USS Truxtun Conducts Burial at Sea
02 December 2021
Off the Coast of Jacksonville, Fla. --
Honoring the lives of veterans who committed themselves to America, the USS Truxtun (DDG 103) crew conducted a burial at sea while underway off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 14.
Among the service members buried at sea were 19 Sailors and one U.S. Army National Guard Soldier. Their home states included Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
The ceremony’s presiding officer was Cmdr. Jason R. Horning, Truxtun commanding officer, who received the National Ensign in honor of those committed to the sea. Master of Ceremonies and Truxtun Operations Officer, Lt. Gideon Jones, spoke on the behalf of the honorees.
“We are gathered together to honor these service members,” said Jones. “It is our privilege to honor their love for the sea by fulfilling this request to have their remains scattered at sea.”
The ship’s color guard opened the ceremony by rendering honors to the veterans laid to rest. Truxtun’s Lay Leader, Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Hayden Roberts, delivered the invocation and led a prayer in remembrance.
Following taps, the ceremony was concluded with a ceremonial 21-gun salute, marking of the chart, and a flag presentation to Truxtun’s commanding officer.
Truxtun is an Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer homeported in Norfolk, Va. It is named for American Naval hero, Cmdre Thomas Truxtun, one of the first six commanders appointed by George Washington to the newly formed U.S. Navy. She is the sixth U.S. naval warship to bear his name.