NORFOLK, Va. — It's our station's annual tradition that recognizes service members and military families across Hampton Roads: Holiday Salute!
13News Now is excited to present the 34th Annual Holiday Salute, a special program that airs Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We put the spotlight on our dedicated servicemen and servicewomen!
Holiday Salute will air on 13News Now on the following dates and at the following times:
- December 24 at 4 p.m.
- December 25 at 6:30 a.m.
- January 1 at 4:30 p.m. (after the Citrus Bowl)
With this year's edition, Mike Gooding takes an in-depth look at Newport News Shipbuilding’s holiday gift to the nation: the new aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy. Additionally, he'll visit with the Naval Station Norfolk-based Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, the Dragon Whales, who are deploying this Christmas season. Plus, Mike will introduce us to the non-profit community organization Troopster, which is sending more than 1,000 care packages to the USS Abraham Lincoln this year.
Nicole Livas will bring us the story of the Tegna Foundation, a charitable giving division of 13News Now’s parent company. The Foundation picked two worthy Hampton Roads organizations to receive major grants because of the great work they do with military families: Comfort Crew and the Military Child Education Coalition.
Finally, Philip Townsend takes a look back through the 34-year history of Holiday Salute, bringing back clips from the past, and -- most notably -- bringing back a very special guest: the founder and creator of Holiday Salute, former 13News Now reporter Joe Flanagan!
Holiday Salute first aired in 1986, where it was originally titled A Navy Christmas. The show has spanned seminal events in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, the Bosnia and Kosovo wars, 9/11, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.
The show has encompassed the administrations of six commanders-in-chief: Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. It tells the stories of our military members on the front lines and the families that wait for them back home in Hampton Roads.
We have several Holiday Salutes and Navy Christmases from past years online on our YouTube channel, and will post more on Christmas Day. You can watch some of them below:
The VERY FIRST Navy Christmas from 1986!
Holiday Salute 2018
Holiday Salute 2017
Holiday Salute 2016
Holiday Salute 2015
Holiday Salute 2014