White Caps WAVES National Newsletter

Portsmouth City Councilman J. Thomas Benn, III, and Stained Glass Artist Michelle Hatfield pull off the cover unveiling the stained glass window during the dedication ceremony held July 19 in the Charette Health Care Center Dining Facility. From left to right are Rear Adm. Thomas K. Burkhard, commander, NMCP; Councilman Benn; Ms. Hatfield; Jan Roy, former president, WAVES National; and Dassa Carvey, president, Tidewater Tidal WAVES, the local chapter. (Courtesy, The Courier)

WAVES National Stained Glass Shadow Box, in honor of all men and women in the military, past, present and future, was dedicated 19 July 2003, at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), Portsmouth, VA.

A Patriotic Prelude, performed by the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Band Brass Ensemble, preceded the ceremony. NMCP Honor Guard presented the colors, followed by Tidewater Tidal WAVES Trio singing the National Anthem.

CDR Wanda L. Weidman, CHC, gave the invocation. Chaplain Houk was originally scheduled to give the Invocation and Benediction. However, when Chaplain Weidman heard of the dedication, she expressed her desire to be the one to give the public prayers. In her prayers, Chaplain Weidman spoke of the anchor in the window being symbolic of the anchor of God’s faithfulness. She asked that we be granted strength to carry out God’s will, vision to see what needs to be done, and courage to overcome all obstacles.

RADM Thomas Burkhard, MC, Commander, NMCP, welcomed everyone to the dedication ceremonies and thanked WAVES National for allowing NMCP to be the recipient of this very significant memorial. He also indicated that this is a very appropriate place as thousands of men and women in uniform would pass through the dining facility annually and would see this magnificent tribute to our service men and women.

RADM Sally Brice-O’Hara, Commander, Coast Guard Fifth District, was guest speaker. RADM Brice-O’Hara spoke of the sacrifices made by every man and woman who chooses to serve in the military. Recognizing the women of WAVES National, and as a woman herself, she decided to speak about "a few women that stand out in history, a very small sampling of incredible women whose achievements were integral to the successes of our nation, and who assisted their fellow mankind in ways never thought possible of the fairer sex:"

Ida Lewis, an early federal employee, a member of the U.S. Lighthouse Service; Nurses, in general, as they have provided outstanding medical services for the military well before the creation of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901 and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908; Joy Bright Hancock,

a WW I enlistee, WW II officer and Director of the WAVES; Dorothy Stratton, originally a WAVE Lieutenant who was commissioned into the Coast Guard as a Lieutenant Commander to serve as the first Director of the Women’s Reserve. She is credited with having come up with the name SPAR (Semper Paratus, Always Ready, the CG service motto); Barbara J. Dulinsky, a Marine Master Sergeant and the first woman Marine ordered to a combat zone.

RADM Brice-O’Hara closed her remarks by saying she felt inspired by the women in the audience and those who have gone before, and thanked them for their courage and dedication and perseverance.

Jan Roy, immediate past president of WAVES National, represented WN in the absence of Barbara Turner, President. On behalf of WN, Jan spoke of the history of the stained glass windows and how the current one came to be; how members of WN had personally contributed to the funds so this monument to all active duty sailors, marines and coast guard personnel, who pass through the dining facility, that WAVES National and the women of the sea services have joined together in this project so they will be remembered always.

After Jan’s remarks, RADM Brice-O’Hara, RADM Burkhard, Portsmouth City Councilman J. Thomas Benn III; Jan Roy; Dassa Carvey, President, Tidewater Tidal WAVES and WN Public Relations Chairman, and Michelle Hatfield, stained glass window artisan, were called to the front for the unveiling of the shadow box. Councilman Benn and Michelle Hatfield performed the unveiling to the oohs and aahs of the audience.

Chaplain Weidman performed the Benediction, following the Tidewater Tidal WAVES Trio singing the Navy Hymn and WAVES of the Navy.

RADM Brice-O’Hara thought it only fitting since the Navy sang “WAVES of the Navy,” that the Coast Guard should honor the audience with a song as well. Retired Coast Guard Warrant Officer Betty Splaine sang an impromptu rendition of a SPAR’s ditty. When asked about singing the ditty without any notice or preparation, she replied, “When the Admiral requests something, I still follow orders!”

The crowning moment came when a Navy Captain approached me after the ceremonies were over and told me that she eats lunch in the dining facility every day. She had sat through lunch all week, wondering what on earth the electricians and facilities people were doing. When she came in for lunch that day and saw the dedication and the stained glass shadow box, she was amazed. She thanks WAVES National and all the women in the organization for deciding to place such a magnificent tribute in the dining facility. She would have her lunch every day and admire the memorial.