h. nazan ışık—

31 May 2021—

The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum hosted its annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, 31 May in-person to honor fallen heroes, all those who sacrificed their lives.

Last year’s ceremony was held virtually, as the museum was closed due to the pandemic, this year’s in-person ceremony wasn’t open to the public due to COVID-19.

And, in accordance with health and safety considerations, attendance was limited.

Susan Maneroff-Zausner, President, Intrepid Museum open the ceremony by welcoming everyone and introducing guest speakers. 

Speakers thanked those who have made the ultimate sacrifice against physical enemies, and also addressed to the invisible enemy, coronavirus.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, one of the speakers: “Regardless of the challenges we’ve been through, there’s so much that bonds us together gives us a reason for hope. Memorial Day is a day to remember the people we lost, those we know, and those we didn’t,” said.   

“ I hope on Memorial Day, we remember what was, and we remember the ideals of those who gave their lives, and then we recommit ourselves because in the end, everyone here has talked about the challenges we faced, but we cannot let those challenges overcome us. We have to be better than that. The pandemic threw at us more than we ever could have imagined, but we did persevere, all of us, as New Yorkers, as Americans, we did persevere. We found something inside ourselves. Let’s find it now. As we bind our nation together, again, let’s find the unity that we felt in those moments, fighting COVID shoulder to shoulder and take it forward, create something better,” Bill de Blasio said.

A wreath-laying ceremony followed the speeches. There were four wreaths.

The first one was for United States Military Personnel lost in current conflicts. 

The Mayor and Intrepid Co-Chairman Bruce Mosler laid the first wreath into the Hudson River.

The unfurling of an American flag followed the wreath-laying ceremony.

100-foot American flag was unfurled by military flag detail.  It was a big flag to unfurl and roll it back again. In the mean time 3-volley rifle salute took place.

It was a beautiful day, not so hot, not so cold and no rain. Even though the Memorial Day ceremony was closed to the public, the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum was open to visitors. 

Photos: © h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN

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