Any Navy vets here? (burial at sea question)

[Worst Username Ever]

Does anyone know why the Navy still practices burial at sea? Is it tradition, or do sailors specify that that is how they want to be buried? The practice originated because there was no method of preserving the remains during the months at sea... now, or course, the remains could easily be brought back to families. Thanks..

BTW, the pentagon releases photos... RIP to our beloved service men and women.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB152/index.htm

[Submariner]

1. The Sailors request this

Many WWII and Vietnam vets have their ashes scattered at sea by ships and subs that are deployed.

on edit: http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/questions/burial.html

[Worst Username Ever]

2. That answers it, thank you!

[Jack Bone]

3. they are requested

I was in from '87 -'91 and was in the surface fleet. I remember 2 occasions where we did burials @ sea, they were from fallen veterans who requested them.