The Virginia War Memorial and the Navy League of the United States, Richmond Council, will co-host the 83rd Commonwealth’s Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony at 11 a.m., Friday, December 6, 2024.
The annual ceremony will be held outdoors in the Memorial’s Shrine of Memory - 20th Century at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond VA 22330. The ceremony is being held on December 6 this year to avoid street closures downtown Richmond for the Dominion Energy Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 7. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
The 83rd Commonwealth’s Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony will include a keynote address by Rear Admiral Michael T. Curran, who retired after more than 30 years of service to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Navy Reserves and the presentation of wreaths in memory of the Virginians who died on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, when the forces of Imperial Japan attacked U.S military bases in Hawaii. More than 2,400 Americans died and more than 1,100 were wounded during the surprise attack. Of those killed, 41 were listed as native Virginians.
“The name of each Virginian who perished on that fateful day will be read and remembered with the tolling of the ship’s bell from the guided missile cruiser USS Virginia (CGN-38), which was decommissioned in 1994,” said Vaughn F. Dize, president of the Navy League’s Richmond Council, who will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the annual program. The bell is on permanent display at the Virginia War Memorial.
“We are again pleased to continue the tradition of co-hosting the Navy League Richmond Council’s Commonwealth’s Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony here at the Virginia War Memorial,” said Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle. “We look forward to having our fellow citizens and especially veterans join us in honoring and remembering the thousands of Americans including many Virginians who died during the surprise attack in 1941 that led to the United States entering World War II.”
As this ceremony is an outdoor event, attendees should dress accordingly. There is no admission charge to attend and free parking is available in the Memorial’s surface lot and underground deck. Attendees should plan to arrive by 10:45 a.m. prior to the event.
The Virginia War Memorial will be open to the public from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on December 6. The Virginians at War documentary film Pearl Harbor will be shown all day in the Reynolds Theater and visitors can also visit the Medal of Honor Gallery, Veterans Art Gallery and other exhibits.
For more information about the 83rd Commonwealth’s Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony, please call the Virginia War Memorial at 804.786.2060 or visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.
About The Navy League of the United States
The Navy League of the United States (NLUS) was founded in 1902 with encouragement of President Theodore Roosevelt. The League has grown into the foremost citizen’s organization to serve and support America’s sea services: the Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and flag Merchant Marine. For information on the Richmond Council of the NLUS, please call 804.355.7557 or go to www.navyleague-richmond.com.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth, and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms.
The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military. It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, except for select events. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS)
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 50 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral health, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, dementia/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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