The Memorial Day ceremony will be conducted by The Arizona
Veterans Memorial Inc., at the AVM Park's Riviera
Peninsula at 1:00 PM. The program will include opening
remarks by AVMI VP Phyllis Hoodak, and posting of colors by
the American Legion Post 87.
Speakers will include: Bullhead City Mayor Diane
Vick, State Representative Nancy McClain, and
featured speaker Japanese POW Survivor
Victor Marinussen of Ft. Mohave.
Victor Marinussen, a resident of Fort Mojave, remembers the
nightmare of being a POW of the Japanese in WWII. He was an
airplane mechanic and gunner for the US Navy.
Born August 11, 1923, he was just 18 years old when two
Japanese Cruisers captured his ship and they were taken to
Celebes, where they were put into a room approximately 12ft
x 12ft. 180 crew members shared this space for
about 1 week before being transferred to a new location. "
We were like animals. There was no bathroom, nothing. We
had to use one bucket. I still remember the smell."
He was moved several times before being sent to Nagasaki,
Japan and then to Fokuokatu.
For three years he and 4300 other men were prisoners of war.
They had to build ships for the Japanese. " If we didn’t
work, we didn’t eat. " The soldiers worked from 5AM until
7PM every day. Stricken by dysentery, Marinussen could no
longer work and was taken to " THE DEAD CELL ". He was there
with four friends. " I would look left to right to see if
they were still alive." " I saw my mates dying. One day,
Coenraad says to me, ‘ promise that if you live you will
tell my family. ‘ I promised that if I lived I would find
his family and tell them that he thought of them. "
Presentation of The Flags by Post 87
Pledge of Allegiance
National Anthem
Introduction by Phyllis Hoodak for AVMI
Introduction of Mayor Vick
Music by Don West – "America The Beautiful"
Introduction of Nancy McClain - AZ State
Representative
POW/MIA Ceremony by Phyllis Hoodak and Post 87
Commander
Prayer by Commander John Founds, Post 87
Wreath placement by Mayor Vick and Mr. Manussen
Taps
Introduction of Mr. Manussen – Japanese POW Survivor
Music by Don West – "God Bless America"
Acknowledgements by Phyllis Hoodak
Closing Prayer
Retiring of the Flags
*Program subject to change
