Norfolk, Va. - It's been 25 years since a deadly explosion aboard the USS Iowa were 47 men died.
Today hundreds of former crew members gathered at Iowa Point at Naval Station Norfolk to remember those men.
“Here we have a lot of individuals that came out for the first time and we are glad that they have come and with some individuals we are glad that they are acknowledging the fact that it was traumatic, it was an experience, you just don't deny it, it is something that you accept and you reach out and get help for,” Barbara Chachere, wife Of crew member who died, said.
Those who were there that awful day say it helps them deal with the stress by being around others who truly understand.
”I think the most important thing is that we all come out, I'll be 50 this year, and when I was on the ship I was 22, and when we get together with our old friends we are all 22 again and we are all young kids and we are having a good time and we are sharing stories of our youth and it is fun and it's very healing,” John Schultz, former crew member of USS Iowa, said.
