JUMP in Pensacola: National Naval Aviation Museum

September 21, 2019 , 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm (America/North Dakota/Beulah)

The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida was the site of the Fifth Annual JUMP Celebration. This event was sponsored by the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS), the Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida (JASNWFL), Sasakawa USA, and the Consulate General of Japan in Miami.

The event held on Saturday, September 21, 2019, was attended by over 200 members of the public and featured keynote speeches by Lieutenant General Lawrence Nicholson, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), the former Commanding General of the Okinawa-based, Third Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) and Consul General of Japan in Miami the Honorable Kenji Hirata. Dr. Satohiro Akimoto, Sasakawa USA President and Chairman, and JUMP Director and Research Fellow, Captain Chris Rodeman, U.S. Navy (Retired), represented Sasakawa USA. This event also featured base reunions for U.S. service members who served in Japan, as well as Japanese cultural presentations and a reception on the USS Cabot flight deck

Lieutenant General Duane Thiessen, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), Chief Executive Officer of the National Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, opened the event with welcoming remarks and National Naval Aviation Museum Historian, Mr. Hill Goodspeed, served as the Master of Ceremonies. Distinguished visitors. including Dr. Layne Yonehiro, President of the Japan-America Society of Northwest Florida, and JUMP committee members, attended a welcome dinner at Skopelos on Friday evening prior to the event on Saturday. This marks the fifth consecutive year for JUMP to host an event in Pensacola at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

JUMP would like to thank the team at JASNWFL for helping to organize this memorable event. Also, a special thanks to National Naval Aviation Museum Director, Captain Sterling Gilliam, U.S. Navy (Retired) for his outstanding and continued support of our events.

You can view the program for JUMP Pensacola.