Vietnam Veteran US Army Sergeant Tommy Walter Mullis Honored on Memorial Day

PANAMA CITY, FL – The Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation is proud to announce a heartfelt Celebration of Life for US Army Sergeant Tommy Walter Mullis, a Vietnam Veteran whose legacy will be honored through a unique underwater memorial reef donated by Harman Metal Arts. This special event, scheduled for Memorial Day, will begin at 7:30 AM at the Man in the Sea Museum, followed by a procession to Captain Anderson’s Marina, where the community is invited and encouraged to take their boats out, fly their flags high, and line the harbor in tribute to this American hero, and his contributions to our nation. 

Sergeant Tommy Walter Mullis served his country with courage and dedication during the Vietnam War. His son, John Mullis, will personally lay his father to rest, within the serene underwater memorial reef, a fitting tribute to a life of service. In a profound act of devotion, John is in the process of getting his Open Water SCUBA certificate, at RED Alert Diving, specifically to embark on this sacred adventure, ensuring his father’s memory is honored in the tranquil depths of the ocean. 

Kim Mullis, who is married to Tommy’s son reacted, “When John and I were presented with the opportunity to celebrate the life and service of his dad, through the Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation, we knew it was an answer to prayer. It has been four long years leading up to this moment. On May 26, 2025, we will honor our dad in a true celebration of life, in a spectacular way, because of Joe and Gretchen Theodorou, and the Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation.” 

The Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation is dedicated to creating living underwater memorials that honor fallen veterans while fostering marine ecosystems. The raw steel reef, crafted with care by Harman Metal Arts, symbolizes both a lasting tribute to Sergeant Mullis and a contribution to the vitality of our oceans. “I am so incredibly proud of our team, and the effort that they are taking to put these reefs in the water. Harman Metal Arts has been awesome in the fabrication. East Coast Foils has committed a boat, and has really embraced our mission. But of course we couldn’t get these out to sea without Buck Buchanan and Dive911! This is the perfect start to the enduring memory of our warriors,” said, Joe Theodorou, Founder and President of the Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation. “ We would like to invite the community to come out and join us in celebrating the life of Sergeant Tommy Walter Mullis. This Memorial Day, let us come together to honor his service, support his son John in this meaningful journey, and recognize the enduring impact of our veterans,’ Joe added. 

This is one of two of the first reefs that Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation will be deploying in early May. The second reef structure is already slated for Mark Phillips’ Celebration of Life on July 4th. "There is a lot more to this story, besides this being our first artificial reef interment, which really makes this event even more special. The way I met John, the lengths that he’s going to to have this adventure with his dad, it is incredibly special,” said Gretchen Theodorou, Vice President of Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation. “He really is one of the nicest people that we have ever met, and we know a lot of wonderful people, so that is saying a lot. We are just so humbled to be able to do this for Tommy and John.” 

For more information about the event, to sponsor or donate a reef, or to learn about the Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation, please visit WarriorMemorialReefs.org , or contact info@warriormemorialreefs.org.