Servicemen And Women Honored With Somber Ceremony Aboard Battleship New Jersey
By Dan Wing
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- One of the more somber ceremonies to mark Memorial Day was held Monday on the Camden riverfront aboard the Battleship New Jersey.
After presenting the colors and a playing of Taps, a wreath was dropped off the side of the ship into the waiting waters below to honor all of the men and women who have served.
David Wetherspoon was the day's emcee, and he says there is a bond amongst all military men and women.
"Even though you don't even know one and other," Wetherspoon said, "you still remember things that happened that you both have an equal appreciation for."
Mara Strock traveled here from Virginia to honor her father, who spent 30 years serving on the Battleship New Jersey.
"I couldn't have asked for a better place to be at," she said. "To be here under the guns with the battleship, and these guys with the firing of the guns, the Navy, the whole bit, a big piece of him is with me."
She also brought a message with her.
"It doesn't matter whether it's the Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard -- they're all one," Strock said. "People need to appreciate that, because if it wasn't for them, the United States wouldn't be the way that it is today."
Visitors were also invited to tour the ship, which now serves as a museum.
