One hundred twenty-five youth members of the Young Marines from 25 separate units throughout the United States traveled to Hawaii to participate in the 77th anniversary Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance.
The Young Marines along with the leadership of the American Legion, Marine Corps League Hawaii, and Vietnam Veterans of America Hawaii, performed a wreath laying ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, the Punchbowl, in memory of all the brave men and women who are interred there.
A significant honor for the Young Marines was leading the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu. They carried the banners of the 12 capital ships that were attacked. The parade’s objective was to honor the heroes and survivors of Pearl Harbor and World War II, to pay tribute to veterans, active duty military members and military families, to celebrate freedom and to keep in remembrance the heinous events of Dec. 7, 1941.
In addition, the Young Marines cleaned-up three beaches, Ft. Hase Beach, North Beach, and Pyramid Rock Beach, at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
“The Young Marines met some of the survivors of that historic event of 77 years ago,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “Those veterans are, in every sense of the words – living history, and each has a story to tell. It is an honor for Young Marines to meet these veterans and memorialize the one who are no longer with us.”
The participating Young Marines units were:
- Atlantic Coast Young Marines – Jacksonville, FL
- Bakersfield Young Marines – Bakersfield, CA
- Brass City Young Marines – Oakville, CT
- Camp Pendleton Young Marines – Camp Pendleton, CA
- Cincinnati Young Marines – Cincinnati, OH
- Eagle Young Marines – Camp Pendleton, CA
- East Valley Young Marines – Mesa, AZ
- Golden Gate Young Marines – Hayward, CA
- JPSO Young Marines – Harvey, LA
- MCAS Tustin Young Marines – Santa Ana, CA
- Miami Valley Young Marines – uber Heights, OH
- Natchaug River Young Marines – Danielson, CT
- North San Diego Young Marines – Vista, CA
- Oxon Hill Young Marines – District Heights, MD
- Pyramid Rock Young Marines – CBH Kaneohe, HI
- Quantico Young Marines – MCB Quantico, VA
- Quartz Hill Young Marines – Lancaster, CA
- Rutherford County Young Marines – Smyrna,TN
- Sacramento Young Marines – Carmichael, CA
- Southeast County Young Marines – Seal Beach, CA
- Southland Young Marines – Pomona, CA
- Spartan Young Marines – NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA
- Tarrant County Young Marines – Fort Worth, TX
- Three Rivers Young Marines – New London, CT
- Tornado Alley Young Marines – Wichita, KS
Young Marines units raised funds at their local level to supplement the costs of traveling to Hawaii to attend the remembrance ceremonies. Young Marines used their creativity, and applied the program’s core values – leadership, teamwork and discipline – to implement unique and effective fundraising efforts.
The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c (3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to 270 units with 9,000 youth and 2,600 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and affiliates in other countries.
For more information, visit the official website at: https://www.YoungMarines.com.
