News Release

Memorial Day Ceremony in the Shiloh National Cemetery

The honor guard presents the colors.

NPS Photo/Mekow

News Release Date: May 18, 2019 On Monday, May 27, at 11:00am, Shiloh National Military Park will host its annual Memorial Day observance ceremony in the Shiloh National Cemetery. This time honored service, one of the oldest in West Tennessee, will include music, reflective readings, patriotic salutes, and the laying of a wreath on the grave of an unknown soldier.

“Memorial Day is a day for remembering all the people who have died while serving in our country's armed forces,” said Superintendent Dale Wilkerson. “This day was originally known as Decoration Day, and began after the Civil War to commemorate the soldiers who died in the war. We are honored to care for Shiloh National Cemetery, and we invite everyone to come help us remember those buried here, who have died for our freedom.”

The key note speaker will be Captain Robert B. Johns, commander of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG-67), forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. Captain Johns is a career surface warfare officer and has served on the USS Fitzgerald, USS John Paul Jones, USS Enterprise, and the USS Nimitz. Prior to assuming command of the USS Shiloh, he served as the reactor officer on the USS Ronald Reagan.

The public is invited to meet Captain Johns at a come-and-go reception on Sunday, May 26, from 3:00pm until 5:00pm, at the Shiloh Education Center. The Center is located between Hagy Lane and the main park entrance on TN Highway 22.

Ranger led programs and demonstrations will take place Monday afternoon on the battlefield. A complete schedule will be available at the front desk of the Visitor Center beginning that morning. For more information on Shiloh National Military Park’s events, call the visitor center at [phone]. You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShilohNMP, on Twitter at twitter.com/ShilohNPS, and on Instagram @ShilohNPS.