The Capt. Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial dedication will be held on Saturday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m. in Lee Victory Recreation Park in Smyrna. The dedication ceremony is expected to last approximately one hour and will feature an F/A-18C Hornet flyover by Captain Kuss's former Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312), the Checkerboards, led by Major Kyle Reilly, flight lead and mission commander.
The dedication program will also feature guest speakers who include Commander Mike Campbell, President of the Blue Angels Foundation, Captain Ryan Bernacchi, the Director of Chief and Naval Air Training (CNATRA), and Christina Kuss, wife of Captain Jeff Kuss. Music will be provided by the Stewarts Creek High School Band and Chorale. In addition, active and retired military personnel from the Marines, Navy, and Blue Angels will be in attendance to pay tribute to Captain Jeff Kuss.
"This will be a special day in history for the Town of Smyrna and its people, as well as for the Kuss family, and I am encouraging everyone to come be a part of it," said Smyrna Mayor Mary Esther Reed. "Raising money for the $1.4 million memorial was a grassroots effort that began in Smyrna and Rutherford County, then expanded throughout the state and culminated with donations from across the country."
The F/A 18-C Blue Angel Hornet featured at the memorial is on permanent loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The memorial is dedicated to Marine Captain Jeff Kuss who on June 2, 2016, lost his life in a tragic in-flight accident while flying as Blue Angel #6 in practice for the Great Tennessee Air Show.
Marine Captain Jeff Kuss was a decorated pilot who, through his career, accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours and 175 carrier landings. Captain Kuss served in Afghanistan and earned the Strike Flight Air Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal during his time in the military. He joined the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron in September 2014 and flew as Opposing Solo for the 2016 team.
Parking for the Dedication
Parking will be available at Lee Victory Recreation Park, 110 Sam Ridley Parkway East. Overflow parking will also be available. Those attending are encouraged to bring their chairs and blankets and get there early. Coolers are allowed but no alcohol.
Ways to Contribute to the Memorial and to Purchase Engraved Personalized Pavers
• Online at CaptJeffKussUSMCMemorial.com
• MobileCause: Text Jeff to 71777
• In person at the Smyrna Town Hall or any Franklin Synergy Bank
