ANNUAL FUND CAMPAIGN

The Mitchell family came to the Naval Park this past October to spend the day remembering James “Jim” Mitchell; husband to Shirley, father to Greg, and grandfather to Wayne and Ian. They traveled from Michigan to share this special day together. Jim Mitchell served proudly on the USS The Sullivans from 1952 to 1953 as a radioman in the US Navy. Although he was only 18 years old, he had many important responsibilities including processing all forms of telecommunications through various transmission media aboard The Sullivans. After serving aboard The Sullivans, Jim was transferred to London, England, where he met his wife of 64 years, Shirley. Jim often joked that he left the Navy in 1955 and headed home with three seabags instead of one. James Mitchell served his country with honor and later his community as a Vice Post Commander at his local VFW for 27 years.

Four months after Jim’s passing, it was important for his wife to make this trip to Buffalo, NY and share with one of her sons and two grandsons, an important part of their family history. Like in so many other families, this story could have ended tragically back in 1952 through the atrocities of war. In honor of Jim Mitchell and the sacrifices he made for his country, our staff presented his family with a flag flown on the USS The Sullivans in their honor.

This is a joyful and thoughtful time for the Mitchell family and one of many reasons why it’s important for the Naval & Military Park to exist. It provides a place to honor our Veterans, to educate the public about the sacrifices they made to fight for and preserve our freedoms, and to inspire a sense of pride and patriotism for our country and the principles by which we stand. Passing on these sentiments to the next generation is one of our most important missions.

Please help us extend this important legacy for generations to come by making a gift to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park. Your gift will help preserve this magnificent and historic collection of vessels, creating educational opportunities to teach our young, and creating a place for families like the Mitchell’s to honor one of their own.

Honor our veterans and support the Buffalo and Erie County Naval Park by contributing to the Annual Fund Campaign. With less than 3% of our operating budget coming from government sources, we have to earn every dollar through admissions, gift shop revenue, special events, private grants & individual donations. Please consider supporting the Park during our Annual Fund Campaign.

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Donate By Mail

Complete the form below and mail it and your check to:

The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park.

One Naval Park Cove

Buffalo, NY 14202

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