The annual remembrance ceremony will take place on Sunday afternoon, December 7, at 2:00 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. There will be readings, music and a tribute to Pearl Harbor survivors and WW II veterans. In addition to our keynote speaker there will be a Two-Bell Ceremony and presentation of a Flower Wreath. No reservations needed.
Our keynote speaker CAPT Leonard Jones, USN (Ret.)
CAPT Jones was born and raised in Matthews, Georgia. He is a 1974 graduate of Wrens High School where he earned a Navy college scholarship. Following graduation and commissioning from the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at Savannah State College in 1978, CAPT Jones entered the fleet as a surface warfare officer.
His afloat assignments include service onboard USS Higbee (DD 806), USS Dahlgren (DDG 43), USS Charles F. Adams (DDG 2), Destroyer Squadron 31 Staff, and USS Vincennes (CG 49).
His overseas assignments include service at Afloat Training Group Western Pacific in Yokosuka, Japan, and Naval Attaché at the American Embassy Nassau, Bahamas.
He commanded Navy Recruiting District Atlanta and NROTC Unit at Savannah State University where he was also the Professor of Naval Science. He also served as Director, Latin America/Middle East Division at the Navy International Programs Office in Washington, DC where he oversaw Foreign Military Sales. He retired from the Navy in 2008 after 30 years of service.
Following retirement from the Navy, CAPT Jones served as Senior Naval Science Instructor at Johnson High School in Savannah and retired from teaching high school in 2019 as the Senior Naval Science Instructor, NJROTC Unit, Peach County High School, Fort Valley, Georgia. CAPT Jones was awarded Peach County High School Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year.