Willie Ray Allison

First and foremost, my deepest condolences to the entire family. Willie Ray was a man whose presence left an imprint on everyone who had the privilege of serving with him. I met him in the late 1990s aboard the USS Hayler. He was a Chief in Engineering, and I was a Chief in Combat Systems, but within the Chief´s Mess, titles didn´t matter-we were a fraternity. We talked openly as a group and privately as brothers. Willie Ray and I shared many deep, personal conversations. He was a man of strong faith, steady character, and unwavering respect for everyone around him.

As a Chief, you interact with shipmates at every level, and Willie Ray was what we often called an "elder statesman." Junior and senior personnel alike sought him out for guidance. Even his department head, Jared Keys, leaned on him-not just for advice, but at times for the unique ability Willie Ray had to calm down the Chief Engineer like no one else could.

Whenever we pulled into Bahrain, I would visit a tailor to have suits made-far cheaper than back in the States. The first time I took Willie Ray, he ordered five suits on the spot. When the tailor asked what color shirts he wanted, he simply said, "All white." We tried to convince him to mix it up so he´d have shirts for every occasion, even when he wasn´t wearing a suit, but he was set on his choice. That was Willie Ray-simple, consistent, and confident in who he was.

In the Chief´s Mess, we kept our own little kitchen stocked with whatever we wanted. Without fail, Willie Ray added bananas and vanilla wafers to the grocery list so he could make his vanilla pudding. It became one of those small traditions that everyone remembered.

Even after leaving the Hayler, we stayed in touch, though sometimes a year or two would pass between conversations. A few months ago, Cedric Glover-another Chief from our Hayler days-asked if I had spoken to Willie Ray recently. I realized I hadn´t, so I sent him a Facebook message but never heard back. A few weeks ago, he crossed my mind again. When I checked his page and saw he hadn´t posted in a long time, I decided to call.

When he answered, I told him I had messaged him months earlier and noticed he hadn´t been active online, so I wanted to check on him. He laughed and said he didn´t really know how to use Facebook. Then he joked, "You probably thought I was dead, but I´m still kicking." That comment caught me off guard, but we went right into a normal conversation afterward-just like old times.

He told me about the trouble with his foot and the pain he´d been dealing with, and how he was getting around on one of those one legged scooters. His mind was still sharp as ever. He brought up personal conversations we´d had on the Hayler with perfect detail. We laughed the way we used to, and I could practically feel that contagious smile through the phone. I had no idea that would be our last conversation.

I was driving when my phone dinged with a message from Cedric. I glanced down and saw only the beginning: "Willie Ray..." My heart sank. I already knew what the rest would say. I pulled over and read the news no one ever wants to receive.

I can only imagine the pain the family is experiencing. On our Hayler Facebook page, I shared the news of his passing. Even though the ship was decommissioned many years ago and many shipmates aren´t on the page, the post received more than 50 reactions and comments from people whose lives he touched. That speaks volumes about the man he was.

Please know this: Willie Ray is missed by many. He made an impact on people from every walk of life, and his legacy lives on in the countless people he guided, encouraged, and inspired.