TITLE: OFFICIAL US/SPANISH MEMORIAL CEREMONIES TO BE HELD IN MENORCA.
This year, memorial ceremonies will be held in Menorca to render homage to DAVID GLASGOW FARRAGUT, first Admiral of the United States Navy and to pay tribute to the US sailors buried in the American Naval cemetery in the Mahon harbor.
It is planned that dignitaries from both the US and Spanish sides will attend the ceremonies, to renew the memorial events that took place in the past.
Forgotten in past years, the cemetery was eventually put on a maintenance agenda of the Rotary Club of Menorca which in 2005 made a major restoration of the whole area, and in 2006, under the initiative of the Menorca Delegation of the Madrid Council NLUS, a follow up maintenance was carried out with the help of the menorquin Rotarians, Probus and NLUS members and the collaboration of local material and equipment firms..
Following a contact with Admiral Ulrich at the last NLUS European Conference in Barcelona, George Ferrara obtained the promised from the Admiral that the US Navy would resume maintenance activities of the cemetery.
Admiral ULRUICH fulfilled his promise and issued instructions to the Commanding Officer of the Rota Joint Naval Base to take this responsability. This coming 21th of February, Lt BEAUCAGE, the Protocol Officer from Rota is coming to Menorca to survey what sort of maintenance is required and review other aspects of the maintenance, in addition to coordinating the coming memorial ceremonies.
We all should be thankful to Admiral ULRICH to having taken time to attend this matter without delay, and we shall be grateful to all of those who will come to Menorca to carry out this maintenance. Although this coming help is not the ideal solution, for we feel that the maintenance of the cemetery should be institutionalized, it is certainly well welcomed, and maintaining it properly will reflect favorably upon our country and will be , at the same time, an indication that we, the NLUS and all US sailors in Europe are showing their respect for the deceased shipmates.
This special events will certainly be enhanced by the attendance of all members NLUS who can spare the time to come to Menorca, and we are all here prepared to make their stay on the island memorable.
George
