When Lancaster resident Paul Anselmo answered a phone call from an unknown number, it only took a few words for him to know exactly who it was. It had been 53 years and 11 months since Paul last spoke to his friend and former Navy colleague Peter. "As soon as I heard his voice, I knew it was him." Paul said. Peter was visiting Edison, N.J., Paul's hometown, and said curiosity motivated him to reach out. "Being there reminded me of Paul, and I wondered where he was and what he was up to." said Peter. "I searched online and called a few different Paul Anselmos before I finally got ahold of him." The two organized for Peter and his wife to come to Lancaster so Peter and Paul could reunite in person.

Paul graduated high school in 1966, just as the Vietnam War was coming to a head. His mother urged him to join the Navy reserves, as he would be at risk of being drafted into the Army unless he attended college. Paul and Peter first kindled their friendship aboard the USS Essex, an aircraft carrier that they were both assigned to in the repair division during the Cold War. The pair weathered many experiences together during their service, from a Russian plane plummeting into the sea beside their vessel to anti-war protestors attempting to get them to desert while at port. "We all bunked together. It was hard not to get acquainted," said Peter. "I remember his mother used to ship him food in care packages; the first time I ever had artichokes was when she sent him a box of them."

After leaving the Navy and parting ways, Paul and Peter each found success in their respective careers. Paul's father worked in heating and plumbing, and after a four-year sabbatical Paul joined the field. He ran his own business and worked in plumbing for 39 years; he and his wife moved to Lancaster nine years ago. "Paul did exactly what I thought he would do," said Peter. "He's always been a straight shooter and a solid person." Peter began working as a pipeline welder and attended the University of Massachusetts. An internship in Washington, D.C., led him to a career with the Department of Labor, where he worked in arbitration and mediation for 30 years. His work brought him to Virginia, where he currently lives with his wife.

"Whether you're serving for patriotic reasons or you're just doing it before you start your career, you learn what you can and do your time," said Peter. "When you form a bond with someone in that context, it's a strong one. You think about those people when you leave." Paul concurred and said he has been hoping to reconnect with others who served on the Essex for many years. The pair recalled old stories and brought each other up to speed on the events of the many decades they spent apart, proving that some bonds are stronger than the test of time.