Annual observance remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr. opened the program by saying, "This is a great day and a great opportunity to recognize one of the nation's most outstanding people. Today we honor the life and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

"Twenty years after Dr. King uttered the famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, Public Law 98144 was enacted, designating the third Monday in January as a federal holiday commemorating Dr. King's birthday. George Washington is the only other American whose birthday has been designated as a federal holiday," Scorby continued. "Since the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 20, 1986, this observance has been an occasion for people to remember his life and dedicate themselves to implementing his dreams."

NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Jack Scorby Jr. presents guest speaker Nathan Thomas Jr. a plaque commemorating his visit to NAS Jacksonville.

"It is important to celebrate Dr. King's birthday so the younger generation can remember the struggles of their ancestors and the ultimate price that Dr. King paid for the rights that we as a society have today," said SK2 Zippora Moss.

Annual observance remembers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.IT2 Sherri Hill, a member of the multi-cultural committee said, "The highlight of the program for me was listening to guest speaker Nathan Thomas, Jr. I thought it was very interesting that he was actually part of the marches and knew Dr. King personally. "

As a young teenager, Thomas marched with Dr. King during the Birmingham Movement.

"To me, Dr. King was different than what you read about in the history books. As a member of the 16th Street Baptist Church, he trained us to go out into the world and not use violence but promote love. He represented love, not hatred. He talked a lot about the beloved community and that everyone is included. He taught us to love our fellow man, no matter what color their skin is," remarked Thomas.

Guest speaker Nathan Thomas gives a moving presentation about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the observance. Thomas discussed how he was personally trained by King in the 1960s.

"The uniqueness for me is, I never saw Dr. King in suits, I saw him in overalls. When he trained us, he trained us to withstand punishment and that came through the whole ideology of love. He also told us that if we weren't willing to die for what we believed in, it wasn't worth having.

Also in attendance was Tuskegee Airman Hiram Mann. The Tuskegee Airmen, were a group of enlisted young men who became American's first black military airmen.

Those who possessed the physical and mental qualifications were accepted as aviation cadets to be trained as single-engine pilots and later to be either twin-engine pilots, navigators or bombardiers. They were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Ala.

Enlisted members were trained to beaircraft and engine mechanics, armament specialists, radio repairmen, parachute riggers, control tower operators, policemen, administrative clerks and all of the other skills necessary to fully function as an Army Air Corps flying squadron or ground support unit.

Military members and base employees listen attentively during the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance at the base chapel Jan. 16.

Most experienced a tremendous amount of racism, bigotry and humiliation despite their outstanding war record during World War II. After the war, many white units were undermanned and needed qualified people but were unable to get experienced black personnel because of the segregation policy.

In 1948, President Harry Truman enacted Executive Order Number 9981 which directed equality of treatment and opportunity in all of the United States Armed Forces. This order, in time, led to the end of racial segregation in the military forces.

At the conclusion of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance, the Florida Masonic Men's Choir led the attendees in a moving rendition of "We Shall Overcome."

This year's theme, "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off," reminds us all to rededicate ourselves to the dream of equality.