Eternal Reefs to Deploy First and Only Undersea Memorial to the 65 Lost U.S. Submarines and 4,000+ Crew On May 22

SARASOTA, Fla., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On May 22, Eternal Reefs will deploy the first of 65 gigantic reef balls to the ocean floor nine miles off the coast of Sarasota, Fla., marking the first ever undersea memorial to the 65 American submarines lost since 1900, along with 4,000+ officers and crew. This significant new marine memorial is the first and only memorial honoring the sacrifice of these submariners in the environment in which they served – the ocean.

The project was dedicated in a land side ceremony last Memorial Day weekend (27 May 2018) at Sarasota's Ken Thompson Park, however weather and other conditions prevented the ocean deployment until now.

Each memorial is an individual reef ball, a designed artificial reef specifically engineered to mimic Mother Nature, which quickly assimilates into the ocean fostering significant new marine growth within 90 days. Each of the reef balls in the On Eternal Patrol collection weighs 1,300 pounds, stands three feet tall and includes an individual plaque identifying the lost submarine, its best-known last location and the number of officers and crew lost.

The upcoming ocean deployment will occur on the 51st anniversary of the loss of the U.S. nuclear sub the USS Scorpion, the last submarine to go On Eternal Patrol with all 99 officers and crew. Find a complete list of the boats On Eternal Patrol and those lost in non-sinking events, visit http://www.OnEternalPatrol.com.

"Deploying these first On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reefs marks the culmination of a years-long journey of respect and honor for heroes in The Silent Service," said George Frankel, CEO of Eternal Reefs. "It is our distinct privilege to champion such an appropriate undersea memorial and we believe generations will to pay respects as the On Eternal Patrol reefs continue to replenish the marine environment in which these submariners served."

In addition to the 65 memorials to the lost boats and crew, two additional memorials are included in the On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef: one memorial honoring the USSVI (the U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.) and one memorial – the pinnacle reef – honoring the contribution of the entire submarine community, including losses in non-sinking incidents.

On May 22, six (6) memorial reefs will be deployed to the ocean floor: the pinnacle reef, the USSVI reef and the four (4) boats lost after WWII, the USS Cochino (SS-345), USS Stickleback (SS-415), USS Thresher (SSN-593) and the USS Scorpion (SSN-589). The Exuma Trader will transport the six reefs for deployment and function as a work platform approximately nine (9) miles directly off Big Pass on Sarasota's coastline.

The Flying Fish will transport an anticipated 90 dignitaries, veterans and USSVI representatives to the ocean deployment site to view and participate in the dedication which will include a Tolling of the Boats ceremony. All 67 memorial reefs in the On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef project will be displayed for public viewing from Sunday, 19 May until being loaded for transport to the Exuma Trader on Tuesday, 21 May 2019.

As the summer months progress, the remaining reefs in the entire 67-strong On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef will be deployed with assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Two USCG vessels are planned to facilitate the deployments: the Joshua Appleby, an offshore buoy tender, and the Vice, an inshore buoy tender. Eternal Reefs executives will coordinate closely with USCG personnel to deploy the final reef balls as weather permits.

"The strategic value of the Navy's submarine force in World War II and since cannot be overestimated. It is fitting that the On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef honors the brave submariners who gave their lives in service to our nation," said Rear Admiral Donald P. Harvey, USN (Ret), who is Sarasota's oldest living naval serviceman and highest ranking retired naval officer. Harvey made this statement for the 2018 land side dedication.

Hundreds gathered in 2018 when full military honors were bestowed for each of the 65 lost boats in the land side dedication ceremony. See a report of the event here, which included rifle salutes, buglers playing taps and an honor guard presenting folded flags to representatives for each lost submarine. For many, this was the first time they received military honors. View the full 2018 dedication service on Eternal Reefs Facebook page and see video of the On Eternal Patrol Memorial Reef project, including a full listing of all submarines with their date of loss, on YouTube.

A Sarasota-based 501c3 memorial organization, Eternal Reefs, Inc., planned the ambitious project, in partnership with Reef Innovations and The Reef Ball Foundation. The project garnered gubernatorial recognition from 25 states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

About Eternal Reefs
The Genesis Reef Project dba Eternal Reefs, Inc. is a Sarasota-based non-profit organization that provides a creative, environmentally-enhancing way to memorialize the cremated remains of a loved one. Eternal Reefs incorporates cremains into a proprietary concrete mixture used to cast artificial reef formations which are then dedicated as permanent memorials which bolster natural coastal reef formations. Eternal Reefs pioneered the concept of reef memorialization and, since 1998, the organization has placed nearly 2,000 Memorial Reefs in 25 locations off the coasts of Florida (North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf Coast and Panhandle), Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, substantially increasing the ocean's diminishing reef systems. Memorial reefs can only go in properly permitted locations by the U.S. Government. Eternal Reefs has strategic partnerships with the Reef Ball Foundation and Reef Innovations. The company secured 501c3 status in January 2017. Learn more at http://www.EternalReefs.com or on the company's Facebook page.

SOURCE Eternal Reefs