 Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to welcome our official party, Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Kenneth Braithwaite, the Undersecretary of the Navy, the Honorable Mr. Slavonic, and Director of Naval History and Heritage Command, Rear Admiral Retired Sam Cox. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the Plain of the National Anthem. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Good afternoon. I'm Pat Burns, the Deputy Director of Naval History and Heritage Command. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the National Museum of the United States Navy Campus Program announcement. This announcement is the first step, public step, towards a realization of a new Smithsonian-class Navy Museum to be built here in Washington, D.C. We look forward to sharing this exciting journey with all of you. At this time, I am honored to introduce the Director of Naval History and Heritage Command, Rear Admiral Sam Cox, U.S. Navy, Retired. His 37 years of service as an intelligence officer culminated in command of the Office of Naval Intelligence and directorship of the National Maritime Intelligence Integration Office. He is the 14th Director of Naval History and Heritage Command and Curator of the Navy since 2014. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral Cox. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests. It is a great honor for me to be here today. I think I'm going to take a little bit of a risk here and go without. I want to recognize distinguished guests, Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Kenneth Braith, Undersecretary of the Navy, Honorable Gregory Sabonic, Vice Admiral Yancey Lindsey. And I think if I look around the crowd, I see a Rear Admiral Corka, Rear Admiral Joiner, Rear Admiral Lottie, Rear Admiral Retired, Massel, and not least, my boss, the Director of Navy Staff, Mr. Hypeley. So again, welcome and taking time from your busy schedules to be with us today. On July 2018, the Washington Post expressed, wrote a review of this museum that you're in now, describing it as tough to visit but absolutely jam-packed with fascinating stuff. In the headline read, DC's Secret Museum is amazing if you can figure out how to get in. And therein lays the crux of the problem that we're trying to solve with the new museum. In a democracy, the military services are accountable to the citizens of the United States to show what we have done with our tax dollars and with the lives of their sons and their daughters. And for legitimate security reasons, this museum, as fascinating as it may be, is not meeting the mission of telling the Navy's story to the American people in a compelling and accurate way. If the Navy does not have the support of the American people, then we will not have the support of Congress and we will not have the Navy the nation needs to deal with the challenges and threats in the future. So the National Museum of the United States Navy needs to be a key part of the mission to inform the citizens of the United States Navy why they need a Navy. There are other factors as well. The building you are now in was built as a gun factory. It was never intended to be a museum. In 1961, when Admiral Arleigh Burke came back from a trip to Scandinavia, he was somewhat chagrin that Norway and Sweden had great Navy museums and we had none. So he directed that a new museum be that we have one. After the usual bureaucratic infighting about who should pay and where to go, Admiral Burke went, see that gun factory there, put it there. And he solved that argument. And that was established the Navy History Display Center intended to be a temporary home for fascinating stuff. And here we've been ever since. The environment is actually not conducive to be a museum. So if you go around, you'll see places where we've taken items off of display because they're being inexorably destroyed by the environment, the humidity, the temperature fluctuations, the ultraviolet light. I can't cover those over because they're historic and historic preservation people won't let us. So our mission here at the Naval History and Heritage Command is to preserve and present an accurate history of the United States Navy to the American public, to naval leadership, to the fleet, and our sailors and veterans and their families. Our vision is to enhance the warfighting readiness of the United States Navy by using the power of history and heritage to pass on hard won lessons to foster unit combat cohesion through the inspirational examples and to foster the continuing support of the American people to ensure that we have a strong future Navy. We're also driven by the moral imperative to inspire current and future generations of sailors and to let those who serve today know that their valor and sacrifice will not be forgotten. It will be always remembered, honored, and valued. The new National Museum of the U.S. Navy campus that will inform, engage, inspire, and bring together Americans of all walks of life here in our nation's capital is indispensable to fulfilling our mission. Particularly as we reenter another Arab great power competition, the nation needs access personal and virtual to a world class museum that tells the story of the Navy, its sailors, and its historic importance in establishing and defending the American way of life for over 250 years. I am honored to introduce the 77th Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Kenneth Braithwaite. Sir. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite was sworn in as the 77th Secretary of the Navy May 29th, 2020. He previously served as a 31st U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway. Secretary Braithwaite graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984 and was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy. In 1995, he earned a master's degree in government administration, graduating with honors from the University of Pennsylvania Fells School of Government. After serving as a naval aviator and public affairs officer, Secretary Braithwaite left active duty in 1993, continuing service in the Navy Reserves and retiring as a rear admiral in 2011. In his civilian career, he served as Executive Director and Senior Policy Advisor to the United States Senator Arlen Specter, as an executive for Assession Health, the largest healthcare provider in the nation, and as the Executive Director of Delaware Valley Healthcare Council. Prior to serving as United States Ambassador, he was Chief Executive of VHA, Mid-Atlantic, a hospital group purchasing and performance improvement company, where he helped to lead the merger and acquisition of other companies to become Vizient Health Inc. Mr. Secretary, thank you for being with us today and for your tireless support of naval history and heritage. Ladies and gentlemen, the 77th Secretary of the United States Navy, Kenneth Braithwaite. At this time, I would like to invite the sailors and officers of NHAC to join the Secretary on this stage for the unveiling of the artist's vision of the National Museum of the United States Navy Campus. Mr. Secretary, I'll give you a countdown from five. Five, four, three, two, one. Ladies and gentlemen, the future campus of the National Museum of the United States Navy. Mr. Secretary, the floor is yours. It was an overcast day in October of 1921. Four caskets were lined up on the pier in La Havre, France. Each contained the remains of a brave young American fallen in the battles of World War I, their names known only to God. Sergeant Edward Younger, a wounded and decorated combat veteran, was selected to place a sprig of white flowers on one of the caskets. That was the casket that was lifted on to the deck of USS Olympia, an iconic Navy veteran of the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 and the flagship of the only ever Admiral of the Navy, George Dewey. The sailors of Olympia stood watch over that fallen American throughout the long journey home. And they transferred him with dignity and honor right here at the Washington Navy Art. His final resting place, a tomb of the unknown soldier. In which he is now joined in Arlington Cemetery by the unknowns from both World War II and Korea, each having sailed home aboard a U.S. Navy warship. Ladies and gentlemen, this is hollowed ground. The stories of these stone walkways are the stories of America, the countless sailors, Marines and civilians who placed service above self to protect our nation through every perilous fight since the War of 1812. We have to tell and retell their stories to remind ourselves of the true price of freedom and prepare for the challenges that are surely to come. We have to tell the story of the original Sloup of War USS Wasp built here in 1806 and many other great ships that set sail from the Washington Navy Art over the last 200 and plus years to place our Navy and our nation upon the world stage. We have to tell the story of the innovations in steam and gunnery nuclear propulsion that were developed right here, securing the critical edge to save our nation and our world. Most of all, on this 245th birthday of our United States Navy, we have to tell the story of the people, the valiant sailors who took to the sea, to the sky beneath the waves and onto the shore to protect our nation and our world from tyranny. Many of them never to return home again, living on only in our memories with gratitude. These sailors sailed upon our earliest warships like the original frigate constellation which spent time at this yard during its storied history. They sailed on her successor, the Sloup of War I visited in Baltimore last week, which carried the flag of our nation from the Civil War through World War II. And they sailed on the mighty supercarrier, Constellation, CV 64, throughout the twilight struggle of the Cold War and through the global war on terror. Every generation of our Navy forges another link in the chain of our American story, culture, heritage and pride and service above self, our critical elements of our Navy combat capability. Our course forward can often be discovered in the lessons of our wake. Our future success depends on leveraging the stories of those who sailed into harm's way to teach and inspire the service of those who wear the uniform today. That's why I chose the name Constellation for our newest class of frigates last week. And I intend to continue using my ship naming privilege to highlight the past in order to inform the fleet of the future. So today I have two more announcements of ship naming. The first honors a great leader and innovative thinker, a naval aviator and lifelong gentleman who has done so much to strengthen our fleet, particularly through his service as the 65th Secretary of the Navy. He led the efforts to win the Cold War by building our Navy to 600 ships. So to remind us of the constant need for maritime strength and global vigilance, it is my honor to announce that DDG-137 will be named USS John F. Layman. The second name honors the undersea warriors who endured great hardships and dangers to secure victory during World War II. One of these storied vessels was USS Barr, SSN-220, which sank 17 enemy vessels, including aircraft carrier, and even landed troops to blow up a train on the Imperial Japanese homeland. She was honored with both a presidential unit citation from President Franklin Roosevelt and a Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to her commanding officer, Commander Eugene Fluckey. And so today in grateful memory of the silent service sailors of World War II and what the record of this great ship meant to the entire Navy, I am announcing that the next attack submarine, SSN-804, will be named USS Barr. As these vessels take our history to the world, we need to ensure that our culture and heritage is alive right here at home as well. The most important word in the title of our nation is United, the United States of America. And one of the things that unites the American people is the story of their Navy as a national institution, whether or not they've had any personal connection through service or through family. It is vital that the American public understand the importance of a strong and viable naval force. As a maritime nation, our future depends upon it, but it goes even deeper. The Navy's story is the story of America. When young girls in school consider a future in computing, I want them to think of Admiral Grace Hopper. When Americans speak out for racial justice, I want them to remember the service of Dory Miller, Jesse Brown, and the Golden Thirteen. When they sing the Star-Spangled Banner, I want them to think of our sailors who doled the British Royal Navy on the waters of the nearby Chesapeake. I want to make the Navy a part of the daily consciousness of our American people. And I want that to start here at the Washington Navy yard. When the American people walk past these walls, I want them to think about Mordechry Booth, rescuing the powder that would help slow the advance of the British forces as they moved on Washington in 1814. I want them to see five of the original six frigates laid up in ordinary anchor right here behind us on the Anacostia River. And when they go to a ballgame at Nationals Park, I want them to think of the Hall of Famers, Bob Feller, and Ted Williams, who put their professional baseball careers on hold to serve in the Navy and the Marine Corps. It is our duty to make the history of the Navy come alive for them all. As we hear at Admiral Cox State, for generations, the National Museum of our United States Navy has done exactly that, honoring our history and heritage as we continue to look to the future. But that story has mostly been hidden here behind the walls of this storied Navy yard, out of reach to the majority of Americans. So today, we will begin the process of reaching beyond these walls to take the story of our Navy to the people that we serve, to illustrate the glory that they achieved, to remind all of us of the service and sacrifice our sailors have made for 245 years. On behalf of the United States Navy, with gratitude to Mayor Bowser, Congresswoman Holmes Norton, and every one of our great partners, it is my honor to announce plans for this new campus, for the National Museum of the United States Navy. The new museum campus will serve as an educational, inspirational, cultural, and ceremonial center for those who have served and are serving in the Navy today. The exhibits in this advanced museum will demonstrate the critical role the Navy has played in the defense of our nation. Exhibits will bring to life the human experience of serving on a U.S. Navy ship. They will deliver leading edge engagement to amplify Navy priorities and operations. They will showcase the history and heritage of all Navy communities, and they will create a memorial to the service and sacrifice of all American sailors. Our intent is to complete this project in time for the 250th birthday of the United States Navy, and to become an integral part of the neighborhood that bears the Navy's name and the nation that stands as its proudest legacy. I'd like to thank those who have stepped forward to make this day possible, especially Admiral Fallon, Admiral Cox, Admiral Masso, and our Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gilday. And I thank all who will continue to work to build this great museum campus as a testament to the service and sacrifice of all who have served in the United States Navy. And finally, to every sailor afloat and ashore around the world today, to every Navy family that serves at their side, and everyone who has ever worn the Navy uniform or supported our mission, happy birthday. And may God continue to bless our Navy and our nation, long into the future. Thank you all very much. Mr. Secretary, Mr. Secretary, at this time, I would like to have a photo with the official party and then a photo with the sailors and officers for the 245th birthday. And then finally, a third photo with the flag and SES and stakeholders.