Photo By Gary Ell | Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division Commanding Officer Capt. Dana...... read more read more
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Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division honored those who made the greatest sacrifice in serving the United States during its annual Memorial Day Ceremony held on May 25, 2022.
“For the third year in a row, Memorial Day will look a little different than it has in years past. Since 2020 backyard barbecues and get-togethers have been partially replaced by phone calls and video chats. This year, we have started to return to some semblance of normal life,” NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Dana Simon said in his command welcome remarks.
“The family separation and hardship of the pandemic, and the hope of a swift return to sharing time with loved ones, parallel the themes of hardship and hope that are the core of what Memorial Day is all about,” he added.
Remembering the millions of Americans who served and lost their lives in more recent conflicts that took place over the past 20 years in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations, Simon reflected on the families and loved ones who endure their loss year-round.
“Their sacrifice is a true expression of selfless service. Whether their loved ones volunteered during a time of war, served during peacetime, or were drafted into service, they represent a microcosm of what is best about America,” Simon said. “On Memorial Day, we honor their loss and reflect on what their sacrifice has afforded the rest of us.”
Kai Bernal-LeClaire, chairperson of the NSWCPD Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG), served as emcee and provided a brief overview of Memorial Day, which started as Decoration Day in 1868 at Arlington National Ceremony to honor the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
“Following World War I, Memorial Day expanded to honor military members who had died in all our nation’s conflicts and shifted to focus on the people rather than their graves. In 1971, Memorial Day became a Federal Holiday,” Bernal-LeClaire said. “Now, 154 years after the first official ceremony, we continue to gather in solemn reverence to honor those who made the greatest sacrifice in our Nation’s wars.”
Other highlights of the in-person event included NSWCPD’s Pete Eobbi providing a stirring rendition of The National Anthem and VERG Sponsor Gary Saladino reading the “Bixby Letter,” a condolence letter written in November 1864 by President Lincoln to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, a widow who lived in Boston, Massachusetts and who was believed to have lost five sons in the Civil War.
In addition, Simon and Saladino laid a wreath of poppies to honor the fallen, followed by the playing of the National Song of Remembrance, also known as “Taps”.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.
| Date Taken: | 05.31.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.31.2022 13:21 |
| Story ID: | 421860 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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