The 56th annual Memorial Day ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens will take place on Monday, May 29, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will honor service members with ties to Maryland who were lost within the last year, and pay tribute to all men and women of the Armed Forces who have paid the highest price in defense of the United States of America. The ceremony will take place at the Circle of the Immortals monument located in the Field of Honor Garden.

The ceremony, which is open to the public (rain or shine), will also be live-streamed. Those who wish to watch virtually can click on the link found atop our homepage ten minutes before the ceremony starts or go directly to the live stream on our Facebook page.

Honored at the 2023 ceremony will be:
*Seaman First Class William Brooks, US Navy, of Glen Burnie, MD; killed Dec. 7, 1941, WWII at Pearl Harbor aboard USS Oklahoma; remains identified; laid to rest next to his brother in Maryland, July 16, 2022.

*Corporal Donald E. Angle, US Army, of Clear Spring, MD; killed in the Korean War, July 25, 1950; remains identified; laid to rest in Pennsylvania on October 6, 2019.

*Sergeant Roy C. DeLauter, US Army, of Smithsburg, MD; killed in the Korean War, December 1, 1950; remains identified; laid to rest in Maryland on April 22, 2022.

*CSSA Tan Phat Nguyen, US Navy, of Severn, MD; died May 20, 2022.

*Specialist Joshua Graves, US Army, of Glen Burnie, MD; died July 15, 2022.

*Midshipman Second Class Luke G. Bird, US Navy, Naval Academy, MD; died July 16, 2022.

*Second Lieutenant William S. Kilmon, US Army, Havre de Grace, MD; died October 2, 2022.

*Airman First Class Samy Tchassem Tcheuffa, US Air Force, of Oxen Hill, MD; died December 13, 2022.

*Petty Officer Second Class Brandon M. Murrmann, US Navy, of Glen Burnie, MD; died January 2, 2023.

*Captain Kenneth C. Motsay, USMC, of Arbutus, MD; died February 13, 2023.

*Specialist Tyler C. Blair, US Army, of Baltimore, MD; died February 28, 2023.

Note: A moment of silence will be held to remember Airman Makai Cummings, U.S. Air Force, of Baltimore, MD who died May 8, 2023. Airman Cummings is laid to rest at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens and will be honored at the 2024 Memorial Day observance.

The keynote speaker will be United States Marine and Vietnam veteran, Corporal Wayne L. Miller, USMC. Wayne Miller is the Director of the Vet Center, a program of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, which provides counseling services to veterans and their families on a wide range of social and psychological needs. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart and the Vietnam Veteran of the Year award. Wayne, an accomplished singer who has performed at patriotic events and ceremonies throughout the United States, will perform the national anthem at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony.

Delivering a memorial address will be Baltimore County Executive, John “Johnny O” Olszewski, Jr.

The family speaker will be Terrence O. Stamps, son of Marine Staff Sergeant Oliver Clifton Stamps of Baltimore, MD. SSGT Stamps, a casualty of the Vietnam War, was posthumously awarded the Silver Star in recognition of his heroic actions in saving his platoon.

Note change in speakers: Wayne S. Pennell, Chief Operating Officer, BWI Marshall Airport, will be unable to attend and will be represented by Michael Dunn, Senior Officer of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (retired) and USO Volunteer who will speak of the sacred role Maryland plays in the dignified transfer of our military members for their final journey home.

The ceremony emcee is Alan Walden, Broadcast Journalist, Author, U.S. Army Veteran and Colonel of the Maryland Line. Alan has been the voice of the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens for more than 30 years.

This year’s Memorial Day ceremony will honor three Maryland MIAs, from WWII and the Korean War, whose remains have recently been identified and laid to rest in their hometowns. Family representatives for US Navy Seaman First Class Brooks, US Army Corporal Donald Angle, and US Army Sergeant Roy DeLauter will participate in the ceremony by laying a wreath at the World War II/Korean War Memorial located at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. A moment of silence will be held to remember those service members who have not yet been identified and brought home.

The ceremony will also include recognition of the Vietnam War 50th Year Commemoration, the 13-year nationwide initiative to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration was authorized by Congress and launched in 2012. By Presidential proclamation, the Vietnam War Commemoration will continue through Veterans Day, November 11, 2025.

A tradition of the annual ceremony is to recognize a local non-profit organization that supports our veterans and underscores the significance of Memorial Day. This year the Maryland Chapter of Heroes on the Water (Maryland Chapter – Heroes On The Water) will be recognized for their recreational wellness programs that support veterans and first responders and their families. Their no-cost therapeutic kayak fishing experiences and outdoor programs offer a peaceful environment for personal healing, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community.

The Memorial Day observance will include a wreath placement, tributes to those lost, TAPS and a rifle volley. The United States flag will be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, per Memorial Day protocol. The ceremony is open to the public and will also be live-streamed.

“On May 29th, we will gather to honor and show our gratitude to our service members, to remember their sacrifice, and to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day,” said Jack Mitchell, President of Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.