Navy Memorial Celebrates a Successful Blessing of the Fleet Ceremony and Reopening
WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Navy Memorial hosted its 31st Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on Saturday, April 9th in Washington, D.C. following the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. This ceremony was free and open to the public, marking the Navy Memorial’s first major event coming out of the pandemic.
Over 1,100 people witnessed the ceremony in person on Navy Memorial Plaza, located in the heart of D.C. on Pennsylvania Avenue, or at home via live stream. This longstanding tradition kicks off the spring season at the Navy Memorial by “bringing the fountains to life” with water provided by the U.S. Navy each year.
A captive audience watched as the United States Navy Band opened the event with ceremonial music including “Ruffle and Flourish” and “The Flag Officer’s March.”
Traditionally, special remarks are delivered by members of the Official Party at each Navy Memorial event. This year’s ceremony featured Mr. Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III, Director of the National Park Service; Admiral John C. Harvey, USN (Ret.), Chairman of the Board of Directors, Navy Memorial; Rear Admiral Paula Dunn, USN, Vice Chief of Information; and Captain Brian J. Stamm, USN, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Chaplain.
“We have worked together to complete the major overhaul of the piping systems of this memorial. Water plays a critical role in this memorial, and you see the fruits of that partnership all around you today. The fountains will come to life for the first time in two years,” said Mr. Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III.
During the ceremony, the United States Navy Ceremonial Guard served as vial bearers and carried four vials with water from the Seven Seas and Great Lakes to each corner of the plaza. On cue from the U.S. Navy Band, all four vials were poured into the Navy Memorial’s fountains, and water shot up toward the signal flags on the plaza.
Directly after the ceremony, a special ribbon-cutting took replace outside the Navy Memorial Visitor Center to celebrate its reopening along with Navy Memorial 2.0 - a growing initiative to expand on the memorial’s digital programs and productions, creating a global community and making a bigger impact around the world.
Shortly after, attendees were invited inside the Visitor Center to enjoy free exhibits, maritime music, and Navy Bean Soup served by White House Mess. With a vision to come out of the pandemic stronger than ever, the Navy Memorial team felt this was an incredibly successful event.
The Navy Memorial is honored to continue its partnership with the U.S. Navy, the National Park Service, and corporations like the U.S. Money Reserve that support its mission. Additionally, the Navy Memorial is proud to have the full support of its Board of Directors.
“The Navy Memorial is back. Our Visitor Center is alive; it’s informative, it's engaging, and it’s interactive. We have made a significant move to digital programming taking our mission to honor and celebrate our sailors and marines across the country,” said Admiral John C. Harvey, USN (Ret.).
The public can expect another Blessing of the Fleet ceremony to happen next year in early April. Visit www.NavyMemorial.org for information on upcoming events.
The Navy Memorial is located at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to Honor, Recognize and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present, and future; and to Inform the public about their service. To learn more, visit us online at www.NavyMemorial.org.
