In the Age of COVID, A Virtual Event Celebrates WWII Sailor's 100th Birthday

摘要

Sailors from Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Raleigh, North Carolina, produced a surprise 100th-birthday video in December for Warren Shepard, a U.S. Navy veteran who served on board the Cannon-class destroyer escort USS Riddle (DE-185) during World War Ⅱ. The original concept had been for sailors to celebrate the occasion near Shepard's home in Wilson, North Carolina. But keeping in line with COVID-19 safety precautions, Commander Roger "Lee" Huffstetler, commanding officer of NOSC Raleigh, decided that the in-person event was not possible. "I wanted to do something to honor him, but I have to make sure we're keeping everyone safe," Huffstetler said. Working with the NOSC's executive officer, Lieuten- ant Commander Allison Moon, and senior enlisted leader, Senior Chief Petty Officer Donald Bailey, the team decided to make a personal video message instead, to be recorded following their annual dress blue uniform inspection and morning muster on 9 December. In the video just for Shepard, his family, and friends, Huffstetler called the NOSC crew to formation, rendered a salute to Shepard and his years of service, and then wished him a happy birthday. Afterward, each sailor took time to recite lines from a short script written by Moon. "We developed the video concept as a contingency plan as COVID-19 cases really started to rise locally and we weren't sure if the birthday celebration was going to happen-or if we would be able to attend if it did," said Moon.