As federal government employees across the United States gathered to honor and remember the U.S. Navy’s victory at the Battle of Midway, so too did employees of the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Philadelphia who witnessed a somber ceremony held on the base June 4.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the watershed event in World War II that turned the tide of war against Japan, the event gave attendees a chance to learn about the history of the Battle of Midway as well as to emotionally connect with veterans past and present.
“As we recently honored our fallen servicemen and women on Memorial Day this past Monday, their selfless sacrifices for protecting our liberties should be fresh in our minds, and in our hearts,” said Rear Adm. John King , commander, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, in his keynote remarks.
“Today’s service members certainly share the core values of their Battle of Midway brethren as they fight to protect and defend our great nation. Let us remember that as we honor the courage and valor demonstrated by those who fought the valiant fight and won at Midway some seventy years ago,” he added.
In addition to honoring all veterans and providing a brief history of the Battle of Midway, King also recognized and applauded the efforts of the four World War II veterans who were present at the ceremony.
The event was brought to a crescendo as Master-at-Arms Seaman Nicholas Ewer laid a wreath in honor of the fallen, and Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Jesse Foulk of the NSA Philadelphia Funeral Honors Detail played a breathtaking rendition of the taps.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, guests were invited to come onto the stage to view a Battle of Midway map, which featured reconstructions of the battle’s key events.
A field activity of the Naval Supply Systems Command, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) is the U.S. Navy’s supply chain manager providing worldwide support to the aviation, surface ship, and submarine communities. NAVSUP WSS provides Navy, Marine Corps, joint and allied forces with products and services that deliver combat capability through logistics. There are more than 2,000 civilian and military personnel employed at its two Pennsylvania sites. The NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia site supports aircraft, while its Mechanicsburg site supports ships and submarines.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff , June 7, 2012; Image: US Navy