Veterans Day - Honoring All Who Served

On Thursday, November 11, 2010 from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm in Park Circle, the City of North Charleston will host its annual Veterans Day event with keynote speaker Medal of Honor recipient Major General James E. Livingston, RET USMC. We ask the public to join Mayor R. Keith Summey and City Council in this special ceremony honoring our veterans of all wars. Last year, over 400 veterans were honored.

The Department of Defense and the National Committee for Veterans Day has selected North Charleston as a Regional Site for Veterans Day 2010.  "On Veterans Day we celebrate the lives and legacy of America's 23 million living Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  "From the National Veterans Day observance to regional celebrations nationwide, I encourage all Americans to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank our Veterans for their service."

All veterans in attendance will be recognized and will receive a commemorative medal. To take part in the ceremony, veterans are urged RSVP no later than October 29 by calling 745-1028 or via email at cdambaugh@northcharleston.org.

Prior to the ceremony, from 9:30am – 10:30am, a story swap will be held in the Felix Davis Community Center.  Veterans will have an open opportunity to share memories and stories about their service with fellow veterans.  The story swap is open to the public.  Coffee will be provided.

Our guest speaker, Major General James E. Livingston, RET USMC is a native of Towns, Georgia. He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the Air War College. His decorations include the Medal of Honor; Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Award Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon with 1 Award Star, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation with 2 Service Stars, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with 3 Service Stars, National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 2 Service Stars, Vietnam Service Medal with 6 Service Stars, Humanitarian Service Medal with 3 Service Stars, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with 1 Service Star, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with 2 Gilt Stars, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal and various other service and foreign decorations. He is also a qualified military parachutist.

North Charleston’s 8th Annual “Tribute to our Veterans”

The City of North Charleston will hold its 8th Annual “Tribute to our Veterans” Veterans Day event on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at The Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial at Riverfront Park from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. The event is open to the public. All veterans taking part in the ceremony will receive special recognition for their service. Lunch will be served following the ceremony.

Our guest speaker will be Retired Colonel Robert J. Mastrion, United States Marine Corps (USMC). Colonel Mastrion entered the USMC in 1955, completing his training at Parris Island, and was commissioned in 1961. He served during the Suez Crisis in 1956, Lebanon 1958, the Cuban Crisis 1961, Vietnam 1963-1964, Dominican Republic 1965, Vietnam 1966-1968, Arab-Israel Crisis 1973, Korea 1975-1976, 1985-1986 and the First Gulf War 1991-1992. Colonel Mastrion retired from the USMC in 1992.

For administrative purposes, Veterans are encouraged to RSVP by November 6, 2009 to the City of North Charleston Parks & Recreation Department by phone at (843) 745-1028 or via email at cdambaugh@northcharleston.org.

WHAT
North Charleston’s 8th Annual “Tribute to our American Veterans”

WHEN
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
10:30 am to 1:00 pm

WHERE
The Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial at Riverfront Park
1001 Everglades Drive
North Charleston, SC 29405

History of Veterans Day

In March 2007, the City of North Charleston traveled with our World War II Veterans to Washington, DC to visit the World War II Memorial. Here is the video of our trip.