NORFOLK, Va. — USS Iowa veterans gathered at Naval Station Norfolk Saturday morning for their annual tribute to their fallen fellow sailors on the battleship.
One by one, the names of the 47 sailors killed on the then-Norfolk-based USS Iowa on April 19, 1989 were read.
Watch: Ceremony commemorates 35th anniversary of explosion on USS Iowa
Each name was followed by the ringing of a bell.
Some of the veterans also spoke.
The shared why they feel the annual event is important, what they want people to remember about the Iowa besides the explosion, and they shared their continued frustration with the way the Navy handled the explosion investigation.
“A wise man once said funerals and memorial ceremonies are for the living. I firmly believe that. We’re here to honor the 47, and we’re here to celebrate their lives. But above all, I think they would want us to live on by helping each other as we did on the ship 36 years ago," said veteran John Schultz.
Watch: Ceremony commemorates 35th anniversary of explosion on USS Iowa
A gun barrel from the ship is on display at Fort Story in Virginia Beach as a permanent memorial to the tragedy.
The ship itself is now a floating museum in California.
