Posted:
May 26, 2011
During ceremonies in Washington, D.C. commemorating the 79th annual National Maritime Day, officials from the U.S. Navy, Congress and Maritime Administration expressed their gratitude for the service and sacrifice of U.S. civilian mariners.
Speaking before a wreath-laying ceremony, U.S. TRANSCOM Commander Gen. Duncan McNabb recognized the many thousands of mariners who gave their lives in World War II. "Without their painstaking efforts, we would have never won the war," he said.
"We need no reminder of the outstanding dedication and sacrifice of our merchant mariners throughout our nation's history," Gen. McNabb continued. National Maritime Day gives us "the opportunity to formally thank our merchant mariners for their amazing dedication and is a time for us to pause to remember our great mariners who gave their lives in the struggle of democracy and freedom over tyranny and oppression. The merchant marine has always been the linchpin in our U.S. commercial sealift capability and has come to America's aid in the most crucial times in our nation's history."
Also speaking at the National Maritime Day ceremony, Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of Military Sealift Command, acknowledged the "great debt of gratitude we owe the men and women of the U.S. merchant marine." For more than 62 years, he said, "MSC has benefited from the professionalism and expertise of America's merchant mariners. Wherever and whenever duty calls, they deliver."
He added: "We depend on them every day to meet the mission requirements of the best ocean transportation system in the world."
National Maritime Day ceremonies honor American merchant mariners
During ceremonies in Washington, D.C. commemorating the 79th annual National Maritime Day, officials from the U.S. Navy, Congress and Maritime Administration expressed their gratitude for the service and sacrifice of U.S. civilian mariners.
Speaking before a wreath-laying ceremony, U.S. TRANSCOM Commander Gen. Duncan McNabb recognized the many thousands of mariners who gave their lives in World War II. "Without their painstaking efforts, we would have never won the war," he said.
"We need no reminder of the outstanding dedication and sacrifice of our merchant mariners throughout our nation's history," Gen. McNabb continued. National Maritime Day gives us "the opportunity to formally thank our merchant mariners for their amazing dedication and is a time for us to pause to remember our great mariners who gave their lives in the struggle of democracy and freedom over tyranny and oppression. The merchant marine has always been the linchpin in our U.S. commercial sealift capability and has come to America's aid in the most crucial times in our nation's history."
Also speaking at the National Maritime Day ceremony, Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of Military Sealift Command, acknowledged the "great debt of gratitude we owe the men and women of the U.S. merchant marine." For more than 62 years, he said, "MSC has benefited from the professionalism and expertise of America's merchant mariners. Wherever and whenever duty calls, they deliver."
He added: "We depend on them every day to meet the mission requirements of the best ocean transportation system in the world."