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Veterans gather for USS Laffey Memorial Service
Molly Hamilton Sep 29, 2016
On the morning of Tuesday, September 27, 2016, veterans of the USS Laffey and their family members came together at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum for a memorial service to remember the 32 sailors who were killed in the Japanese attack off the coast of Okinawa on April 16, 1945 as well as the veterans and friends of the Laffey who have died in the past year. The event was attended by more than 150 people as part of the annual USS Laffey Association Reunion.
The event was moved from its usual spot on the fantail of the USS Laffey to the Hangar Bay III of the USS Yorktown because of storms that moved through earlier in the morning. A brief history of the ship and of the Japanese attack on April 16, 1945 was shared by USS Laffey Association President Sonny Walker before he read the names of those who had died and a bell was run for each name. In addition to the 32 sailors killed in the WWII attack, Laffey veterans and friends who died in the past year were named. Afterward, USS Laffey veterans tossed a wreath into the harbor near their ship in memory of those who have died.
At the conclusion of the service, the family of Joseph Folino dispersed his cremains into the water alongside the USS Laffey so he will forever be with his beloved ship.
Check out a gallery of photos at the bottom of this post.
In addition to the 32 sailors killed in the April 1945 attack during World War II, the following USS Laffey veterans and friends of the ship were remembered during the memorial service:
Gail E. Breckenridge SN
Served WWII after Okinawa; died 11.24.2015
Phillip Dubois, MR2
Served 1969-1971; died 11.18.2015
Joseph J. Folino SHSN, Association Treasurer and Board Member
Served 1947-1952; died 12.26.2015
David E. Harhager QM2
Served 1960-1963; died 5.9.2016
Joseph Kavanaugh, LT
Served as Dash Officer 1963-1965; died 1.2.2016
Mark A Patterson, BT3
Served 1973-1975, died 5.7.2016
George Ploth, SOG3
Served 1959-1961, died 12.8.2015
Thomas A Radzevich
Served in the late 60s; died 5.8.2016
Lewis Blair Sykes ENS
Served 1953-1955; died 9.17.2015
Capt. John P. Tazewell
Captain of Laffey 1960-1962; died 5.31.2016
Robert E. Weaver, GM1
Served 1956-1962, died 12.19.2013
Vernon Lee Ford, BT2
Friend of the Laffey, died 5.4.2016
Chief Wendell Calloway
USS Rich work party; died June 2016
A gallery of photos from the event is below:
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