IT IS CUSTOMARY AT OUR REUNIONS TO PUT ASIDE TIME OUT OF OUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO REMEMBER OUR DEPARTED SHIPMATES.

ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT WITH US IN BODY….. THEY ARE WITH US IN SPIRIT, AND WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US IN OUR HEARTS…..

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM FOR THEIR LAUGHTER AND STORIES FROM REUNIONS PAST, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR LOVE TO THE U.S.S. BOSTON, THEIR FAMILIES AND TO THEIR COUNTRY…...

THE WREATH LAYING CEREMONY HAS BECOME A TRADITION AT OUR REUNIONS AND AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEMBER THOSE SHIPMATES THAT WE MISS SO MUCH AND THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED THEIR COUNTRY IN PEACE AND IN WAR…..

ALTHOUGH WE ONLY HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF SHIPMATES REPRESENTED HERE TODAY BY FAMILY MEMBERS, THE LAYING OF THIS WREATH WILL HONOR ALL DEPARTED SHIPMATES FROM ALL VESSELS NAMED "BOSTON".

OUR WREATH BEARERS ARE:

LONNIE ADAMS, LOIS BOOTH, DOROTHY BORYC, MARIE CLARK, CHARLOTTE DAIGLE, FRANCES FAZEKES, HELEN RAMAGE AND AUDREY THORPE.

ASSISTING OUR WREATH BEARERS IS ANTHONY M. DAVISON, MMC/SS

LET US LAY THIS WREATH AS A REMEMBRANCE OF ALL OF OUR DEPARTED SHIPMATES FROM ALL VESSELS NAMED BOSTON:

READ NAMES OF ALL VESSELS:

GUNDALOW BOSTON - 1776 - 1776 (ring bell)

FRIGATE BOSTON - 1777 - 1780 (ring bell)

CONTINENTAL FRIGATE BOSTON - 1799 - 1814 (ring bell)

SLOOP OF WAR BOSTON - 1826 - 1846 (ring bell)

PROTECTED CRUISER BOSTON - 1887 - 1940 (ring bell)

USS BOSTON CA-69 - 1943 - 1946 (ring bell)

USS BOSTON CAG-1 / CA-69 - 1955 - 1970 (ring bell)

USS BOSTON SSN-703 - 1982 - 1999

BUGLER - TAPS

WE WILL NOW HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO REMEMBER OUR RECENTLY DEPARTED SHIPMATES……

…..PAUSE….

WITH THEIR MEMORIES STILL FRESH IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR MINDS…. LET US ALL "CARRY ON" WITH OUR REUNION AS OUR SHIPMATES WOULD WANT US TO…..

BENEDICTION: CDR. GEORGE L. HODGKINS, JR. CHC, USNR

THIS CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS MORNING. THERE ARE SEVERAL SITES TO SEE SO HAVE A GOOD TOUR. THE ODYSSEY WILL BE LOADING AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 NOON

ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR REUNION. THANK YOU.