There is an old saying that "those who do not learn from history
are doomed to repeat it." It's a somber lesson that has been repeated throughout the years, and is one that the Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) soaked in when they gathered together during the Holocaust Remembrance ceremony, April 24.

The remembrance ceremony, hosted by GHWB's American Diversity Heritage Observance Committee (ADHOC), featured opening remarks by Lt. Francesla Sequeira, the disciplinary officer for GHWB who summed up why it is important to remember the Holocaust.

"This day of remembrance that we hold is meant to honor and remember the victims of the Holocaust," said Sequeira "so we never forget such a great atrocity that mankind is capable of, and to commemorate the strength and resolve of the survivors."

The Holocaust was the deliberate genocide of nearly 6 million European Jews during World War II by the Nazis. Other social and ethnic groups were persecuted and killed also, and the death total was estimated to be between 9 to 11 million.

"It was an absolute horrible time in human history, and it's scary to imagine what it must have been like," said Mass Communication Speciality 3rd Class Danny Ray Nunez Jr. "My people were taken to slaughter for simply being who they are, and it happened less than a century ago. It's something that I hope never again happens."

Nunez, whose Jewish lineage comes from his father's side of the family, attended the remembrance ceremony to honor the victims and survivors. Lt. Brian Shea, the guest speaker for the event, told a story about how his wife's great-grandfather survived the Holocaust but lost his wife and child. The point of the story was to emphasize the need to educate later generations of this dark time in history.

"It's because of my son that I'm standing here speaking to you today," said Shea. "He needs to know what his family endured and what the world lost. Future generations should know and learn from it."

Afterward those in attendance observed a moment of silence. Twenty volunteers lit 20 candles in honor of one of the victims the volunteer chose to honor. As each candle was lit, the Sailor that did so read the name of the victim.

"Each year, fewer and fewer survivors remain," said Shea. "It falls on us to carry these memories forward and to ensure this tragedy does not happen again."

As Sailors stood in solidarity, they realized that not only was it a time to mourn and to remember, but it was also a time to reflect on how society, and the world, has learned and grown over time. It falls on us to prevent a dark chapter in history from happening ever again.

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