YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — With prayers, flowers and kind words, 187 sailors who died on duty throughout the Navy in the past year were remembered Thursday at the home of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

Dozens of people attended the ninth-annual Bells Across America for Fallen Service Members event at Yokosuka’s Kosano Park. It was started by Navy Gold Star, the service’s official program for providing long-term support to the surviving families of sailors who die on active duty.

Yokosuka, which also serves as headquarters for U.S. Naval Forces Japan, was marking the event for the fourth time.

The ceremony opened with a prayer from Chaplain (Cmdr.) David Kim, followed by words from base commander Capt. Les Sobol. Sailors standing in formation in their summer white uniforms read the names of the fallen sailors as a bell rang.

An additional five names were read aloud at the Yokosuka ceremony: Cmdr. Frank Bivins, Chief Petty Officer Charles Findley, Petty Officer 1st Class Kyle Adams, Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Thomas and Army Sgt. Amara Barage; all had family members in attendance.

After fallen troops’ names were read, sailors and senior staff, including Sobol, brought a flower to the front of the gathering. Taps and a prayer brought the ceremony to an end for another year as sailors and their families paid their respects to Gold Star families.