Bells will often toll to mark the passing of a notable figure or to announce an event of singular significance. The U.S. Bell Command helps coordinate massed bell ringing tributes during nationwide commemorations, and is proud to support both annual events and singular commemorations.
Peace Officers Memorial Day
May 15
To pay tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty, bells toll with resolute dignity on May 15 each year – an honor that has continued annually since President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation in 1962 to designate Peace Officers Memorial Day and the surrounding week as National Police Week. Police stations and law enforcement officials read the names and strike the bell once for each officer who fell in the preceding year.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Ponce Francisco, 92nd Security Forces Squadron installation entry controller, rings a bell in remembrance of fallen law enforcement officers during a National Police Week Memorial Retreat Ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane County, Washington, on May 15, 2019. Courtesy: Airman 1st Class Whitney Laine, U.S. Air Force.*
Patriot Day
September 11
Bells resound to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed 2,996 Americans across four airplane crashes in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The day has become a national moment of service and remembrance. The names of the dead are read aloud and bells toll solemnly, often half-muffled, in respect. Other observations include the quick striking of a bell at the exact moment each plane went down: at 8:46am (North Tower), 9:03am (South Tower), 9:37am (Pentagon), and 10:03am (Shanksville). Carillonists may elect to perform a recital of suitably reflective pieces. A notable piece to include in the repertoire would be "In Memoriam – September 11, 2001" composed for carillon by John Courter (1941-2010).
Image: Buckley Fire Department members on Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, stand behind a BFD helmet and a Buckley Fire and Emergency Services Honor Guard bell on September 11, 2017, as they remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Courtesy: Airman 1st Class Holden S. Faul, U.S. Air Force.*
Bells Across America for Fallen Service Members
September (date varies)
U.S. Navy installations around the world pause to honor those who died while wearing the uniform of our nation’s Armed Forces. This solemn bell ringing event is held during the annual Gold Star Remembrance Week to honor and remember the sacrifice of fallen service members and the loved ones they left behind. Sailors in dress whites gather alongside family members and other attendees to read the names of those lost, followed by the resolute striking of a bell. Since its inception in 1947, the Navy Gold Star program has supported spouses, children, parents, and siblings of fallen active-duty service members.
Image: Service members and civilians on Naval Support Activity Bethesda participate in Bells Across America on Sept. 21, 2017. The names of fallen service members were called out and a bell was rung for each during the ceremony. The event was held to honor Gold Star Families and those they lost in service to their country. Courtesy: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William Phillips, U.S. Navy.*
Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters
October (date varies)
Fire departments from coast to coast remember the firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice responding to their last alarm. Coinciding with the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, bells in fire stations, churches, and community centers are tolled to honor and respect those who gave their lives for the good of their communities. The reverent sound is often accompanied by a moment of silence and prayer. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation works to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries, while supporting families and colleagues in rebuilding their lives.
Image: The traditional five bell salute is given during a memorial service at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Courtesy: National Archives and Records Administration.
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
December 7
To honor the 2,403 service members and civilians killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, bells are tolled in Hawaii and beyond as a sign of remembrance and respect.
Capt. Richard A. Braunbeck III, commanding officer of Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona Division, left assists Peter Nichols, a Pearl Harbor survivor, ring the bell during the 11th Annual Pearl Harbor Commemorative Ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach (NWSSB) Detachment Norco on Dec. 7, 2017. Held inside the historic Lake Norconian Conference Center, the event marked the 76th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and 76 years of Navy presence in Riverside County, first as a naval hospital serving the wounded from Pearl Harbor, and currently as the Navy's independent assessment agent, NSWC Corona. Courtesy: Greg Vojtko, U.S. Navy.*
Other Commemorations & Remembrances
Throughout the year, bells add a special significance to anniversaries and commemorations. These occasions might be one-off events, as when the bourdon bell at Washington National Cathedral tolled during the pandemic – one mournful stroke per 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 – or when bells erupted in jubilant peal on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Paris.
Bells are rung to observe many occasions, including the single strike of a bell at 7:22am on April 15 to mark the anniversary of the death of Abraham Lincoln. Whatever the day or reason, the tolling of a bell invites the passerby to stop and think about a notable moment in time.
Cover image: A bell is tolled during a memorial in Budapest, Hungary, on July 12, 2019, for the victims of the Hableány river cruise disaster. Twenty-eight souls perished when the vessel sank after a collision on the Danube. Courtesy: Bernadett Szabo.
*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
