Memorial Day Ceremony

Date: Monday, May 27

Time: 10 AM

Cost: Free to attend

Location: Olympia

Join the Independence Seaport Museum and The Chapel of Four Chaplains as we gather aboard Olympia for our annual Memorial Day ceremony, where we remember and honor all who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our nation.

This year's featured speaker is Ms. Karen Flaherty-Oxler, MSN, RN, who serves as the Director of CPL Michael J. Crescenz VMAC in Philadelphia. A retired 2 Star Rear Admiral of the United States Navy, she served for 38 years, with her last assignment seeing her acting as the Deputy Surgeon General and Deputy Chief for the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for the United States Navy. Her focus and operational priorities were on the Wounded Warriors and their families, creating programs of support and resiliency. Understanding the Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injuries experienced by these Warriors became the cornerstone of policy and program changes for all of DoD (Department of Defense). She served as the 22nd Director of the Navy Nurse Corps and proudly calls herself a Navy Nurse. Prior to that role she also served as the Associate Director for Patient Care and Nursing Services at the Philadelphia VAMC from 2001-2007.

In addition to Ms. Flaherty-Oxler, other participants in the ceremony include:

• Civil Air Patrol Honor Guard (Representing the Auxiliary of the United States Air Force), who will present the colors.
• Jillian Pirtle, from The Marian Anderson Historical Society, who will perform the National Anthem.
• Rev. William Rex, from The Seamen’s Church Institute, who will offer the Invocation.
• MS3(SS) Earl C. Wightman, who is a representative of the Local Commandery, Philadelphia & Delaware Valley of the Naval Order of the United States.
• Captain Louis A. Cavaliere, US Navy (Ret.), from The Chapel of Four Chaplains.
• Aidan Peterson, from Bugles Across America, who will perform TAPS.