THE U.S. NAVY JOINS THE IMMF'S
PEARL HARBOR MIDWAY NIGHT DINNER
ABOARD THE USS MISSOURI

The Foundation is pleased to report that the U.S. Navy will join the International Midway Memorial Foundation (IMMF) for the Midway Night Dinner aboard the USS Missouri on June 4, 2001. We are honored that Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet will be the keynote speaker at the Dinner. The Foundation also takes pleasure in announcing that Lieutenent General Henry C. Stackpole, USMC, (Ret.), President for the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and his Executive Director, Major Roger Wilson, USA will again be the Dinner's President of the Mess and Mr. Vice respectively. Dinner will be preceded by a U.S. Navy hosted cocktail reception and Marine Band March on Ford Island at sunset. When the reception is over, a bagpiper will lead the group in boarding the USS Missouri.

The theme of the Midway Night Dinner will be to honor the U.S. submariners who participated in the Battle of Midway. The Foundation will extend invitations to the Battle of Midway submariners and members of the Submarine League. To highlight this theme we will pay tribute to the World War II submariners at the Submarine Monuments at USS Bowfin Museum prior to the Cocktail Reception on Ford Island.

Following Dinner there will be a big band with a vocalist performing the songs popular in the war years. The Dinner and Dance will end at 2300. It is with great pleasure that I can announce that Admiral Dennis C. Blair, USN, Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Forces in the Pacifc and his wife are planning to greet the Midway veterans upon their arrival in Hawaii. This affair consists of a Cocktail Reception in the Peacock Room of the Moana Surfrider on May 28, 2001 beginning at 1900. Members of the Foundation, National Park Service and others on the Welcoming Committee will be there to greet the veterans. Admiral Blair will be the featured speaker of the night. Another great time is expected.

One of the highlights of the week will be the celebration in honor of the designation of Midway Atoll as a National Memorial by Congress. The location of the ceremony was changed from Midway Atoll to the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor because U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found the IMMF's proposal unacceptable to place a Midway National Memorial Monument and flagpole necessary for the Midway National Memorial Flag at the existing site of the Foundation's monument to the Battle of Midway.

The ceremony on the USS Missouri begins at 1000 on June 2, 2001. The ceremony will begin with the playing of musical selections by the U.S. Navy Band followed by Parading the Colors, the National Anthem and the invocation by Captain Stanford E. Linzey, ChC, USN (Ret.)*. Welcoming remarks will be made by myself, members of the Congress, the U.S. Navy and the National Park Service. The Historical Perspective will be given by Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, USN (Ret.), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (invited), and vignettes by LCDR Richard H. Best, USN (Ret.)*, Colonel William R. Lucius, USMC (Ret.)* and others. Remarks will be made by the Special Guest of Honor, following which the Foundation is proud to announce that the Keynote Speaker will be the Honorable Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States (invited). Ambassador and former Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf, II (invited), who composed the "Battle of Midway March", will then conduct the Navy Band in playing the march. At the same time the Midway National Memorial Flag will be unveiled by LCDR Richard Best*, Colonel William Lucius* and BMC Albert "Chappy" Powers, USN (Ret.)* and others. The Ambassador will then conduct the band in their playing of his composition "Remembrance Hymn" during the raising of the Battle of Midway National Memorial Flag. The new sterling silver Midway Atoll National Memorial Coin will be presented to the Midway veterans and dignitaries in attendance. Following the Benediction by Chaplain Linzey, Taps will be played to end this day of historic celebration and remembrance.

*Midway Veteran

"The Galloping Ghost"

For two or three days we roamed and we tossed,
The high seas of treachery, our enemies to boss.
Day in and day out, we sought to destroy
The enemies subs, cruisers, and carriers with joy.