On Tuesday, April 16th at 11:30 am, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and veterans of the USS Laffey Association will host a memorial service to honor the 32 sailors killed during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The event will take place aboard the USS Laffey and include a reading of the names of the fallen, a moment of silence, and a ceremonial wreath toss.
April 16th marks the 79th anniversary of Japanese kamikaze attacks near Okinawa. In roughly 80 minutes, the USS Laffey was attacked by 22 kamikaze aircraft. Seven kamikaze aircraft and four bombs struck the vessel. Against all odds, the valiant sailors of the USS Laffey never quit and heroically fought off the attack, shooting down 11 of the Japanese planes.
It was the fiercest attack ever survived by a U.S. Navy vessel and, for her valor, the ship was awarded the Presidential Citation and earned the sobriquet, “The Ship That Would Not Die.”
Museum admission will be waived for those attending the ceremony, starting at 10:30 am. Parking is $5.
