ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
With 232 years of protecting America on the high seas, in the air, and under the waves, the national capital threw a birthday party with its first "Navy Day in D.C." Celebrations were conducted at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Northwest, the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast, and Constitution Hall at the Daughter's of the American Revolution building across the street from The White House. An all day affair, activities were kicked off in the morning at the Navy Memorial, with the Navy Band and Ceremonial Guard in attendance.
Events showcasing the Navy's multi-capable force with combat command battle suits and disarming robots being a crowd favorite. On the Memorial's plaza were a coastal warfare boat, a desert humvee, a mini-tall ship, and many performances by the Navy Drill Team, the Capital Chorus, and the Navy Band. The Memorial also hosted an open house in its Naval Heritage Visitors Center with educational displays about Navy sailors and their sacrifice on the world's oceans. With its reputation as "home port of the Navy," the Navy Memorial also was marking its own 20th anniversary. "It's a great birthday party," said Rear Admiral (Ret) Richard Buchanan, the Memorial's President. "We had so much to do; this was a festival to remember!"
The party moved on to the Washington Navy Yard, the U.S. Navy's oldest shore base. The Yard hosted the annual National Naval Junior (High School) Reserve Officer Training Corps Color Guard and Drill Team competition. The junior midshipmen had a chance to later see how drill teams truly perform with an appearance by the Navy's Ceremonial Guard. Tours were given of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, the destroyer USS Barry, and Yard Patrol boats from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
The day's crowning glory was saved for the evening with an incredible, formal U.S. Navy Band performance that featured the Navy's Sea Chanters (vocal performance choir), the Navy Cruisers (modern rock band), and former "American Idol" performer, Navy Band Southeast vocalist, Petty Officer 3rd Class Phil Stacey. Petty Officer Stacey thrilled the nearly filled Hall with renditions of the popular country tune "American Child" and the always popular Ray Charles version of "America the Beautiful." At the close of his performance, Petty Officer Stacey received a two-minute standing ovation.
The performance, which was broadcast to sailors overseas and shipboard around the world by the Naval Media Center, was a bright mix of audio-visual presentations of such important American Naval events as the Battle of Midway, the launching of the Great White Fleet, and sailors on duty in service to the nation, as well as live comments from officers who have recently returned from the Middle East and from service aboard the USNS Comfort, as well as greetings from the Navy's new Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead." Navy Capt. Richard Morris, Naval Civil Engineer Corps, said of his Iraq Individual Augmentee assignment, "I became a friend - no a brother - to many hard working Iraqis." He told of the new Iraq and police stations built by inter-national allied sailors that service 370,000 new Iraqi forces. "Being a part of a team in Iraq was one of the best professional experiences of my life. America's sailors and their families are in the forefront of the war on terror," said Captain Morris.
In the audience were the proud parents of one of the Sea Chanters, MU3 Mike Webb. Guy and Jeanne Webb gushed, "The show was very good. We have seen a lot of these concerts and they always please us. Of course, we think Mike should have gotten more face time!" Finishing with evident pride in their son's accomplishments, they said, "He lives his job. Music was always his passion, but the Navy has helped him share his talent with everyone."
The show's great music ended with the traditional John Phillip Sousa tune "Stars and Stripes Forever." Afterwards, MU1 Susan Appel, an 18-year veteran of the Sea Chanters, who now serves as the choir's Information Coordinator, told of the high dedication of the choir's members. "Most of the people have college degrees, some even graduate degrees, and a few have their Ph.D.s in music theory or vocal performance. I am like most of the choir - singing is our first love. We have this overwhelming sense of joy when we perform. It is our gift to share with the world and the Navy lets us do just that," Petty Officer Appel continued, "It is an honor to sing for the Navy and my country. I am not on the battle field, but this is how I can help in my own way by giving to America."