By Greg Ellison

(May 27, 2021) Salisbury Mayor Jake Day, who arrived back in the states late last month after being deployed with the Army National Guard to Africa during 2020, will deliver the keynote speech at the Memorial Day service in Ocean Pines on Monday.

The event takes place at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial on May 31 at 11 a.m.

Day is one of three U.S. mayors to deploy for active military duty while in office.

The others are former North Ogden, Utah Mayor Brent Taylor and then-South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Last year, Day joined the 110th Information Operations Battalion for a yearlong assignment involving a 12-country region in the Horn of Africa.

“I was based in our main base in Djibouti,” he said. “We also have bases in Kenya and Somalia that I worked out of.”

The military presence, which dates back to 2002, is targeting extremist organizations affiliated with Isis and Al-Shabaab.

“The second Marine division landed there in 2002, shortly after Sept. 11, as part of the global mission to fight Islamic extremists,” he said.

Over the past two decades, the U.S. military has continued to battle terrorist groups.

“Al Shabaab and Isis Somalia are the two major extremist organizations we are in conflict with in Africa,” he said. “These are major extremists … that have long plotted terrorist attacks elsewhere.”

Over the past several weeks, Day has prepared to retake the leadership reins from City Administrator Julia Glanz, who served as acting mayor in his absence.

“I’m still transitioning in,” he said. “I will formally start back June 1.”

Day said the position carries more responsibility than the majority of mayoral positions in Maryland.

“We’re one of Maryland’s three fulltime ‘strong mayor’ cities, which includes Baltimore, Frederick and Salisbury,” he said. “It’s not as easy to transition as in a smaller town with fulltime professional staff.”

Day said his deployment and subsequent hiatus from his elected position as mayor is not without precedent.

“There are three mayors that have deployed into combat while in office,” he said. In the first instance the assignment proved fatal.

“Brent Taylor was the first,” he said. “He deployed seven times and was killed in combat in 2018 while in Afghanistan.”

Luckily, the outcome for the next mayor, Buttigieg, was devoid of tragedy.

“Pete Buttigieg was the second and he’s now the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and was a candidate for president,” he said.

Day said he shares a special bond with Buttigieg.

“I have the good fortune to talk with Secretary Buttigieg frequently,” he said.

Prior to shipping out of Fort Hood, Texas last year, Day’s unit was visited by Brent Taylor’s widow, Jennie Taylor.

“She actually flew out to Fort Hood to be with my team as we were deploying,” he said. “It’s kind of a small little family.”

Day said Jennie Taylor is currently working for the Secretary of the Army as a civilian representative.

“It’s impressive because tragedy can keep you from focusing on the good things in the world,” he said. “Making something positive out of it is always an impressive feat.”

Despite the obvious sacrifices involved, Day said he plans to highlight the reduced risks faced by military units during his Memorial Day speech.

“Most of us when we’re overseas can’t help but be conscious of the fact that we’ve got it pretty good by comparison to the generations before us,” he said.

In addition to ease of communication with faraway family members, Day also noted ground conditions today are a far cry from earlier times.

“The environmental things that would risk the lives of our deployed troops in the past are no longer a risk factor today,” he said. “We know we’ve got it pretty good and I think most of us [are] cognizant of that.”

Regardless of other changes, Day stressed that military members still risk their lives on a daily basis when deployed overseas.

“It’s so easy to forget that there is risk, that there is conflict and we’re still engaged,” he said.

Day applauded the willingness of service members to place themselves in harm’s way.

“I’m still grateful that we’ve got people that are willing to say, ‘I’ll give up my comfort, time with family, safety and security for this country to defend what’s right,’” he said.

Numerous Memorial Day activities are scheduled throughout Worcester County this weekend.

OCEAN CITY

To kick off the Memorial Day Weekend festivities, Ocean City is planning to unfurl a nearly 45,000 square foot American Flag on Friday. May 28 at 11 a.m. on the beach near Caroline Street.

The ceremony, which will also mark the start of the summer tourist season, is being dedicated to first responders and healthcare workers.

Also from May 28-31 13 beams of light will be projected downtown starting at dusk to serve as a beacon for military, first responders and healthcare workers who lost their lives in 2020.

On Monday, the Dunes Manor Hotel on 28th Street and Baltimore Avenue will host the American Legion Synepuxent Post 166, American Legion Riders and joint Color Guard processions oceanside starting at 8 a.m.

The event, which starts in the Dunes Manor front parking lot and then transitions to the beach, includes a rendition of “Taps,” along with the posting of colors, a three-volley salute from the firing squad and concludes with a wreath placed in ocean waters.

For more information call the Dunes Manor at 1-800-523-2888.

American Legion Post #166 will host a Memorial Day service at 1 p.m. on Monday at its 24th Street location.

Among the assorted speakers will be members of the First State Detachment Marine Corps League, Unit #166 American Legion Auxiliary, Chapter #166 American Legion Riders, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1091, American Legion Post #166 Color Guard and the Sons of the American Legion #166.

Representatives from each group will give a presentation about the history and significance of Memorial Day.

Chaplain Ben Dawson will perform the invocation.

Also participating in the American Legion event are the Ocean City Lions Club and Elks of Ocean City.

Boy Scouts Troop #261, Cub Scouts Pack #261, Troop #621 and Junior Auxiliary Unit #166 will take part in a ceremony to place a pair of wreaths at a table setting honoring P.O.W. / M.I.A. veterans.

Scout members will also recite two poems, “In Flanders Fields,” and “A Soldier’s Prayer.”

The ceremony will conclude with a firing of the volley salute along with a rendition of “Taps,” followed by signing of “God Bless America.”

Refreshments will be served before the ceremony, which is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Ed Pinto at 703-901-5544.

OCEAN PINES

Ocean Pines annual Memorial Day service begins on Monday at 11 a.m.

The event will take place at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial located on Route 589 and Cathell Road.

The keynote speaker at this years’ event is Salisbury Mayor Jake Day.

Musical interludes will be provided by several artists, including Frank Nanna and Todd Crosby with WWIIunes, while Randy Lee Ashcraft will unveil a new tune commemorating the recent Vietnam Memorial “Wall That Heals” stopover in Worcester County.

Lastly, the Delmarva Chorus will honor Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard members with their rendition of the “Armed Forces Medley.”

Public parking and limited seating will be available.

The Worcester County Veterans Foundation is producing the event. For more information visit opvets.org.