Vol. 114 - No. 99 - May 15, 2010
D.C. Maritime Day Celebrations Complete Success
The annual observation of Maritime Day at both Department of Transportation Headquarters (hosted by the Maritime Administration) and at the Washington Navy Yard (hosted by the Military Sealift Command). Maritime Day was officially tomorrow (May 22) but since it fell on a Saturday this year, the D.C. observation took place on Tuesday, May 18.
At the morning ceremony, which included remarks from Acting Maritime Administrator David Matsuda, Merchant Marine Medals for Outstanding Achievement were doled out to mariners representing some of the vessels that supplied humanitarian relief to Haiti following that country’s devastating earthquake.
Rep. Gene Taylor was the keynote speaker of the morning affair. He dwelled upon the recent BP oil leak in the Gulf claiming that part of the problem was that the company was taking advantage of weak regulations in sheltering its drilling rig under the flag of the Marshall Islands – subjecting them to less rigorous safety rules than would be tolerated under the U.S.-flag. He vowed to keep fighting to strengthen the Jones Act and bring about a more robust U.S.-flag fleet.
In the afternoon ceremony at the Navy Yard, U.S. Fleet Forces Commander Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., praised generations of U.S. merchant mariners for their contributions to the nation's defense. He paid tribute to the more than 6,500 U.S. civilian mariners (CivMars) who serve aboard MSC’s ships, and highlighted the mariners’ critical support to U.S. and allied warfighters around the world. "Today, our merchant mariners have a large footprint," said Adm. Harvey. "Their service and sacrifice, their pride and professionalism are the firm foundation of our global military operations."
MSC Commander Rear Adm. Mark Buzby hosted the event and also expressed his gratitude to merchant mariners and the CivMars who crew MSC’s ships. "We at MSC are proud of our civilian mariners, so it is fitting that today is set aside to acknowledge the great debt of gratitude we owe to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. merchant marine," said RAdm. Buzby.
At the heart of MSC’s ceremony was the placement of three wreaths to commemorate mariners lost at sea in peacetime and war. The solemn occasion drew to a close with a 21-gun salute by a seven-person firing party positioned on the Anacostia River waterfront just outside the gallery. The wreaths were later placed in front of the merchant marine bronze relief sculpture on the East Wall of the Navy Memorial in downtown Washington, D.C.