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Gene Sullivan addresses the 15th Annual Memorial Day Observance of the Navy League of the United States, Hilton Head Council at the Shelter Cove Veterans’ Park.
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Hilton Head Islanders Remember
On May 26, 2008 at 10:30 a.m., The Navy League of the United States held the 15th Memorial Day observance at Veterans’ Memorial at Shelter Cove Park on Hilton Head Island. Flags of the United States, the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and MIAs flew under cloudy skies. The park was filled and overflowing with hundreds of people in attendance including many Town, County and State government officials that were recognized by Master of Ceremonies Gene Sullivan, President of the Hilton Head Island Council of the Navy League. Mr. Sullivan noted that former Hilton Head Mayor Jerry Barkie, a World War Two Veteran was recuperating from a broken hip and was not in attendance for the first time in fifteen years. He said that everyone wished the former Mayor a speedy recovery.
"Memorial Day is a day or remembrance, giving thanks to all brave men and women who gave their lives for our country", Mr. Sullivan said. "While the province of the Navy League is the sea services: the Navy, the Marine Corp, the Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines; We equally honor all all fallen of the Army and the Air Force."
Hilton Head’s World War II Veterans are Honored
Before the formal service began, Mr. Sullivan said that he wanted to honor all veterans of World War Two who were in attendance. He said, "It was over 65 years ago that this nation entered into World War Two. During that conflict, sixteen million men and women served in our armed forces and Merchant Marines. Of that number, 400,000 were never to return to their families or loved ones. They made the ultimate sacrifice. They gave their all for this great nation." He asked the World War Two Veterans to stand so that everyone could thank them for their services.
Mr. Sullivan recalled 15 years earlier when initiating Council President Hamp Burnett organized the first Memorial Day Service in a parking lot in Sea Pines by the Lighthouse. "It rained that morning very, very heavily but it stopped just before the ceremony. One of our Members, quietly and with dignity described the sinking of the Cruiser USS Northampton which was lost during the battle of GuadalCanal. He related his personal saga of survival. Today we continue that tradition that Dr. Burnett started some fifteen years ago."
Patriotic Organizations and Officials are Recognized
Then Mr. Sullivan recognized several patriotic organizations and their officials: Al Wattay, Commander of Post 185
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Jets from the Beaufort Marine Air Corps Station fly over the Hilton Head Memorial Day Observance.
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of the American Legion; Mary Ann Comper, Regent, William Hilton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution; Al Wieland, Navigator, 4th Degree, Knights of Columbus; Warren Wilson, Flotilla Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary; Commander Don Shea, Palmetto Chapter of the Korean War Veterans; Gordon Kiddoo, President, George Moss Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution; Paul Grier, State President, Sons of the American Revolution: Major Jim Todd, Lowcountry Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol; Mary DuVall, President, Hilton Head Chapter Colonial Dames of the 17th Century; Andy Davison, President of Hilton Head Island Elks Lodge 2773; Robert Anderson, President of the Military Officers Association of America; Libby Galloway-Dextrase, President of the Children of the American Revolution".
The Invocation was given by Dr. Martin Lifer, Senior Pastor of the Providence Presbyterian Church. Bugler William Howe played the Call to Attention and the Presentation of the Colors was made by the Color Guard and Detachment of the NJROTC of Hilton Head High School. Gene Sullivan lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Tom Peeples Reads a Memorial Day Proclamation
Mayor Tom Peeples read a Proclamation on behalf of the Town of Hilton Head Island. He said, "Whereas in 1863 the women of Columbus Mississippi went to the community cemetery to decorate the grave sites of their Confederate war dead, noted the nearby bare and unattended graves of the northern war dead that had fallen on the same field of battle, and returned with flowers to place on the barren graves a gesture that offered to promise reconciliation for a deeply divided nation. And whereas in 1873, Decoration Day so named because of the custom of decorating the graves of servicemen with flowers became a legal holiday. And whereas in 1882 the holiday was made more inclusive and renamed Memorial Day and today it recognizes the heroes from all of America’s wars. And whereas the Hilton Head Council of the Navy League of the United States has elected to formalize the Hilton Head Island annual commemoration of Memorial Day to insure its observance, and whereas the Hilton Head Island Council of the Navy League of the United States has invited and encouraged our citizens and other service oriented groups and our visitors to participate; and whereas it is important to remember the significance of this unique day, to cherish the precious freedoms that all generations enjoy, freedom of thought with the blood and the lives of our fallen servicemen and women in every branch of service. These gifts must never be forgotten. Now, therefore, I Thomas D. Peeples, Mayor of the Town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina do hereby proclaim that May 26, 2008 shall be recognized on Hilton Head Island as Memorial Day and as the Mayor, I call on all citizens and visitors to observe this Memorial Day and the memories of those who are honored with the spirit of gratitude and reverence".
The Hilton Head Choral Society
The Hilton Head Island Choral Society and the audience sang the National Anthem. Four jets from the Beaufort Marine Air Corps Station flew over the ceremony and this was followed by a medley of service songs performed by the Hilton Head Choral Society to which veterans of each military branch stood to applause as their song was sung.
Guest Speaker Commander Geoffrey S. Gage
Mr. Sullivan introduced the guest speaker who would give the Hilton Head Memorial Day Address, Top Gun Pilot Commander Geoffrey S. Gage, United States Navy and Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 86- the Sidewinders. Commander Gage said, " It’s a great day to be an American fighting man or woman. We’re here of course to honor those who died in defense of our nation through solemn remembrance. I can’t think of a better place to be this morning than with such an incredibly dedicated group of my fellow countrymen." At this time four jets flew over the ceremony a second time. Commander Gage said, "Obviously the fly over speaks for itself. I love the Marines -no kill like overkill!" He continued, "To the Hilton Head Choral Society: Tremendous job. Thank you very much. That was tear inspiring. To the Hilton Head High School Navy Junior ROTC: Well done. Stand up and receive applause."
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Commander Geoffrey S. Gage gives the Memorial Day Address on Hilton Head Island.
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Another Great Generation
"Mayor, Councilmen, other elected Representatives of this great nation, flag officers and fellow officers and the greatest generation. I don’t don’t dispute that you are the greatest generation, but I would wager based on my experience of the last fifteen years leading sailors and marines who are much younger than I and you that we’ve got another pretty great generation in our midst. You left a great legacy, and my kind of sailors, I believe, are cut from the same cloth."
The Lowcountry Is Our Nation’s Military Crossroads
"We gather today at one of our nation’s great military crossroads. The lowcountry and southern Georgia are home to key elements of every Service. I’m honored to have the opportunity to represent all American service men and women, Merchantmen, Coast Guardsmen, Airman, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors. I won’t presume to speak for them because this day is as much about individual remembrance as our nation’s collective one of respect to our fallen defenders. I’ll be brief while addressing two subjects related to Memorial Day. The first, this day’s purpose and second, who I remember this day. With respect of Memorial Day in general, it’s obviously something about which all of you know something if not much more than I, as evidenced by your presence on a day many of our fellow citizens reserve simply for bargain hunting and sun tanning."
Memorial Day Was Born of the Civil War
"Born of the Civil War, first through individual and local acts of remembrance, then later through nationwide proclamation and eventual law, this Memorial Day has come to recognize the ultimate individual sacrifices of our fellow citizens, men and women who died to defend our collective and individual liberties. I think it’s right to include the first defenders, our Revolutionary War ancestors who started this unprecedented experiment in democracy well over two centuries ago. Tested once again in the war of 1812 then supremely tested during our own Civil War when cause and technology conspired to produce, as then, unimaginable losses. This grand experiment emerged in tact to lead the world in the coming centuries. Though the incidents of war grew more deadly in the twentieth century, our passion for democracy and freedom did not fade when threatened with a breached Maginot Line or blitzkrieg or kama kazi. Americans, many of whose brothers and sisters join us today answered the call during the two world wars. We remember them. During the ironically named Cold War, we defended distant lands against the onslaught of totalitary communism in places like Korea and Viet Nam. Many of you today also knew those that served and fell. You remember them. And while the Cold War waned and the world grew more connected and interdependent economically, we fought in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. We fight there today. A relatively smaller number of our fellow citizens served and died there and the losses are fewer, but no less significant. Both our nation and to those brave men and women’s families: You remember them. And throughout all of our nation’s history we have lost servicemen not just in direct action with the enemy but from time to time in training and in preparation for combat and from time to time, from friendly fire during combat. Their loss, often decried as meaningless or needless, is far from it. Those great Americans died in service to our country. We learned from those mistakes. We get better and ultimately more lethal to our foes. And we remember those that fell on and off the battlefield. Each of you by your presence today likely carries the personal memory of one or more great Americans who laid down their life for others and perhaps in some cases for you, off the battlefield."
Three Inspirational Men
"Today I think of three men in particular, all Navy fliers. One of them I knew as a best friend. Lieutenant Commander Scott Speicher was lost in combat, January 1991 in the opening hours of Desert Storm, the so-called ‘First’ Gulf War. He was a Hornet Pilot flying off USS Saratoga at night. He has never been found but we’ve never stopped looking. I didn’t know him personally but from day one of my career as a fighter pilot, his story influenced every single hour of my training and preparation for combat. His fate, ultimately unknown to all but God taught all of us that this business is unforgiving but that America is also unforgetting. On the opening days of the current war in 2003, Scott Speicher was one of the first priorities for our forces and we have not stopped looking.
Lieutenant Nathan White was shot down by our own forces in a highly contested desert in southern Iraq in 2003. He was flying a close air support mission in support of Marines and soldiers on the ground fighting their way to Baghdad. His loss, while yielding many lessons learned, was not in vain. He served his country bravely and answered the call without hesitation. It was with Nathan in my thoughts and heart that I led my young Navy wing men in two subsequent deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are a better force today because of him.
Lieutenant Kevin Colling, my best friend, died in 1998 in Valdosta, Georgia during a training accident as the newest Member of the Navy’s Blue Angels. He and I trained together from the start and he was the best that I ever saw. He would have been leading a young nugget pilot into harm’s way in Iraq or Afghanistan today. He would have been a squadron commander today and he would have led the Navy the nation to victory but he died doing what he loved and he left the legacy of friends and brothers in arms to carry on, not in spite of Kevin but because of him. If I was in our nation’s capitol today, I’d visit section 66, site 6665 section of the Arlington National Cemetery and say these words to Kevin: Thank you."
They Shall Never Be Forgotten
"I’ll conclude with a plea and thanks. First, I would ask all of you to continue to demand that our warriors be provided the best leadership, manpower and technology with which to fight our nation’s wars; To do this as citizens in the collective political process and as groups through the works as such organizations like the Navy League. We will never eliminate the risk and reality of death in defense of freedom. Those that threaten to do so out of their own mortal fear but we must continually do more to reduce it. Help us to win by surviving and when necessary, make the other guy die for his country first. Second and last, thank you for your service and commitment to us, whether as fellow veterans, members of the Navy League, or simply a great American citizen. As I join you today in the solemn remembrance of those who gave their last full measure, I reinforce my personal belief that they shall never be forgotten and the cause for which they died, whether on the beaches of Normandy, in the jungles of Viet Nam or the rocky deserts of Iraq or Afghanistan, that cause will never be lost. Thank you." Commander Gage received long and sustained applause.
Placing the Memorial Wreath
A memorial wreath was placed in front of the Memorial in memory of our United States service men and service women and merchant mariners who died in defense of their country. Mr. Sullivan asked representatives of each of our armed forces to come forward and stand beside the Memorial Wreath The Hilton Head Choral Society sang the Navy Hymn as Mr. Sullivan called the names of Bill Baker, U.S. Navy; Robert O’Neil, U.S. Marine Corp; Bob Warden, U.S. Merchant Marine; Mary-Michaele Beltz, U.S. Army; Charles Cherrix, U.S. Coast Guard and Andy Leach, U.S. Air Force to come forward.
Dr. Martin Lifer, Senior Pastor of the Providence Presbyterian Church gave the Benediction. Buglers William Howe and Danny Dennison played taps. Mr. Sullivan read the Gettysburg Address which was as relevant today as it was when first spoken by President Abraham Lincoln.
The Hilton Head Navy League
Mr. Sullivan said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Hilton Head Island Council of the Navy League of the United States is honored by your presence here today. We hope that you appreciate our intent in causing these Memorial Day commemorations to take place. It is an organization dedicated to support the sea services and a strong national defense. Our local Navy League Council has made Memorial Day a significant part of our annual calendar. We hope you will too. Thanks for all your participation in this most important Memorial Day and thank you for coming. Now will you please stand and remain standing during the Retiring the Colors which signals the conclusion of this Memorial Day ceremony. "