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SAN DIEGO – Dozens paid tribute to honor the legacy and sacrifice
of the more than 300,000 lives lost in World War II, during the
Veteran's Wreath Remembrance Ceremony held aboard the USS Midway.
The event, hosted by the USS Midway Museum, kicked off the
Midway Legacy Week held May 23 - 25., 2015.
The museum,
housed on the former USS Midway, offers visitors a chance to come
aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier and view various
activities, which range from static displays and aircraft
restoration to live recordings of veteran oral histories.
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May 23, 2015 - World War II veterans render a hand salute during the parading of the colors to kick off Legacy Week and Memorial Day weekend during a wreath ceremony held aboard the USS Midway Museum. This year's Legacy Week is dedicated to the 200,000 Sailors who called the USS Midway (CV-41) home and the more than 300,000 lives lost in World War II. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nolan Kahn)
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"What better way to kick off San Diego's Legacy Week and
Memorial Day weekend than to honor those that have risked
and lost their lives for the freedoms and privileges that we
have in this great country today," said retired Marine Corps
veteran Jack Harkins, chairman of the United Veterans
Council of San Diego County. “Although this event is just
going on for a few days, we should be offering thanks and
honoring them for generations to come.”
World War II
veterans attended the event and also participated in the
wreath ceremony.
"It's truly an honor to stand side-by-side with very
decorated World War II veterans and be able to share stories
from the fleet," said Aviation Technician Airman James
Sinyard, a volunteer from Helicopter Maritime Strike
Squadron 41 (HSM 41). "There is a saying in today's Navy,
'Work smarter, not harder,' and back during World War II,
they truly worked hard and fought harder.”
Steven
Hurst, of Bremerton, Washington, said Legacy Week events are
a fantastic way to show children and younger generations the
USS Midway and to have them walk the ship's deck plates and
through a piece of history.
"I am glad that I had the
chance to show my children and even learn myself about the
life and hardships in the fleet, even though I never
served," said Hurst. "I now understand what it would have
been like and what it continues to be like to be a part of
the United States Navy."
Harkins said Legacy Week
and Memorial Day is a time to reflect and deeply appreciate
those who serve and risked everything for the great country
we live in today.
"It's a privilege and a blessing to
have this many guest and visitors come on board to pay
tribute and to shake the hands of the service members who
desperately fought to keep America and her glory alive,"
said Harkins. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a
part of something so big."
By U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nolan Kahn
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
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