The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum hosted sea service members for its annual Memorial Day Commemoration during Fleet Week New York (FWNY), May 29.

Guest speakers included New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Adm. Phil Davidson, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces, among others.

"Thank you to all who are here and a special thank you and deep appreciation to all who serve us in the armed forces, all the first-responders here, all the veterans here," said de Blasio. "We can only begin to thank you for all you do for us."

The mayor asked the audience to never take for granted the people who have chosen to put on a uniform and risk their lives, and ask yourself four questions.

"What am I doing? ... What can I do for those who have served? ... What can I do for the families who lost a loved one to service? ... What can I do to remember them with the fullest heart, every day? ... that's the mission of all of us," he said.

Davidson spoke about the importance of Memorial Day and what it means to serve in the armed forces, noting that people will often mistakenly thank you for your sacrifice, even though it is an honor to serve.

"I consider it a great privilege to serve this country," he said. "The sacrifice as we all know it is the word reserved our war-dead, and fittingly, the basis for our remembrance for keeping faith on Memorial Day."

During the ceremony, four commemorative wreaths were thrown into the Hudson River to pay tribute to military members who lost their lives in past and current conflicts, including our allied service members and the crew of the USS Intrepid (CV 11).

The ceremony ended with the unfurling of a 100-foot American flag and members of all branches services - active, reserve and retired - were invited to hold the flag in memory of fallen service members, followed by a three-volley rifle salute and the playing of "Taps."

Fleet Week New York, now in its 29th year, is the city's time-honored celebration of the sea services. It is an unparalleled opportunity for the citizens of New York and the surrounding area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.

For up-to-date information on ship locations and tour schedules, visit the official Fleet Week New York website at www.fleetweeknewyork.com, "Like" www.facebook.com/FleetWeekNewYork, or "Follow" www.twitter.com/FleetWeekNYC. Join the conversation on social media by using #FleetWeekNYC.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Mid Atlantic, visit www.navy.mil/.