By Alexis Simmons | October 5, 2020 at 4:50 AM EDT - Updated October 5 at 5:12 AM
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - The annual memorial service in honor of the veterans who served on the historic Navy destroyer USS Laffey is going partly virtual this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The service is usually open to the public, but this year it’s limited to USS Laffey veterans and their families because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A live stream of the service will be available on the Patriots Point Facebook page at 10 a.m. on Monday.
The USS Laffey Association comes together for this annual event that takes place aboard the destroyer. It’s located at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mt. Pleasant.
The service is honoring former crewmembers who have died in the past year, and the 32 sailors who were killed while serving aboard the Laffey during a World War attack on Apr. 16, 1945, off the coast of Okinawa, Japan.
The USS Laffey served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1975 and has been a part of Patriots Point since 1981, according to museum officials.
The Laffey Association President Chris Kirhagis says they hope they will reach more people virtually.
“It’s very important that we continue to honor our Laffey crewmembers,” said Kirhagis. “The virus will keep the community from physically joining us, but through technology, we hope to reach even more people than before. The ability to stream video will give folks across the world a chance to join us aboard the Ship That Would Not Die.”
You can watch the live stream here.
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