NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The National WWII Museum, in partnership with the Mayor’s Military Advisory Committee, will host an Armed Forces Day Commemoration on Saturday, May 20, at 11 a.m. to honor all past and present members of all six branches of the US military: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. The commemoration will feature performances by the Victory Belles and the USMC Color Guard and Band as well as speakers Major General David Mize, USMC (Ret.), New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and Medal of Honor Recipient Jim “Doc” McCloughan.
McCloughan was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2017 for his heroics as a combat medic in Vietnam in May 1969. Braving enemy fire to rescue his wounded comrades, McCloughan is credited with saving the lives of 10 soldiers from his company despite his own injuries while fighting near Tam Kỳ.
During this program, the Mayor’s Military Advisory Committee will also present its 2023 Community Service Awards to servicemembers who have gone above and beyond to selflessly serve the communities they live and work in.
Following the commemoration, the Museum will unveil and rededicate its Blue Star Highway Marker on Magazine Street, in partnership with the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc.
Additionally, the Museum will have military vehicles and machinery from local military installation on display all day at the Col. Battle Barksdale Parade Ground. This will include a towed 105 mm howitzer artillery cannon; a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee); a MK-19 heavy machine gun; and a Coast Guard Response Boat.
All veterans are admitted free to the Museum galleries on Armed Forces Day. Complimentary admission is for the Museum only; ticket purchase is required for Beyond All Boundaries and Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience.
Current servicemembers and their families can also enjoy free admission to the Museum thanks to the Blue Star Museums program, which kicks off on Armed Forces Day and continues through Labor Day.
The Armed Forces Day program is sponsored by Peoples Health, Navy Federal Credit Union and AARP Louisiana.
WHEN: Saturday, May 20, 2023
Schedule of Events
- 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Military Static Displays from Local Military Installations
Col. Battle Barksdale Parade Ground
- 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Armed Forces Day Commemoration Ceremony
US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center
- 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Blue Star Museums Kickoff Cookout
Col. Battle Barksdale Parade Ground
- 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker Rededication
Sidewalk along Magazine Street in front of American Sector Restaurant
WHERE: The National WWII Museum
US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center
945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
