It hardly seems like 20 years. The dedication of the U.S. Navy Memorial on 13 October 1987 was a dazzling program choreographed by Robert Jani, who had done Super Bowl half-time productions and the annual Christmas show at Rockefeller Center. This was a decidedly different event. It was quite a show.
I coaxed director John Cosgrove, a former newsman and Navy veteran well known in the Washington milieu, to chair the Dedication Committee. I was amazed how he accomplished the seemingly impossible, like persuading the city fathers to close Pennsylvania Avenue for about 12 hours-0300 to 1500-so we could use the National Archives' Pennsylvania Avenue portico overlooking the Memorial across the street for our speakers' platform. I attended the meeting with the city committee and was equally amazed at the excitement members exhibited to welcome the Memorial into reality. It was evident that John had greased this procedure.
This setup allowed us to lay Navy Blue carpet from the Archives to the Memorial, place 7,500 chairs, decorate the portico with red, white, and blue bunting, position four bands, and provide a large press platform and an area for fireworks and the release of blue and gold balloons.
Dedication day was windy, with temperatures in the low 50s. I served as pre-ceremony emcee and noticed Admiral Arleigh Burke and his wife Roberta seated below and shivering in the cold. I hastened my orations and moved the Burkes inside by a window that allowed a good view of the ceremonies. The couple later reminded me several times how I had "saved their lives." The admiral was a Foundation founding director.
Cosgrove introduced our board chairman, Senator John Tower, who introduced a series of stellar speakers: Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Carl Trost; Secretary of the Navy James Webb; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral William Crowe; Henry Berliner, Chairman, Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation; and the principal speaker, secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who concluded his remarks with, "Bring the Memorial alive!"
With that order, a contingent of Navy Honor Guard Sailors poured waters of the Seven Seas into the four energized Memorial pools, four bands performed a rousing rendition of the National Anthem, fireworks erupted, and 1,000 balloons were released, all climaxed by a flyover of Navy aircraft up Pennsylvania Avenue at 1,000 feet.
At this point, the ceremonial plaque at the memorial received its dedication, while Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Bill Plackett unveiled the Lone Sailor statue, beginning its eternal watch. Secretary Webb then swore in a Navy Memorial Company of recruits and reenlisted a large contingent of petty officers. We did it all!
Other than the successful dedication event, the most important thing to me in the total picture was the outstanding support our effort received over the previous nine years from many individuals, principally the stalwarts on the staff. Most were from the Navy Public Affairs community, who were never paid enough because of our lack of funds but who became obsessed to contribute to this project. I started with my former Chief of Information secretary, Ruth Donohue, and gained Captains Jack Davey, Walt Thomas. Tom Coleman, and Bob Jones, who became my deputy, and Commander Jim Nemer. Our staff never exceeded 12-7 full time and 5 part time. Considering that none of us had previous experience in building a memorial, we done good.
To cap dedication day, Foundation Director Joanne Crown of Chicago asked if I would escort her on a personal tour of the Memorial. Following us was a man wearing a Fleet Reserve Association hat, indicating he was a retired chief petty officer. At tour's end, the gentleman stepped forward.
"Admiral Thompson?" he gestured.
I replied in the affirmative.
He tried to say something, but finally moved in to give me a hug, saying to me softly, "Thank you." He then backed off, with tears streaming down his face. That made my day.
Admiral Thompson was the Navy's first public affairs officer selected for flag rank and served as Chief of Information from 1971-75. In 1978 ha volunteered for the Navy Memorial Foundation and retired in 1993 as President and CEO, having overseen completion of the Memorial and its Heritage Center.