The Sailors – Damage Controlman Third Class Paul Esposito; Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class Ryan Axtell; and Aviation Electronics Technician Second Class Aidan Morlock – earned the ribbons after successfully completing a year of continuous and honorable service providing safe water transportation for military personnel, dignitaries, and the general public to and from theUSS Arizona Memorial. The three are also certified as coxswains on the detachment’s shuttlecrafts, also known as “white boats.”
Since 1962, when the USS Arizona Memorial opened to the public, the detachment’s Sailors have transported an average of 1 million visitors each year between the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and the iconic memorial, conducting 30 daily runs nearly 365 days a year.
Last year alone, the detachment transported 1,168,000 visitors to the Memorial built over the sunken remains of the Pennsylvania-class battleship, which serves as the final resting place for more than 900 of the 1,177 Sailors and Marines who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
In recognition of this solemn responsibility, the Navy in 2024 expanded eligibility for the Navy Ceremonial Duty Ribbon to include the detachment’s Sailors, who join an elite group previously limited to Sailors assigned to either the U.S Navy Ceremonial Guard or the USS Constitution.
“The Navy Ceremonial Duty Ribbon is a long overdue acknowledgement of the vital work these Sailors do in bringing thousands of visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial every day,” said Rear Adm. Brad Collins, Navy Region Hawaii commander. “Not only do they safely transport these visitors, but they also serve as representatives of the modern Navy, linking service today with the legacy of the past.”
The 16 Sailors assigned to the detachment see themselves as “keepers” of the legacy of the USS Arizona and understand the responsibility they have in transporting visitors to one of the most emblematic memorials in the nation. And for many American and international visitors, the detachment Sailors may be the only U.S. service members they ever interact with. That fact is not lost on Esposito.
“We know every day we come to work we are entrusted with the responsibility of representing the United States Navy and what it stands for,” he said. “It’s a legacy we are portraying to the public and passing down to the younger generations.”
Axtell said it has been an honor to serve in the detachment. “Bringing visitors to the memorial so we can keep the memory of the crew of the USS Arizona alive. It’s so important,” he said. For Morlock, serving in the detachment is more than a job. “Being able to share the history of the Sailors and Marines on board the USS Arizona is something I will take with me throughout the rest of my naval career.”
For more information about USS Arizona, visit https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm.