The Inspiring New Quincy Navy Park in Squantum Highlights Quincy's Historic Role in National Defense While Honoring Local Navy Vets

Photos Courtesy of Boston Irish Tourism Association

This month, the City of Quincy dedicated the beautiful and inspiring new Quincy Navy Park along the waterfront in Marina Bay. The park honors Navy veterans while highlighting Quincy’s historical contributions to shipbuilding and the national defense. The ceremony took place on August 9, 2024.

At the dedication, Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch praised “Quincy's steadfast commitment to answering the call of duty for our nation” and called the ceremony “a proud day for the history of our city. 

"The site of this park holds historical significance,” Mayor Koch said. “The Victory Plant, which constructed destroyers during WWI, and the former Naval Air Station, where pilots were trained for WWII, stand testament to Quincy's vital contributions to our nation's defense. We are grateful to the men and women who worked in the shipyards, building vessels that supported the United States and its allies in defeating evil."

Granite City Partners provided project management services for Quincy Navy Park, which is located at Marina Bay Boardwalk on Victory Road in the city's Squantum neighborhood.

The centerpiece of Quincy Navy Park is the U.S. Navy's Lone Sailor monument, the latest in a series of Lone Sailor statues in 18 other locations around the world, including Pearl Harbor and Normandy, France. The Quincy Lone Sailor statue is the first in Massachusetts and coastal New England, serving as a reminder to active-duty service members, veterans, and civilians that they serve a grateful nation. According to the United States Navy Memorial, the statue represents a 25-year-old, senior second-class petty officer who is fast becoming a seagoing veteran.  

Master of Ceremony General Joseph F. Dunford, USMC (ret), 19th Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff and 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps was joined by US Congressman Stephen F. Lynch and other public officials and military leaders.

In addition to the Lone sailor, the Quincy Navy Park is encircled by a series of bas relief plaques honoring six Navy Admirals and five other individuals, all Quincy residents, who have served the community and the nation. The reliefs were made by Skylight Studios, headed by sculptor Robert Shure, in Woburn. 

Honored Admirals

Colin James Kilrain, Vice Admiral, Ret./Vice Admiral, 3 Stars

Stephen T. Keith, Rear Admiral (Upper Half), Ret., 2 Stars

In Memoriam

John Ready, Vice Admiral, 3 Stars

Bartholomew William Hogan, Read Admiral and Surgeon General, 2 Stars

Giles Chester Stedman, Rear Admiral, 2 Stars

Forrest Betton Royal, Rear Admiral, 2 Stars

Additional Honorees

Francis X. Bellotti, Massachusetts Attorney General and Navy Lieutenant

Richard Stratton, retired naval aviator and Vietnam POW

Mildred Millie Cox, one of the first women to join the US Marines during World War II

In Memoriam

Henry Bosworth, former editor of Quincy Sun and Navy veteran during World War II

Charles Francis Adams III, U.S. Secretary of the Navy under Herbert Hoover.

Quincy Navy Park is also home to the bell from the third USS Quincy, a heavy cruiser built at the Fore River Shipyard, and replacing the second USS Quincy, which was destroyed in the Battle of Savo Island on August 9, 1942.

Explore Quincy Coastline

Quincy Navy Park is easily accessible by roadway and by water.  With its Nantucket style boardwalk, trendy restaurants, traditional New England style outdoor dining, and the largest marina on the east coast, Marina Bay is a perfect place to enjoy the harbor and see the Boston skyline and the Boston Harbor Islands while visiting the Quincy Navy Park.

For day trippers from the Boston area, the Marina Bay Ferry runs between Winthrop, Logan International Airport, Boston Seaport, New England Aquarium and Quincy’s Marina Bay.  See schedule, fares and locations.

Marina Bay is also a portal for exploring Quincy's 27 miles of  beautiful coastline. Nearby is Wollaston Beach, where visitors and residents stroll the beach, people-watch from benches along the promenade, then pick up fried clams and other seafood delights from the Clam Box and Tony’s Clam Shop, which has live music through the summer. 

Further down the coast, the U.S.S. Salem & US Shipbuilding Museum at the Fore River Shipyard showcases Quincy’s proud shipbuilding history, where locals built more than 600 ships, among them 92 naval vessels used in WWI and WWII.

Discover Quincy

Quincy, Massachusetts is a city steeped in history and culture, international cuisine and stunning outdoor beauty. This coastal city just seven miles from Boston beckons visitors to discover its many charms.

Known as the City of Presidents, Quincy’s historical pedigree includes two American presidents, John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, and John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence and first governor of Massachusetts. Another major figure is Abigail Adams, John Adams’ equal partner and source of wisdom and strength, who reminded her husband to ‘remember the ladies’ when fighting for independence.

As Quincy prepares to celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2025, Quincy 400 is busy planning special events to celebrate the city’s illustrious history, starting with the Massachusetts Tribe of native Americans who predate the European settlers, to the colonial era of the 18th century and finally, to the journey of immigrants from all over the world who settled in Quincy from the 19th century up through today.

The brand new Quincy Visitor Center at 1259 Hancock Street, next to Hancock Adams Common and City Hall, is a good place to start for full information on what Quincy has to offer.  

Learn more about Quincy, including its 400th anniversary celebration in 2025, by visiting DiscoverQuincy.com.