Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
We regret to inform you that we will not be conducting our Annual Armed Forces Day & Blue Star Salute Event in 2024. This event began 19 years ago at the American Village in Montevallo and has been held the last 10 years at the Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile with our valued partner, the South Alabama Veterans Council. We will be evaluating our options to bring this event back in 2025 and thank you for your participation and support.
Blue Star Salute is a concerted effort by local, state and national military, political, veteran and caring citizen groups and organizations who have set aside A Blue Star Salute Day as a particularly significant appreciation day to America's military services of all Branches, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and the historical United States Merchant Marines.
Alabama's first organized Salute was held on Memorial Day in 2005 at The American Village, Montevallo and was co-hosted by The American Legion of Alabama, Alabama Society Sons of the American Revolution and The American Village Citizenship Trust, Gold Star Mothers and Wives of America. We combined our Blue Star Salute to the military services with a somber Gold Star Salute to our Fallen Heroes.
Given the rapid development and growth of the Alabama National Cemetery and its relevant annual Memorial Day Commemoration as well as the expressed interests of other venues, sites, Communities and Cities throughout Alabama to locally co-host annual Blue Star Salutes in their areas; and, given the priorities being held to continue to support and participate in the Memorial Day events at the Alabama National Cemetery and The American Village, a decision was made in October 2012 to seek to honor requests of other sites to co-host our Annual Salutes at other venues where invited AND to schedule such Annual Blue Star Salutes to be held on Armed Forces Day rather than Memorial Day. Therefore, on Armed Forces Day (May 18th, 2013) the Ninth Annual Blue Star Salute was scheduled to be held at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile, co-hosted by the BSSFI, South Alabama Veterans Council, the Alabama Battleship Commission and the City of Mobile.
Alabama’s Blue Star Salute has continued to be held annually at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park ever since, with the exception of 2020 (COVID-19). Please scroll down for slide shows and videos of past events.
Hope you enjoy this highlight reel of the 18th Annual Blue Star Salute!
Hope you enjoy this video of the 17th Annual Blue Star Salute.
Michael Sullivan and his wife Milly participated in the 17th Annual Blue Star Salute Event at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park to honor the memory of his friend, US Army Captain Raymond “Ray Ray” Darryl Smith (1978-2021).
Michael and Ray Ray met at the ROTC Program at the Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC in 2011 and quickly became best friends. Ray Ray enlisted in 1996 and served his country for 25 years which included deployments for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kuwait, and the Republic of Korea.
Michael and Milly started the day by participating in the Alabama Fallen Heroes Memorial Run and later placed a rose in honor of Ray Ray on the foot of the battlefield cross during the Gold Star portion of the ceremony.
Ray Ray touched many lives during his career in the Army and we were proud to stand with Michael and Milly to honor his service.
Happy to share this video of the 16th Annual Blue Star Salute
Check out this great video by Fran Barber-Bruyn. www.photographybyfran.us
01/19