FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Memorial Day “Lost Boat” Ceremony WHAT: Lost Boat Ceremony WHEN: 5 pm, Memorial Day, Monday May 26, 2008 WHERE: USS Pampanito submarine, Pier 45, San Francisco (Taylor and Embarcadero) WHY: To honor all those who gave their lives in the service of the U.S., as personified by submariners who never returned. They and the 52 boats lost during World War II are on what’s known as “Eternal Patrol.” The USS Pampanito served in World War II in the Pacific Theatre; it conducted six war patrols and performed a dramatic at-sea rescue of 73 Australian and British prisoners of war INFO: 415-775-1943, https://maritime.org San Francisco, Calif. -- This Memorial Day aboard San Francisco’s World War II submarine, the USS Pampanito, submarine veterans remember shipmates whose boats never returned to port. Three decorated WWII submarine veterans will perform this solemn yet moving ceremony, which features an individual bell toll for each of 52 boats and their crew lost during World War II, and who are said to be “on Eternal Patrol.” It is a poignant and colorful Naval tradition that highlights the sacrifice of generations past. The ceremony also features two live buglers performing “Echo Taps” -- one bugler plays a musical phrase, then the second bugler “echoes” that phrase, in what becomes a cascading performance of the distinctive 24-note Taps. Guest Speaker is Captain Shepherd Jenks, United States Navy (Retired). Jenks was the navigator for USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered vessel and the first ship to reach the North Pole from beneath the Polar icecap in 1958. More than 200 submarine veterans will also be in attendance at the ceremony. “We need to reflect on the loss of these submarines and the men who served and died in them performing their duties,” says Harry Nystrom, a submarine veteran and trustee of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association (SFMNPA), the organization that preserves and operates the Pampanito. The ceremony is co-hosted by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, the crew of USS Pampanito, and the Submarine Veterans of World War II. -- more -- Public information: 415-775-1943, https://maritime.org Click here for color photos of the submarine and historic B&W shot of the 1945 crew. ABOUT THE SUBMARINE USS PAMPANITO ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO MARITIME NATIONAL PARK ASSOCIATION Contact:
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