WWII
79th Anniversaryof the End of World War II

Legacy of Valor:
Honoring the80th Anniversaryof the Normandy
Landings

September 2, 2024
Battleship Missouri Memorial
Pearl Harbor, Hawai‘i

WEL C OMEO P E N I N G

A D D R E S S

D I S T I N G U I S H E D

G U E S TS P E A K E R S

Michael Carr

William A. Kearns III

MAJ Michael J. Englund (US Army, Ret.)John M. Figuerres

President & CEO
USS Missouri Memorial Association

Director, Honolulu Office
Lockheed Martin Government Affairs

Senior Army Instructor
Jr. Reserve Officer Training Corps, Waipahu High School

Deputy Director for Operations
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

Mike Carr serves as President and Chief
Executive Officer of the USS Missouri
Memorial Association. Since joining theAssociation in 2008, Carr has led theBattleship Missouri Memorial to its mostsuccessful years and positioned the iconic
historical attraction to expand its reach
within Hawai‘i and generate increased
interest from both westbound andeastbound visitors. The Battleship Missouri
Memorial has welcomed over 10-million
visitors since opening on January 29, 1999.

Bill Kearns is the Director, Honolulu Office for
Lockheed Martin Corporation representing
Lockheed Martin with federal, state, andcommunity organizations in Hawai‘i.

MAJ (Ret) Michael Englund became the theSenior Army Instructor for the Junior ROTC
Marauder Battalion at Waipahu High School
immediately after retiring from Active Duty
Army in March of this year.

John Figuerres joined the Defense POW/
MIA Accounting Agency in August 2023.
Originally hailing from Carmel, California, hecommenced his military career in July 1981
when he entered the US Navy. In May 1985,
he was commissioned as an Ensign (ENS)
after completing his studies at the US NavalAcademy, where he earned a Bachelor ofScience degree in General Engineering.

A former U.S. Army officer, Carr has beena Hawai‘i business executive and active
in local community organizations since1977. In 2022, Carr became a recipient of
the Fall Imperial Decoration, Order of theRising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon,
Japan’s national decoration awarded bythe Japanese government. His current
community support includes serving as theImmediate Past President of the Historic
Naval Ships Association. Carr’s previous
professional experience includes servingas President of Polynesian Adventure Tours
for 15 years and holding management
positions with Bank of Hawaii and its
affiliates for 14 years.

Kearns has extensive public and private
sector experience and worked throughout
the Indo-Pacific region while serving inthe U.S. Navy. As a Surface Warfare Officer,
he served in a variety of operational roles
including command of an Aegis destroyer,
command of a destroyer squadron,and command of Pacific Partnership, ahumanitarian mission to Southeast Asiaand Oceania onboard the Navy hospital
ship Mercy. He also served as Director of theCommander’s Initiatives Group at U.S. PacificFleet, managed maritime operations at theheadquarters of the U.S. Pacific Command,
and was the Executive Assistant to theCommander, U.S. Pacific Fleet / Joint TaskForce 519.
In the community, Kearns is the Board
Chair for the Armed Services YMCA Hawaii
and serves on the board of the Battleship
Missouri Memorial Association. He is thepast president of the Honolulu Council ofthe Navy League. Bill earned a bachelor’s
degree from the University of Colorado anda master’s degree from Harvard University.

MAJ Englund earned his commission in2001 from New Mexico Military Institute andbegan his career as a Light Infantry Platoon
Leader and Infantry Company Executive
Officer (151st IN) before transferring to theU.S. Army Field Artillery where he servedin various positions such as Task Force
Fire Support Officer (1-198 AR), Battalion
Fire Direction Officer (1-76 FA), Battalion
Operations Officer (1-76 FA), Battery
Commander (A/1-76 FA), Division Fire
Support Coordinator (25 ID), and Battalion
Executive Officer (3-7 FA).
His broadening assignments include
Information Operations Officer (1-198 AR),
Inspector General (USAFCOE&FS and 25ID), Battalion Executive Officer (196 IN), andTechnical Assistance Field Team Commanderand Senior Advisor for the Emirati HIMARSRegiment in the UAE. His final assignment
was at the University of Hawai‘i Senior ROTC
Warrior Battalion where he served as theBattalion Executive Officer and AssistantProfessor of Military Science.

During his early years of service, ENS
Figuerres embarked on his initial sea tour
aboard the USS RAMSEY (FFG 2) in San Diego,
CA, assuming roles as First Lieutenant andMachinery Division Officer. In August 1988, hetransferred to the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65)
in Alameda, CA. His tenure culminated in aWorld Cruise deployment.
From 1990 to 2011, CAPT Figuerres assumedcommand in various capacities, includingcommand of the USS REUBEN JAMES (FFG) in
Pearl Harbor where he led the ship through a
successful Counter Drug Deployment.
Immediately following retirement, he worked
for the State of Hawai‘i as an Emergency
Management assessor. In 2022, he served asthe Acting N9 Director and played a pivotal
role in establishing the newly created Fleet
Information Warfare Command Pacific andserved as the Deputy of Operations.

K E Y N O T E

A D D R E S S

Rear Admiral Erik J. EslichDirector, Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet

79th ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR IIPROGRAMWELCOME

Michael CarrPresident & CEO, USS Missouri Memorial Association, IncPA R A D E T H E CO LO R S

Joint Service Color Guard, U.S. Pacific Command
N AT I O N A L A N T H E M & H AWA I ‘ I P O N O ‘ I

U.S. Pacific Fleet BandI N V O C AT I O NCommander James Ragain, Deputy Force Chaplain,
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

Rear Adm. Eslich is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He earned a bachelor’sdegree in Economics from the United States Naval Academy in May 1993. Healso earned a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
As a career surface warfare officer, he was Commander of Carrier Strike Group
Twelve and served aboard USS Lake Erie (CG 70), USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS Oscar
Austin (DDG 79), and Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Eight. He served as
executive officer for both USS O’Kane (DDG 77) and USS Ramage (DDG 61) andhe went on to command both USS Ramage and Destroyer Squadron Two (CDS2), throughout which, he has made multiple deployments in support of training
and real-world operations.
Ashore, he served as a U.S. House of Representatives case officer, Office ofLegislative Affairs; executive assistant to Commander, Naval Surface Force
Atlantic; global requirements officer at the Joint Integrated Air and Missile
Defense Organization (JIAMDO); surface warfare community manager at
the Bureau of Navy Personnel (BUPERS-3); executive assistant to the Deputy
Commander and Commander at U.S. Fleet Forces Command; and Deputy
Commander at U.S. Seventh Fleet.
Rear Adm. Eslich’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine
Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, andvarious campaign and service medals and ribbons.
Rear Adm. Eslich assumed duties as Director, Maritime Operations, U.S. PacificFleet in May 2024.

OPENING ADDRESS

William A. Kearns III
USS Missouri Memorial Association, Board Member
DISTINGUISHED GUEST SPEAKERS

MAJ (US Army, Ret) Michael J. Englund
Senior Army Instructor JROTC, Waipahu High School
John M. Figuerres
Deputy Director for Operations, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
K E Y N OT E A D D R E S S

Rear Admiral Erik J. Eslich
Director of Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet
GOD BLESS AMERICA

U.S. Pacific Fleet BandR I F L E S A LU T E

Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i
TA P S

U.S. Pacific Fleet BandA M A Z I N G G R AC E

Rick Jackson, The Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawai‘i
B E N E D I C T I O N / ” E T E R N A L FAT H E R ”

Commander James Ragain
Deputy Force Chaplain, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific
U.S. Pacific Fleet Band
C LO S I N G R E M A R K S

Michael Carr

—HONORINGT H E

Amidst the tumult of World War II, adefining moment of bravery and sacrifice
unfolded on the shores of Normandy.
The Normandy Landings, immortalizedas D-Day, stand as
a testament to theunwavering resolveof Allied forces in
the face of tyranny
and oppression. As
we commemorate
the 80th anniversaryof this pivotal
event, we honor thecourageous souls who stormed thosebeaches, forever altering the courseof history.
The heroes of D-Day were ordinary men
thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

LEGACYOF

80TH ANNIVERSARY
From the soldiers storming thebeaches under a hail of enemy fireto the paratroopers descending into
the darkness behind enemy lines,
each displayed
unparalleled valor anddetermination. They
faced unimaginablehorrors with steely
resolve, driven by ashared commitment tofreedom and justice.
The legacy of theNormandy Landings endures as a beaconof courage and sacrifice, inspiring
generations of soldiers to follow in theirfootsteps. Their unwavering resolve inthe face of adversity serves as a timelessreminder of the human capacity forcourage and resilience.

VO FALT H EOR—NORMANDY LANDINGSOne emblem of this enduring legacy isthe USS Missouri, a symbol of American
military might and determination.
Commissioned during World War II, the“Mighty Mo” played a pivotal role in thePacific Theater, witnessing the surrenderof Imperial Japan on September 2, 1945.
As we reflect on the 80th anniversary ofD-Day, we pay tribute to the brave souls
who fought on the beaches of Normandyand aboard vessels like the BattleshipMissouri, shaping the course of history andinspiring future generations of soldiers.

The courage and sacrifice of those whofought in World War II serve as a timelessreminder of the true meaning of bravery.
Their actions continue to resonate,
reminding us of the extraordinary heights
humanity can reach when faced withadversity. As we honor their memory, let
us reaffirm our commitment to upholding
the values for which they so bravely foughtand sacrificed.

AFRNCEU S SM I S S O U R I

M E M O R I A L

A S S O C I A T I O N

HONORARY FOUNDERDIRECTORS

Senator Daniel K. Inouye

Matt Bailey
Robert Bruhl
Murray Clay
Susan A. Cowan
Matthew Guard
Keno KnieriemJohn P. McKenna
Edward D. Sultan
VADM Mike Vitale, USN (Ret.)BOARD OF DIRECTORSCAPT Steven W. Colon, USN (Ret.)
Chairman & Executive Committee Chair
Michael A. Carr
President & CEO
RADM Peter Gumataotao, USN (Ret.)
Vice Chairman & Secretary
CAPT Jack Laufer, USCGR (Ret).
Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
Judy Yuriko Lee
HR Committee Chair
William A. Kearns lll
CAPEX Committee Chair

CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

Edwin Lee Carter, Jr.
Robert “Tim” Guard
ADM Ronald J. Hays, USN (Ret.)VADM Robert Kihune, USN (Ret.)
DIRECTOR EMERITUS

CAPT Michael Lilly, USN (Ret.)
Patrick M. McFaddenMark Polivka
Strategic Initiatives Committee Chair

USS MISSOURI MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
63 Cowpens Street • Honolulu, HI 96818
PH: (808) 455-1600 • www.ussmissouri.org
The USS Missouri (BB-63), decommissioned for the final time in 1992, is an American icon and international symbol of peace, officially
donated in 1998 by the U.S. Navy to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a private Hawai‘i based 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization whose mission is dedicated to preserving the Battleship Missouri and sharing her story and place in history. Maintainedand operated as the Battleship Missouri Memorial under the tireless care of the association’s staff and volunteers, its continued
success as a historic attraction is made possible by the support of visitors, memberships, grants and the generosity of donors.