For the second consecutive year during Memorial Day weekend, the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond will host its Say Their Names Marathon.
Beginning at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, May 24 through approximately 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Monday, May 25, volunteers will read aloud the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who died while serving during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and the Global War on Terrorism in the order in which their names are inscribed on the glass and stone walls of the Memorial’s Shrines of Memory.
“It is said that a person has two deaths – the day they leave this Earth and the day their name is said for the last time. At the Virginia War Memorial, one of the most important missions is to remember and honor our veterans and especially those Virginia men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our Commonwealth and our Nation,” said VWM Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle.
“While we share many of the names and stories every day, it’s really not enough,” added Dr. Mountcastle. “So, for the first time last year we initiated the Say Their Names Marathon. It couldn’t have happened without the nearly 200 volunteers who each read a list of fifty names in three-minute intervals. We need to fill these slots with readers now to continue this important and inspiring undertaking this year. So, please sign up to be a reader today.”
Volunteers interested in serving as a name reader may register here. Preregistration is required and walk-up participants cannot be accommodated. Slots will be filled on a “first come, first served” basis. Readers must be middle-school age or older and all youth under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. All registered readers must arrive at the Virginia War Memorial 45 minutes prior to their assigned reading time and will receive their list of names to read upon check-in on Sunday, May 24.
The second annual “Say Their Names Marathon” will be held outdoors in the Memorial’s Shrine of Memory-20th Century rain or shine. The 70th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 25, 2026 at 11 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial. The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, VA 23220. Admission is free as is parking. For more details, go to www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
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 healthcare, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates four long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries; and 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.
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, Iraq, Afghanistan, 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.
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