Courtesy Photo | From the May 27, 1960 edition of the Service to the Fleet newsletter, an artistic...... read more read more
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Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) personnel look forward to Memorial Day each year as the unofficial start of summer. However, in the words of Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae’s immortal World War I poem, “In Flanders Fields” reminds us of what the day highlights. “In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow; between the crosses, row on row.” The last Monday in May is dedicated to remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. This time on Heritage Hour, we look back at how NNSY has remembered and honored service members throughout the decades.
After World War II, Service to the Fleet (STTF) shared a selection of photos from memorial services that had taken place across the different branches of armed forces lost during the war. While the images are grainy and difficult to make out, the solemn weight is perfectly clear. From France to Guam to Okinawa, seemingly endless rows of crosses are a stark reminder of how much our country sacrificed to bring peace to the world. An equally somber reflection is present in pictures from services held on the deck of a carrier, causing viewers to remember those claimed by the deep.
Originally declared as Decorations Day, the day was observed in May as it was a time when flowers were blooming and could be used to decorate the graves of the fallen in honor of their memory. In a 1946 STTF issue, an unknown author wrote of those left behind, placing flowers on the graves of the departed or leaving flowers in memory of those buried in faraway cemeteries or at sea. It was a reminder that the day was one for reflection on those who had gone, but also a time to remember the ones who carried on. “So let us remember those who are left behind – those thousands of homes which have been broken by war.”
After decades, when this day was observed under different titles across different states, “Memorial Day” was federally declared as the official name in 1967. That year coincided with NNSY’s 200th anniversary, and to commemorate, a ceremony was held at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, followed by a parade that had a massive amount of participation. Along with bands from Woodrow Wilson and I.C. Norcom High Schools, a band from Ft. Eustis represented the Army with a 100 personnel marching unit. Not to be outdone, the Navy had two bands: the Armed Forces School of Music and the Atlantic Fleet Band. The Marines sent three platoons while the Coast Guard and Air Force sent color guards and various civilian and military organizations in the area submitted floats.
As the tradition of parades and cookouts continues to this day, it is good to remember the words of another past STTF writer, “As you speed on your way to the seashore or mountains, or relax in your backyard, take a moment to say a silent and grateful ‘Thank You’ to the thousands whose supreme sacrifice made it possible to enjoy the freedom you have today.”
| Date Taken: | 04.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2024 08:03 |
| Story ID: | 469772 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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