Annual Commemoration at MCAS Miramar
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Family members, veterans, and community leaders gathered on Dec. 13, 2025, at Miramar National Cemetery for the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony. The event honored fallen military members with a poignant observance featuring leadership from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar and a moving tribute to two legendary naval figures.
A highlight of the ceremony was a tribute by Miss Oklahoma Jessica Ashmore, who honored Verna Linzey and her husband, Capt. Stanford E. Linzey Jr., CHC, USN (Ret.).
Verna Linzey, officially named “Mother of the Fleet” by the U.S. Navy in 2016, was recognized for building the Navy’s largest Sunday School program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Moffett Field during the late 1960s. Her spiritual leadership during the Vietnam War era impacted hundreds of students, sailors, and their families.
Capt. Stanford E. Linzey Jr., a survivor of the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway during his service as an enlisted sailor, later made history as the first Assemblies of God chaplain to serve on active duty in the U.S. Navy. He was also the first from his denomination to attain the rank of captain. Affectionately known as the “Father of the Fleet,” he authored the historical account Manchuria to Midway, a volume to be released soon by his son, Chaplain (Maj.) James F. Linzey, USA (Ret.). James F. Linzey is the distinguished editor of the Modern English Version (MEV) Bible, and author of the United States Space Force Hymn and the forthcoming professional resource Military Chaplaincy.
The commemoration was overseen by Cmdr. Don Biadog, CHC, USN (Ret.), former command chaplain of MCAS Miramar (2016 to 2019) and a 2024 recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive volunteer service. The event coincided with a 2025 banquet honoring Verna Linzey’s legacy, co-coordinated by Biadog and James Linzey, who previously served as the co-pastor at the Airman–Marine Memorial Chapel at MCAS Miramar under Biadog’s leadership.
Wreaths Across America is a nationwide initiative dedicated to remembering the fallen, honoring those who serve, and teaching future generations the value of freedom.
