On the 4th of July, 2008, a ceremony will be held at 2PM at the Navy Memorial to honor our independence. The Memorial’s bell will be stuck 13 times.

But…the commemoration is actually larger than that.   On every Naval and Coast Guard vessel, their Ship’s Bells will also be struck 13 times.

One strike for each of the original states.

The Official Announcement from the website:

 

CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                                                     

Contacts:        Taylor Kiland                                                      Lisa Zusman

                        [email protected]                            [email protected]

                        The United States Navy Memorial                    Linda Roth Associates, LLC

                        (202) 380-0718                                                     (703) 417-2700

                                                                                                     

U. S. Navy Memorial Lets Freedom Ring

Bell Ceremony and Film screenings Mark Fourth of July

                       

WHAT:          “Let Freedom Ring,” an Independence Day Bell Ringing Ceremony.  “Let Freedom Ring” is a nationwide program in which bells across the country are rung thirteen times at exactly 2:00 PM in honor of the thirteen original states that approved the Declaration of Independence.

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Every Independence Day, at the appointed hour, four young descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence will tap Philadelphia‘s famous Liberty Bell, setting off the chimes of freedom from bells throughout the country.  The “Let Freedom Ring” event has grown nationwide, and participating bells now include Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Arlington National Cemetery, and thousands of churches, synagogues, state capitals, and government institutions across the country.  In addition, every ship of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine participates.

 

Directly across the street from the National Archives, the United States Navy Memorial’s bell is the closest one to the original signed copy of the Declaration of Independence.

                       

The Navy Memorial will also show high-definition episodes of Hero Ships, a series produced by Lou Reda Productions for History International, in the newly renovated Burke Theatre.

                       

WHO:             Thirteen young people will be chosen from among the Navy Memorial’s visitors to participate in this patriotic ceremony.  Each will strike the bell once to represent one of the original states.

                       

WHEN:          Friday, July 4

                        11:00 AM Screening of Hero Ship: USS Constitution

                        1:00 PM Screening of Hero Ship: USS Nautilus

                        2:00 PM Bell Ringing Ceremony                               

3:00 PM Screening of Hero Ship: USS Hornet

                       

WHERE:       United States Navy Memorial

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                        701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

                        Washington, DC 20004

                       

COST:            Free and open to the public

                       

CONTACT:

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  (202) 737-2300 or www.navymemorial.org.

                       

Lou Reda Productions is internationally recognized as one of the nation’s outstanding documentary filmmakers, producing programs of the highest quality for cable and network television. To learn more about Reda go to www.redafilms.com.  Executive Producers are Lou and Scott Reda.

                                                                                                     

History Channel International gives viewers a global perspective with original programming that makes a world of difference.  Executive Producer is Mike Stiller.

 

The United States Navy Memorial honors the men and women of the United States Navy – past, present and future.  The outdoor plaza features a “Granite Sea” map of the world, towering masts with signal flags, fountain pools and waterfalls and The Lone Sailor© statue.  Adjacent to the outdoor plaza is the Naval Heritage Center, where visitors can find educational displays about the contributions of the members of the Sea Services (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine).  The Navy Memorial is celebrating the Year of Navy Medicine.