150th Anniversary of USS Monitor and the Battle of Hampton Roads Commemorative Program March 6, 2012

In honor of the 150th Anniversary of the USS Monitor and the legendary Battle of Hampton Roads, the U.S. Navy Memorial (USNM) will host a commemorative program in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Naval History and Heritage Command, and the Mariners’ Museum’s USS Monitor Center. During its short lifetime, the Monitor became one of our nation’s prized treasures and a ship that forever changed naval warship design.

NOAA will dedicate a commemorative plaque to the 16 sailors who perished aboard the USS Monitor when it sank in December 1862. USNM President VADM John Totushek will welcome guests to the ceremony, where several Monitor artifacts and historic images will be displayed, followed by a reception with light refreshments.
In addition, archaeologist and author Dr. John D. Broadwater will officially launch his latest book, USS Monitor: An Historic Ship Completes Its Final Voyage (Texas A&M University Press, March 2012), as part of the Navy Memorial’s Authors on Deck lecture series. Guests and the public are invited to learn about the Monitor’s eventful one-year Civil War career – in which it launched, fought the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia and sank several months later off the coast of North Carolina – as well as the years of diving and archaeology that led to the recovery of the ship’s engines and iconic turret. Following the presentation, Dr. Broadwater will be available for a Q&A session and book signing.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
9-10am Media Preview
10-11am Ceremony – open to the public
11am-12pm Light Reception
12-1 pm Author Presentation

Official Website: http://www.navymemorial.org