OCBP Then and Now: Memorial Day Wreath Ceremony

Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards Jack Kelly Jr., left, and Sims Drain rowed their lifeboat a short distance away from the Moorlyn Terrace beach and placed a wreath on the ocean on Memorial Day (May 30, 1943) to honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives so we can live free. This patriotic beach patrol event was especially meaningful as America was fighting in World War II. On May 14, 2015, Mayor Jay Gillian signed a proclamation declaring Ocean City’s participation in National Beach Safety Week, May 23 to May 31. The proclamation reminds bathers to take appropriate measures to protect themselves including: swim near a lifeguard; never swim alone; never drink alcohol before swimming; respect the power of the surf; and learn to swim. Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., on the Moorlyn Terrace beach, the lifeguards will continue the wreath laying tradition. — By Fred Miller, historian and former Ocean City Beach Patrol lieutenant