again.  But each one wanted to keep it private that they felt this way, and that they had cried hard when they got the news. 

Well, I'll lead the parade... my eyes are red, my head aches and I couldn't ever drink enough fluids to replace the tears I've shed for my friend Peter.  You are not alone.  This was a man loved by many.  (in a DIRSUP sort of way, of course)

I've taken the liberty of editing Peter's final email below.  If nothing else, he wrote one hell of an obituary.  I have changed very little except one spelling error , one omission, and one statement that would be hurtful.  The Pete I knew would want it that way. 

This is the obituary that ran in the local papers around Reno on May 6 & 7.  Tami, thanks for providing it.    

 Peter C. Craig passed away on Friday April 28, 2006 in his Sun Valley home. He was born on November 21, 1952 to John Gallagher Craig (1911-1993) and Louise Webster (1919-1983) in Iowa City, Iowa. Pete was the middle child of 3 boys. Older brother Paul Sutherland Craig (1941-2004) and younger brother John Oliver Craig.

     Pete loved learning and was so intelligent that it was sometimes overwhelming to some of us. He loved different languages and was fluent in 7 languages and knew a little of a couple other languages. He was always willing to share his knowledge with anyone who was willing to listen and put it to use. He also loved running and racing. Pete completed 2 marathons, 2 sprint triathlons, a 15k and many 10-k and 5-k races.

     Pete was able to travel the world that he loved so dearly while in the U.S. Navy. Retiring after 20 heart-felt years of service for our country in 1995.

     Although Pete lived in Iowa, New England, Oregon, California, and other various places in the United States and Europe. He moved to the Reno area in 1998 with his wife and son.

     Pete is survived by his wife Tami, son Brenden, brother John Oliver Craig of Eugene, Oregon, an Aunt in CT., numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends and loved ones.                                                      

   MEMORIES

PETE SKALSKI has provided us with some pictures of Pete Craig.  I apologize that I messed up his slide show, but here's the link to the pages:

Peter we will miss you

and, here are some pictures from Tami, and Pete's brother John of happier times

and, some pictures from other sources

JOE COURTEMANCHE   joe@santajoe.com

ARABIC LINGUIST, ROTA, SPAIN 1986-1989

My first vivid memory of Pete was on the watch floor. Back in the day, not all of the crew was ever on the beach at the same time.  This tall skinny guy dressed all in black comes charging across the watch floor in FOSIF and goes around the corner.  I turned to Mark Herzog and asked "who the hell is the ninja dude."  He smiled that shit-eating grin of his and said, "That's your LPO."  I'd been in Spain about  a week and just knew this was going to be interesting.

I always wanted to just stand off to the side of reality and watch as Pete & I got out of his Austin Mini Cooper.  There we were, like a pair of circus clowns in working blues trying to peel out of that little bomb with a Cheech & Chong cloud of cigarette smoke preceding us.

My first sub trip was with Pete.  On the straight side of memory lane, there was never a finer sea-daddy to be found.  He was thoughtful, funny, supportive and taught me a hell of a lot.  I learned more from Pete in that month than I ever did afterward about anything.  I can never thank him enough for inculcating that sense of mission in me.  On ALL the ops I did after that one, even when out on my own, I tried never to forget what he'd taught me.  Thank you, Pete.

When we got back from our op, we were in the club in Naples.  That's were we found out about Ranger 12.  We both sat and got totally hammered in their honor.  After about an hour of steady steaming, there was a bunch of doorknobs at the next table who had some things to say about our shipmate "Tweet" and his race.  Pete and I got up, walked over to their table (in the current version of this story there were 6 or more of them. Check back when I'm 65 and the number will be up to 14 and they won't be skimmer pukes, but they'll be a SEAL Team taking a break from blowing up Russians) ... in any event, we offered them the chance to shut-up or put-up.  They couldn't believe we were doing it (Little did they know about the secret ninja-like powers of drunken linguists).  Just as things were about to get interesting, an SCPO and his gaggle of SP types got between us and wondered what the problem was.  Well, they should thank the lord that they were saved from the beating of their lives, and they chose to humbly retreat.  I still think we could have taken them.

Pete introduced me to insalata Caprizi in Olbia.  After a night of fine dining, we went back to the rat-infested barracks on La Maddelana to have a few more (dozen) beers and hit the rack.  Lo and behold, there were several unemployed furry aquatic mammals  (yup, those guys who hang in Coronado) in the barracks, and they had the two things CT's like more than all else:  money & beer.  After a long night of .... celebrating a fine op, yeah, that's it... we had taken all of their money in a card game, drank all of their beer and were contemplating stealing one of the LCMs that was anchored out (looked like a long swim, even to the mammals) to go to Olbia and get more beer. But, Pete had nothing to do with any of that... He certainly wasn't the ringleader.

I remember sitting in Pete & Tami's home in Maryland and feeding Brenden when he was a baby.  The little guy jerked his head and the nipple whacked his forehead, showering him with milk drops.  We promptly named the condition "Milk Measles" and he suffered from it for the rest of our visit.

Pete, I'll miss you.  You were the epitome of what a shipmate should be.  You had my back, you taught me well and I'll mourn you for a long time to come.  Thank you for the good times. I hope you've found peace.

John Fuller

I remember Pete so well.  He was my first Med LPO (Sea Daddy).  He was also my LPO in Rota (81-84 tour).  But most of all we were friends!!  

To my Dearest Friend:

Yes, Pete.  I remember the Alexandria Souk, the young (female) lawyers, and the History Museum trip to see King Tut!!!  You, Jaime Rita, and me.  I also remember how you stood up to the Div O when he wanted me out of his SSES and you told him no!!!!  You were the first "Leader" I had that showed me how to "Lead".  I also remember when you told me that you were going to train for the Frankfurt Marathon (your first) and I told you how crazy you were!!!!  And I remember how you talked about your finish and how proud you were for that accomplishment.  I remember all the talks, walks, and thoughts of the future.  And I remember all the 2-2-2-80 watches and the good times we had.  And finally, I remember the day I met Malcolm Nance and you had to keep me from kicking his ass!!  

For those of us who knew you, you were and will always be remembered and respected!!!!!!!  You were like a brother to me, and I am so sorry that I was not around to help you, like you did for me!!  I will miss you and I will NEVER FORGET YOU!!!!!!

You were never far from my thoughts.  Just last Thursday, I told the story of our first trip together and how you showed what a true Leader was. How you stood up even at the risk of your own career.  I was passing on that example to my project leads here.  How I expected them to be the "Pete's" for their staff.

Supervisor, Shipmate, confidant, and most important of all, FRIEND!!!

Tina and I are devastated by your leaving!!  May you find the peace that you were looking for.  You will be in our thoughts and prayers and we will see you again, I promise.

With deepest and warmest thoughts,

Terry (Nuch) Antonacci
Arabic Linguist and MENA Analyst
Rota Spain (DIRSUP with Pete - 306 Division), 1977 - 1980
Rota, Spain (DIRSUP with Pete 306/302 Division), 1981 - 1984
Rota, Spain (1991 - 1992)


Terence J. Antonacci/CSC

I can still picture Pete sitting at the Watch Desk at NSGA Athens.  He stood there so erect with his hands folded on the desk. Being a pretty tall guy I often asked him why he had such a small car.  He would smile and reply it makes me feel like a giant.  And a Giant he was in Navy terms.  He was a true Shipmate with genuine interest in other Sailors development and wellbeing.  I hold him with the likes of my Sea Daddy Keith Hartley as being such an inspiration and one who took a genuine interest in my training and development.  We stood many eve and mid watches together and I had the opportunity to be party to many interesting sea stories.  Always an enjoyable time just standing watch with Pete.  And like Dennis Hile, I remember Pearl Harbor Day and him rappelling down the side of his building.  We all looked up and thought he was nuts.  I was indeed a grand entrance.

My condolences to Tammy and Brenden.   Pete was a great Shipmate and friend and I will remember all the good memories of working with and tipping a few with him.

Fair winds my Friend.  You will be surely missed.

J J Elko

Where do i start about Pete? After several movings
about after JL & I got married in 1979 we landed in
Spain in 1982 or 83.  We found this great house in
Chipiona and lo and behold Pete was one of the first
to come visit - seemed he lived around the corner.
Whenever JL was out he would always be sure that I
didn't need help.   When JL was home somehow Pete
always managed to show up just as I was serving
dinner.  It got to the point that I would always ask
JL what Pete was working and if he was in town - JL
wondered about that until I explained - I just want to
make sure I make enough for dinner! JL has some
stories he just won't tell!!  JL & I were talking
about Craig last week, he just popped into my mind. 

JL & I hope Pete has found the peace he was seeking,
he will always be a part of ours lives.  Pete and his
loved one will be in our prayers.

JL & Ginger Johnson

Debbie here, from Eugene. Part of Pete's extended family, visited him in
Rota Spain- accompanying his younger brother, Johnny  to visit his world
traveling Navy  brother.
I send out my love to Tami and Brenden, knowing that this must be a
difficult chapter to be living.
I am thinking of you both.

A very warm memory of Pete and his brothers that I have is when they all
decided that they were going to run a road race together.  Picked the
Portland, Oregon Cascade Run-off as the one to
enter . It was such a hoot to see the Craig brothers together- they are
a warm bunch of guys who loved to share  their wealth of information
whenever they were in each others company. It was almost like Christmas
each and every time we all got together. Wine would flow, laughter was
the norm and late nights that I know none of them ever wanted to end. If
my memory serves me [ and John will tell me so !] We planned on a pasta
feast as per Pete's recommendations for a good race the next day.
Needless to say they all finished the race, the order I 'm bettin' you
all can guess ? John even made little race day shirt tags with the CRAIG
BROTHERS  and in cartoon below there were
3 monkeys- see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil.
I love all of the wonderful memories that I am reminding myself of now
that Pete is gone.
I feel again, as I said at His older brother Paul's memorial, that I
have lost yet another brother.
Rest easy Dear one.

I knew Pete from our days together in Athens.  I was a young PO3 and he was this tall, imposing looking
First Class, but once you got to know the real Pete, that imposing manner wasn't the real Pete.  He
was a great shipmate.  No matter how junior or senior you might have been, he was always there to teach,
mentor, or guide you along.  He was my "instructor" on the NSGA Athens watch desk.  Spent many
midwatches sitting in awe over the vast amount of knowledge he had crammed into that head of his!  Other
postings before mine mentioned the "Pearl Harbor" party.  Man, did that bring back memories!  Ninja Pete,
rappelling onto Dave Santos' balcony!  Completely freaked out the Greek family that lived directly above,
who just happened to be sitting on their balcony, enjoying a nice meal, when Pete came repelling past! 
Classic!  Pete was a great guy, and a great shipmate.  There's an empty space in all our lives now. 

Doug Gibson
CTIC(NAC)
NIOD Brunswick
(soon to be retired)

(Jim Mozell)

Pete Craig was not only one of the most unique individuals I have ever known, he was like a “big brother” to me in the field.  Through countless watches together in Rota on the MENA desk and the watch floor downstairs, and even in off-duty time shared, I never stopped learning from him.  On the job, in the midst of all the noise of the shop and the never-ending flow of incoming “buzz,” Pete would quietly work while eyeing the surroundings, taking everything in, offering me steady guidance to help me learn how to really think like an analyst ... and every now and then he’d make one brief statement that carried more weight and wisdom than the last four hours of all the other news and verbosity put together.  Other times, I would laugh under my breath at his dry comments, which always speared that which deserved to be speared.  There was no stumping him, no catching him off guard, no area of the profession in which he was ignorant or unskilled.  He had definitely done it all, and done it well.  

Pete was generous with his time, knowledge, and possessions.  By mid-1988 we had both settled in at Ft. Meade, and for a TAD I did in Italy that summer, he lent me this really cool miniature 35mm camera with zoom lens and all the other gizmos that I could tell was one of his prized possessions, and in all likelihood unreplaceable.  I took very good care of it, but one night in London after my assignment was over, someone broke into my room and stole everything I had, including Pete’s camera.  I felt terrible about losing this item with which my friend had entrusted me, but Pete made no show of his own loss at all, and he graciously accepted my offer of $200 as reimbursement for it, although I knew it was worth a whole lot more than that.

So many memories ... the apartment in Chipiona (same one every tour) where Pete the packrat somehow kept an order to all the collected chaos ... his little gnat-mobile Mini Cooper that I always made fun of (and was always nervous to ride in) ... his eloquent barbs against smoking in the Division – until I caught him puffing up a storm in the park, and found out later that he was quite the tobacco fiend at sea! ... his constant ribbing me about how little sea time I had (no excuse I could come up with, however valid, impressed him) ... that disgusting chocolate/vanilla goo-slop that he spread on his toast every morning ... my vain attempts to outdo him in the ever-escalating “give-him-crap” contests (I never could win that battle) ... Pete!  I miss you so much!

When I saw the picture of our brother-in-arms at the top of this page, I was startled at his youth then, as we are all older now, but our memories are obviously locked outside the passage of time.  It reminded me that, when Pete arrived back in Rota in 1986, he had not only been a First Class for a while, he was thirteen years younger than I am today – which means he had established himself as a master and leader in the field in his twenties.  Pretty amazing.  He was always watching out for me, and he always made sure I was in the best position to learn and excel.  I was convinced from day one that God put Pete in my life back then for my benefit (he definitely got the short end of the stick on that deal), and his untimely loss is ... well, you guys all know.  I don’t have the ability to do justice in words to the legacy of this accomplished yet humble man, but I will never forget how safe, how protected, and how valued Pete Craig always made me feel, nor will I forget the sense of camaraderie I always enjoyed whenever I walked into the Division and saw my beloved LPO and “Senior Rag” at the desk, already at work, or as soon as he turned to me to speak his first word.  He was an unfailing friend, ally, confidante, mentor and shipmate.  

This is one pair of shoes that will remain unfilled forever.


Vince Galli (CTI1)
Arabic Linguist / MENA Analyst
DLI/San Angelo 1984-85
NSGA Rota, Spain 1986-88
NSA/CSS Ft. Meade 1988-90

Peter came into our lives from two directions. First, I met this tall,
good-looking, and very amusing security guard at work (Intel). What
impressed me (other than his obvious intelligence) was his dedication to
protecting the company, even though he employed by Pinkerton's rather
than by the company directly. I was in Information Security, and he and
I would discuss how dangerous some of the practices of our less-aware
employees were, and ways we could drive that point home. (Peter was the
one who inspired -- not connived, just inspired! -- me to stand or sit
by abandoned laptops until the owner came back and then give them a
_very_ polite speech about leaving Intel's intellectual property all by
itself, unwatched. Most of them got it when I pointed out that I could
have sent email to the president of the company -- or even the US
President! -- from their machine and they wouldn't know it until the
roof fell in on them.

Then my son met and became best friends with a boy named Brenden at
school. They were inseparable at before - and after-care. Tami and I
became great buddies. After a couple of months, Duncan and Brenden got
invitations to a birthday party at our local park. When we showed up, I
was met a bunch of the parents for the first time. There was Peter! He
and I were standing there, looking at one another, trying to figure out
where we knew each other from. When it finally clicked, it clinched our
family's friendship with theirs.

Peter and Duncan's dad talked Science fiction and computers (Duncan's
dad owns over 11,000 SF Books), we all talked school, teachers, boys,
local politics, and everything under the sun. The boys were at one house
or another most of the time they weren't in school. Tami and I put the
boys in Tiger Cubs (first level of Cub Scouting), and we were den moms
together until the boys were Webelos.

Duncan and I spent lots of happy hours playing D&D with Peter, Brenden,
and Tami. Peter inspired Duncan and Brenden to actually _play_ their
characters instead of just roll dice and make moves. I can see Peter's
influence on Duncan when Duncan is playing, and I know Duncan's sneaky
traps when he DM's would win Peter's approval. Duncan and I decided that
our best memories of Peter include that growly Dwarf voice and crafty,
snarky fighter.

Duncan adored Peter much as he felt that Brenden was almost a brother.
Not only did he learn D&D and gaming from him, but a lot of life lessons
on self-respect, honor, and making sure to have fun. After Duncan's dad
and I divorced, I was glad that Duncan had a male role model like Peter
in his life, someone who enjoyed playing with him, and talked to him
seriously, like another adult.

Peter and I debated and discussed corporate and national security, and I
learned so much from him. It widened point of view, and partially led to
my participation with the Intel Government affairs group, discussing,
reviewing, and making commentary on national and international
legislation and regulations. When we were at social events, like Scout
dinners, area picnics, etc., he and I would frequently end up sitting
somewhere talking shop.

Two favorite memories: One 4th of July, Tami, Brenden, Duncan and I held
down a prime spot at the Folsom picnic grounds to watch the fireworks,
arriving about 4 in the afternoon. Most of the other scout families came
by, with lots of the working parents showing up at 6 or 7. The boys and
Tami and I had a great afternoon, watching the town lawn fill up with
families and children.

Pete and I were watching the a group of kids set off fireworks in the
gazebo (cement floor), when I heard a couple of engineers from work
discussing how to solve a particular technical problem on a chipset.
Here we were, out in the middle of a thousand or more people, and these
two guys were talking about highly classified information in loud enough
voices that anyone within 25 or 30 feet could hear them. Pete and I
looked at one another in amazement, and then he stalked off to give them
what for. He was still in his uniform from work (having stopped by to
make sure where we were before going to change). I chimed in, reminding
them that this was _exactly_ the kind of problem that InfoSec was
constantly reminding people to be careful of. I left my card -- I wasn't
able to get names, tho. But watching Pete stalk off like a lanky black
shadow in the twilight over toward these guys so typical. I sent email
to the Pinkerton's manager the next day telling him how much I
appreciated Peter's support in handling the issue.

My second favorite: One wonderful Christmas Eve I stopped by their house
(I don't know why!) and they treated me to cheese, crackers, and a
terrific wine that they had just gotten back from one of Peter's
brothers. It had apparently been stored in Oregon for at least 10 years,
and had mellowed from  a raw muscatel to a really wonderful ripe red. We
killed at least one bottle, maybe more, while they told terrific stories
about life in Spain. I wish I had a bottle of that wine today.

After the family moved to Reno, we kept in infrequent but fond contact.
Duncan and I visited them a couple of times, and Duncan would go up from
time to time via Amtrak to spend time with his buddies. Peter and I
would discuss national and international security issues, especially
after 9/11, and he remained my friend, teacher, and student.

I wish we had seen all of them more in person, rather than only by
email. We will miss him terribly.
--
========================================================
Pat McGregor 

From Pat McGregor:

This obit will appear in the Placerville Mountain Democrat, in
the Veteran's section (with a flag and USN symbol). There are people
here who knew and liked him and the family, and I thought it would be
good for them to know. (I know "specialist" has a precise term in the
service, but we couldn't come up with a fuzzier one for the paper.)

His obit will be online in the Mtn. Democrat
(http://www.mtdemocrat.com/) starting Thursday and the Sac Bee
(http://www.sacbee.com) beginning at 6:00 PDT on Wed.


Peter C. Craig passed away on Friday April 28, 2006 in his Sun Valley,
NV home. He was born on November 21, 1952 to John and Louise Craig in
Iowa City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, 12 May, at the
Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 14 Veterans Way, Fernley, NV
89408,(775) 575-4441. Donations to the American Cancer Society are
preferred instead of flowers.

Peter, a Navy linguist and security specialist, literally circled
the globe on various deployments, enabling him to explore the countries
and languages he loved. He was fluent in seven languages and spoke four
others passably. When he retired from the Navy in 1995 after 20 years of
service, he and his family moved to Cameron Park, where he was employed
by Pinkerton's Security (now Securitas). He and his family were very
active in Pack and Troop 700 of the Rescue Boy Scouts.

He moved to the Reno area in 1998 with his wife and son, where he was
employed by The Silver Legacy and Harrahs.

Peter is survived by his wife Tami, son Brenden, brother John Oliver
Craig of Eugene, Oregon, an Aunt in CT., numerous cousins, nieces,
nephews and many friends and loved ones.
 

I am a longtime friend of Pete's brother John and the Craig family. 
It strikes me that for everyone who knew Pete through his service to 
our country there is shock but not surprise that one of their 
brothers would come to take his own life... I can only imagine the 
kind of pressures facing Pete and his friends in Intelligence, but I 
can offer this one small story:

At one of the Holidays during the first Gulf War Pete managed to take 
a long planned leave and be with his family and old friends for a 
Holiday dinner. The host, the closest of friends with the Craigs, was 
a WW11 POW, shot down over Germany. Over dinner he asked Pete the 
burning question from stateside:

" So, Pete, is this a real war or is this a Nintendo war?

Pete stiffened to his best impression of a Marine recruiting poster 
and said... NOTHING.

And the conversation moved on.

Pete was a kind and interested friend to me- a flailing teenage 
friend to his teenage brother. I will always remember his wry, ironic 
sense of the world around him and intelligence- the native kind.

God Bless, Peter.

Jack Inglis
 

     After reading what everyone else wrote about Pete, there isn't much more to add; but let me try.  I got to know Pete pretty well after deploying with him on two boats.  I walked away from our first trip quite in awe of Pete's operational breadth of knowledge.  During the pre-mission brief with the boat's commander, Pete didn't hesitate one second when the commander asked him a question about the operational environment (the PHYSICAL environment, not the linguistic environment) we were going to be working in.  When I heard the commander's question, I thought what a crazy question to be asking a linguist--but Pete responded quickly and the commander's nod of the head was an affirmation that he was listening to one very knowledgeable sailor.

     During our second deployment, well, one really gets to know a shipmate well by "hot-racking" with him--and I won't even go into the time Pete asked me to borrow my black, Spanish soap!  I believed Pete epitomized more than anyone I knew the wonderful quirkiness of the CTI rating.  He certainly made my time in Rota better for it.


Pat Strickling

Arabic Linguist, Rota

I cannot say I knew Pete well.  That's because he was always out to sea,
because he was a GREAT dirsupper.  I relieved him on the USS Saratoga and
I'll never forget the organization he had put into his files: I never saw
its like before or since.  He really did know his stuff.

I can't remember him hanging out at The Debt, but I do remember one outing
we went on together.  We drove down the coast from Athens about 15 miles to
where a group of islets lie just off the coast within easy swimming
distance.  Tammi was with us, as was Pete, maybe Olie Westgaard, Bob Barkie,
and others I don't remember.  We started out to the first island and made a
quick circuit of it.  The far side of that islet had a sheer drop-off that
the group continued to explore.  I got bored and swam out to the second
island, made a circuit of it and swam back looking for the others.

When Pete saw me he flew out of the water in a rage and chewed me out for
leaving the group.  They had been searching for me for the past 15 minutes
and he was sure he was going to have to tell the CO that I was lost.  I was
embarrassed, but learned my lesson.  Thanks, Pete.
 

Dan Miller

Athens Arling

 

I first met Pete in Monterey in 75 and we kept bumping into each other
throughout our first stint in Rota (75-79). It wasn’t until the second time
through DLI and Rota that Pete and I had the time to become good friends and
drinking buddies. Our TAD’s seemed to be in sync so we were usually in Rota
at the same time. We seem to have lost touch after that.

Fair winds and following seas…

CTI1 (Ret) Jesse Butcher

DLI/G'fellow        (74-75)
NSGA Rota         (75-79)
DLI/G’fellow         (79-80)
NSGA Rota          (80-83)
NSA             (83-85)
NFS Sinop         (85-86)
NSGA Edzell         (86-88)
NFS Sinop         (88-89)
NSGD San Vito     (89-91)
NSA            (91-94)
 

Amazing how this works....  I thought about Pete just yesterday.  Today I'm surfing through some old Navy CT sites (something I rarely do) and come upon the sad news of his death.

My heart goes out to Pete's family.  .

Pete and I were room mates in Rota Spain from 1981 to 1982.  We had arrived in Rota in the Spring of '81 after DLI, my first tour - he the old salt. We were both looking for a place.  Some sleazy gypsy got hold of us and we wound up with a one year lease in an apartment over in the American ghetto by garbage beach.  Don't let the name fool you though, there were enough poor Spanish families (most everyone in Spain was poor then) to give the place some real character.  :)

Pete and I were both Dirsup, he was riding, I was flying, so we didn't see each other much - but on the evening jaunts to Don Q's, he sure taught me how to enjoy the best of the native culture as well as how to enjoy life as a Sailor.   I met my future wife while living in that apartment with Pete.  Luz and I have been married 23 years.  

Why did my thoughts turn to Pete yesterday?  Election season.  While we were roommates, Pete subscribed to two magazines - Soldier of Fortune and Mother Jones.  In case you don't know, Soldier of Fortune focused on the mercenary and anti-communist combat operations of the times, Mother Jones on things to the left of that....  way left.  Pete said he wanted to get both perspectives on the issues, the full story,  so he subscribed to both magazines.   That type of honest intellect is something we need more of.  Intelligent men who will look at all sides of an issue and come to their own conclusions.   The Pete Craig I knew had that kind of honesty.  I admired it. He will be missed.

Fair Winds and Following Seas, Shipmate

Daniel Fodera
CTICM(NAC) USN(Ret)

 

Click Here to Send a Memory about Pete