Plan Your Event At The Navy Memorial

Proud Navy veterans of the USS West Virginia reunite at the U.S. Navy Memorial to lay a wreath in honor of their ship and in remembrance of their fallen fellow sailors.

MILITARY REUNION GROUPS
WREATHLAYING CEREMONIES
PLAQUE DEDICATIONS

Sea service veterans are the foundation of the United States Navy Memorial. The support of tens of thousands of veterans, including more than 100 ship reunion organizations, was critical to Navy Memorial fundraising and led to the successful dedication ceremony on October 13, 1987.  We appreciate the individual, family and reunion organizations that visit the Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center.

Activities that we can provide include:

• Commemorative, outdoor wreathlaying ceremony with music, ceremonial guard and official remarks by a representative of the Navy Memorial (indoor ceremonies can be provided in inclement weather) – click here for more information on scheduling a wreathlaying ceremony at the Navy Memorial;
• Commemorative Plaque Dedication in our state-of-the-art theater with taps, photo opportunities and a visit to the Plaque Wall;
• Private screening of our award-winning films in our theater;
• Guided tours of the Heritage Center exhibits and a visit to the Ship’s Store;
• Receptions in our Gallery Deck and Presidents Room with food and beverage.

If you're currently interested in planning a visit to the Washington area, we suggest contacting one of the following reunion planners:

• National Reunion Planners, Ray Casey, 800-672-0456, nationalplanners@hotmail.com
• Guide Service of Washington, Inc., Megan Williams, 202-628-2842
• Mid-Atlantic Receptive Services, Kate Scopetti, 800-769-5912 ext. 16
• Hospitality Partners, Patrick Leary, 301-718-6161, x220 leary@hospart.com
• Armed Forces Reunions, Ted Dey, 800-562-7226

They can assist you in arranging your tours, dining and transportation needs. If you are making all of your own arrangements and just need hotel accommodations, you can contact one of the following:

• Hilton Arlington, Megan Donnelly, 703-812-5104 (13 hotels in the area )
• Channel Inn Hotel, DC, Lynn Neff, 800-368-5668
• Hospitality Partners, Patrick Leary, 301-718-6161, ext 220 (13 hotels in the area)
• Doubletree Hotel, Arlington, Andrea McFadden, 703-416-3846
• Holiday Inn, Alexandria, Erik Weinert, 703-549-4192
• Quality Hotel, Arlington VA, Isamar Santana 703-247-1007

Many other reunion groups have visited and here's what they say about us...

"I'd like to take this opportunity on behalf of the USS Little Rock Association to thank you for providing the perfect venue for our reunion and memorial service, and for being such a gracious host.  The Navy Memorial of course is the perfect place for sailors and marines to visit and conduct ceremonies and I would urge every ship's association to place the Navy Memorial at the top of their list for their next reunion.” –  Donald S. Schuld

"What a thrill it was, Admiral, to visit the Memorial after several years, and to receive such a warm and gracious welcome from you and your staff. All the IRWIN crew members were most complimentary about the cooperation we got in laying the wreaths for our shipmates who have preceeded us across God's Quarterdeck. The ceremony was flawless, and I would hope you would pass our thanks along to the color guard, bugler and your Master Chief, Jay Hood. I was particularly pleased with the display set up in the Ship's Store by Marilyn Baker for my book, "BLUEJACKET" and the opportunity to chat with you at length." – John A. Hutchinson, USS Irwin (DD-794) Association

We at the Navy Memorial and Heritage Center are here to help you. For more information on reunions call 202-737-2300, extension 747 or e-mail at sales@navymemorial.org.  

Other points of contact at the Navy Memorial for information are:
- Wreath laying Ceremony – June Jaeger, X-747 or jjaeger@navymemorial.org
- Ship's Store - Shipstore@navymemorial.org
- Navy Log Info - Dave Michael, X-716 or navylog@navymemorial.org
- Ship History and Research - Mark Hacala, X-735 or Library@navymemorial.org
- Movie Scheduling - June Jaeger, X-747 or jjaeger@navymemorial.org

June Jaeger
Navy Liaison/Reunions
1-202-737-2300 ext. 747 or
Sales@navymemorial.org

Individual Wreath Ceremony at the Navy Memorial

A wreath is placed next to the Lone Sailor statue at the Navy Memorial to honor President Gerald Ford's passing in 2006.

The United States Navy Memorial Foundation has created an on-going Private Wreath Ceremony to honor the lives, commitment and service of individual sea service veterans. At an individually scheduled date and time, a Memorial Wreath will be placed at The Lone Sailor© statue on the Navy Memorial Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue preceded by a Private Memorial Service in the Naval Heritage Center.

The Memorial Service, attended by family, friends and a senior USNMF representative, will take place in the Presidents Room of the Navy Memorial's Naval Heritage Center. The family is invited to organize the actual service with participation from the friends and family of the deceased. A simple printed program is suggested to help organize the service and we can accommodate the playing of any CDs the family wish to provide. The room is arranged quite similar to a small chapel with a center aisle and seating on both sides. There is a podium with a microphone and the commemorative wreath is appropriately placed in the front of the room. This ceremony is quite suitable for families that have not all had the opportunity to gather together since the passing of their loved one. We recommend that the event be kept to one hour followed by the placement of the commemorative wreath out on the Navy Memorial Plaza at The Lone Sailor© statue. If the family wishes we can refer them to a caterer and refreshments can be offered outside the Presidents Room in a screened area after the Memorial Service and the placement of the Memorial Wreath.

The "Individual Wreath Laying" requires a donation of $250.00 to the Navy Memorial Foundation. The donor will receive a patriotic folder with a picture of the Wreath placed at The Lone Sailor© statue and a card stating the name of the person and the date of the Ceremony. A press release will also be provided describing the Wreath Laying in the nations Capital, which the donors may wish to send to their local newspaper. To make arrangements for this Individual Memorial Wreath program, please call or write:

Paul Haley (Director, Planned Giving)
701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Suite 123
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 380-0760
(202) 737-2308 (fax)
Email: PaulHaley@navymemorial.org

Need More Information? Please use our On-Line Form to request more information about these and other activities of the United States Navy Memorial. 

Wreathlaying Ceremonies

The United States Navy Memorial hosts wreath laying ceremonies for Reunion Groups holding their annual reunions in the Washington, DC area. The public ceremony is held on the Navy Memorial Plaza and honors the lives and service of Reunion Group shipmates no longer alive.
The ceremony normally consists of:

• Presentation of colors by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard
  (arranged by the Navy Memorial on an availability basis);
• Invocation by a Reunion Group member (if desired);
• Remarks by a senior Navy Memorial representative;
• Remarks by Reunion Group members (if desired);
• Reading of names of shipmates who passed since the last reunion
  with the tolling of the bell after each name (if desired);
• Presentation of the wreath at The Lone Sailor© Statue (in inclement weather, the ceremony is held in the theater) by a senior Navy Memorial representative and 2-3 Reunion Group Members;
• Taps performed by a member of the U.S. Navy Band (arranged by the Navy Memorial on an availability basis).

Reunion Groups can order the wreath and arrange other activities at the Navy Memorial through the Operations staff by calling: