This Memorial Day, we’re honoring the sailors of USS Monitor

 

Photo Credits: U.S. Library of Congress and NOAA When USS Monitor steamed into Hampton Roads harbor in 1862, it marked a new era of naval ironclad warships. Built during the height of the Civil War, USS Monitor is known as “the little ship that saved the nation” for its role in stopping the advancement of the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia. More than one hundred years after this iconic vessel sank in a storm, its shipwreck location was discovered. Now, the wreckage of USS Monitor sits nearly seventeen miles off the coast of North Carolina in the protected waters of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. No ship can sail without her crew, and this Memorial Day, we’re taking a moment to honor the sixteen brave crew members who lost their lives when USS Monitor sank. In 2002, researchers uncovered the remains of two sailors in Monitor’s turret. Efforts to identify the sailors were unsuccessful, but their remains were buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in 2013. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation supported genealogical research to locate descendants of Monitor’s crew, many of whom attended the ceremony. Photo Credit: David Hall Learn more about the iconic USS Monitor and how she — and her crew — left a legacy >> Monitor National Marine Sanctuary was the first national marine sanctuary to ever receive designation. Our national marine sanctuaries are deeply entwined with our nation’s maritime history. Over 160 years after USS Monitor sank beneath the Atlantic Ocean, it's transitioned from a weapon of war to an island of life, now serving as a home for fish and corals off North Carolina. Today, Monitor National Marine Sanctuary protects the Monitor shipwreck, celebrates its historic legacy, and works to inspire the next generation of marine scientists. Supporters like you help our underwater national parks preserve military and cultural history, conduct research, protect wildlife, and buoy coastal economies. This Memorial Day, take a moment to learn more about USS Monitor and honor the memory of the brave sailors who made history when they fought in the first battle of the ironclads. P.S. To learn more about the sanctuary, explore Monitor's legacy and see artifacts from the ship, please visit the USS Monitor Center within The Mariners' Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia.

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. EIN: 94-3370994 Copyright © 2025 National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: National Marine Sanctuary Foundation 8455 Colesville Road Suite 1275 Silver Spring, MD 20910