Submarine veterans will honor the sailors who died when their submarines sank, both in times of war and peace in a solemn ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. on April 22 at the Chattanooga National Cemetery armed forces pavilion. A bell is tolled during the ceremony for each of the 65 US boats as circumstances of their sinking is read. The public is invited to observe the ceremony.
The Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave, Chattanooga, TN, will host members of the USS Carbonero Base, United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., who will honor the memories of over 4,000 submariners lost in the line of duty in a formal public ceremony to recognize their service.
Officials said, "Service in Submarines is an inherently dangerous business and those who serve are volunteers, and since the founding of the US Submarine force in 1900, 65 submarines and over 4,000 men have given up their lives. Most of these young lives were lost during WWII when 52 submarines were lost.
"It is the duty of the members of United States Submarine Veterans to publicly honor submariners so that their gallant service and sacrifice is never forgotten. The public is invited to join with us in honoring these fallen heroes of the U.S. Submarine force."
United States Submarine Veterans is a National Veterans Fraternal Organization chartered in 1964 and recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(19) entity. With over 13,000 members and 150 chapters (bases) nationwide, it is the largest organization of submarine qualified veterans in the world. Visit www.ussvi.org or call 360-337-2978 for additional information.