This week the United States Navy turns 247 years old, and for 179 of those years, sailors all across the country have started their day with Morning Colors.
News 3 Reporter Penny Kmitt attended a Morning Colors Ceremony aboard the USS Wasp Tuesday morning. Sailors aboard the ship tell her the ritual symbolizes Navy men and women both past and present.
"What it means to me is family," said Airman Jalen Lightburn "My family has done this for a very long time."
The tradition of Morning Colors is said to have started back with the Royal Navy in 1797. It wasn’t until 1843 that the United States Navy adopted the custom from the British.
Since, every military base in the county, regardless of what branch, honors the tradition.
"I could do this duty every day," said Shawn Caldwell, an ASAA at Naval Station Norfolk. "It shows the sacrifices [past sailors] made are important today. We honor them by doing what we do now."
While the 247th birthday celebration means extra good food on base, the sailors say it also means another year spent serving and protecting our country.
"Another year goes by and our Navy's still going strong, our nation's still going strong," added Lightburn.
While a lot has changed over the past 247 years, every day at 8 a.m. sharp, sailors say Morning Colors remain the same.
