The three-day Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer with backyard barbecues and the Indianapolis 500.
The holiday itself is a solemn time to remember those who died defending this nation.
“For me, it’s the most important event of the year,” said Larry Smith, a retired Army colonel and co-chairman of the Community Military Appreciation Committee. “It’s all about respecting and honoring the individuals throughout our history who have given their lives to our country.”
The committee, in partnership with the National Park Service, Clark County and the city of Vancouver, is organizing the annual Memorial Day Observance at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. Waste Connections has contributed $6,000 as the event’s sponsor.
If You Go
• What: Memorial Day Observance and Soldiers Bivouac in Vancouver.
• When: Bivouac at 10 a.m. Monday, followed by observance ceremony at 11 a.m.
• Where: Bandstand at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, south of Grant House, 1101 Officers Row.
• Program: Available online under “calendar” at cmac11.com.
• Parking: Limited near the bandstand but available at public buildings nearby.
• Shuttle: C-Tran will provide a free shuttle from the southeast parking lot at Hudson’s Bay High School, 1601 E. McLoughlin Blvd., with shuttles running every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Activities begin at 10 a.m. Monday with a Soldiers Bivouac featuring costumed re-enactors, followed by the observance ceremony at 11 a.m.
Smith, who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, said he doesn’t think the community can ever provide too much thanks and appreciation for those who gave their lives, as well as for the families they left behind.
“We don’t forget,” he said. “And we always remember the importance of folks who step up and are willing to put their lives on the line to protect this country.”
The Community Military Appreciation Committee is a patriotic group formed after the Army Reserve’s 104th Division transferred north to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in 2010, leaving a void in commemorations.
“Many of the individuals in the organization are not veterans,” Smith said. “They participate because they want to.”
Monday’s observance will include an honor guard, wreath laying, rifle salute, artillery firing, dove release and musical performances.
Cpl. Rey Reynolds of the Vancouver Police Department will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless the USA,” a patriotic song written by country music artist Lee Greenwood in 1984. Reynolds has four children serving in the military, with one each in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, Smith said.
Tracy Fortmann, superintendent of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, and Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle will offer welcoming comments.
Meredith McMackin, a Gold Star mother whose son, Marine Cpl. Julian M. Woodall, was killed in Iraq in 2007 will be the event’s special speaker. Keynote speaker will be Clark County Councilor Gary Medvigy, a retired Army major general and superior court judge of Sonoma County, Calif.
Last year’s Memorial Day event attracted an estimated 1,500 attendees, Smith said. Organizers will set up 750 chairs for this year’s observance, with Clark Public Utilities erecting 15 tents to shield many attendees from sun or rain.
An always-popular activity is the scheduled raising of the garrison flag, which measures 20 feet by 38 feet. Because of its large size, the garrison flag can be flown only during dry weather with light wind, Smith said.
Other events
Other Memorial Day events include:
• Battle Ground will honor the men and women of the U.S. military who lost their lives at 11 a.m. Monday at Battle Ground Veterans Memorial in Kiwanis Park, 422 S.W. Second Ave.
The ceremony will include the reading of two poems, “The Mother of a Soldier” by Folger McKinsey and “My Coming Home” by Larry Manuel, who wrote the poem to his mother in January 1968, two months before he was killed in action in Vietnam.
The names of 31 men from the Battle Ground area who died serving their country will be read during the ceremony.
• Touchmark at Fairway Village will continue its Memorial Day tradition with a ceremony and live music beginning at 11 a.m. Monday at the senior community, 2911 S.E. Village Loop.
Meg Wilson, 96, has been coordinating Memorial Day activities for more than a dozen years. The annual event started when a flagpole was installed at the community, and she created a service to honor veterans, including her late husband, Bob.
When Wilson moved across the street to an apartment at Touchmark, Wilson contacted the JROTC program at Prairie High School. Students from the program play a key role in the ceremony, including greeting all veterans in attendance and conducting a flag service.
During World War II, Wilson worked in the civilian service on airplanes at Everett’s Paine Field, which she described as “quite an interesting thing for a country bumpkin.”
• Washougal Memorial Cemetery, 3329 Q St., will hold an observance beginning at 11 a.m. Monday. The ceremony is presented by the city of Washougal, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the American Legion’s Women’s Auxiliary and the Washougal Memorial Cemetery Board.
• Willamette National Cemetery, 10 miles southeast of Portland, will feature patriotic music, flag displays, a rifle salute and a fly-over during this year’s ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. Monday. More than 2,500 people are expected to attend the event at the cemetery, 11800 S.E. Mount Scott Blvd., Portland.
