Week’s ceremonies to honor veterans on Peninsula

Published 12:01 am Sunday, November 9, 2014

VETERANS AND THEIR families will be honored for their service to their country all across the North Olympic Peninsula this week.

A regional ceremony that also especially commemorates the Vietnam War will take place at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Port Angeles Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook.

The public is welcome to attend and can enter the facility from the front gate at 1 Ediz Hook starting at 9 a.m.

All guests are required to present valid photo identification to gain access to the base.

The guest speaker will be James G. Buck, a retired U.S. Army captain and six-term state representative from Joyce.

Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles will host the annual Veterans Day ceremony, which is sponsored by the Clallam County Veterans Association.

The veterans association will host a post-ceremony barbecue at the Clallam County Veterans Center at 261 S. Francis St., Port Angeles.

The Coast Guard station has been designated as a regional Veterans Day observance site for the 18th straight year by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

This year, the unit also has been designated a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Partner.

For more information, phone the station’s public affairs office at 360-417-5840.

Shields honored

GARDINER — The only Navy Seabee to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor will be remembered in a ceremony at the Gardiner Cemetery on Cemetery Road at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest (NAVFAC) and the Navy Seabee Veterans Association will conduct the 49th Honor Ceremony for Petty Officer 3rd Class Construction Mechanic Marvin G. Shields.

“It’s an honor to pay our respects to a hero who died on a Vietnam battlefield while saving his shipmates,” said Capt. Mark Geronime, commanding officer of NAVFAC Northwest.

All are welcome to attend the ceremony.

The fallen Navy Seabee posthumously received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967 for saving many lives during a battle in Dong Zoai, South Vietnam, on June 10, 1965.

Shields was 25 years old when he volunteered to take out a Viet Cong machine gun nest.

He fought while wounded, rescued another wounded soldier and kept fighting for hours. Shields later died of a gunshot wound.

June 10, 2015, will mark the 50th anniversary of his death. A special remembrance is planned.

PT observance

PORT TOWNSEND — The Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 of the American Legion, Joe Carey Post Commander, will hold its annual observance of Veterans Day at 209 Monroe St. on Tuesday.

A joint color guard from Post 26, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7498 and the Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks Lodge 317 will open the ceremonies at 11 a.m.

The featured speaker is Renee Peavey from the Puget Sound Honor Flight.

Honor Flight sends World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II memorial and other memorials, all expenses paid.

Post 26 members Gunnar Bursos and Bob Yarr took the trip this past year.

A presentation of the Legionnaire of the Year Award will be made during the ceremonies.

The Port Townsend Summer Band, directed by post member Karl Bach, will present a concert of patriotic music at 10:30 a.m. immediately preceding the ceremonies.

The Post 26 auxiliary will offer a potluck luncheon buffet immediately following.

The public is invited to attend.

For more information, phone Post Commander Joe Carey at 360-379-1839 or phone the post at 360-385-3454.

Forks VFW event

FORKS — The Forks VFW Post 9106 invites the community to a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The ceremony will be at the Forks Cemetery.

Immediately following, all are welcome to the VFW Hall, 110 S. Spartan Ave., for lunch.

For more information, phone Larry Baysinger at 360-337-3611.

PORT ANGELES

Free vet haircuts

PORT ANGELES — Several hairstylists at Fringe Hair Studio, 902 E. First St., will offer free haircuts to thank the men and women who have pledged their lives for the nation.

This celebration is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday.

All who have served in the armed forces are invited to come get free haircuts.

If a cut is not needed, a cup of coffee courtesy of Bada Bean! Bada Bloom! will be offered, and attendees can shake hands with fellow veterans.

Veterans potluck

PORT ANGELES — The Fairview Grange, located at 161 Lake Farm Road, plans a veterans and current military members appreciation event at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The event is a potluck, but veterans are not required to bring food.

A short program will follow the dinner.

The grange welcomes all service members and their families.

For further more information, phone Patti Morris at 360-461-9008.

Lunch for veterans

PORT ANGELES — Laurel Place, 1133 E. Park Ave., invites veterans and their spouses to join in a celebration of service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

A free lunch will be served, and awards of community appreciation will be given to community veterans.

In attendance will be Port Angeles High School JROTC, as well as members of the local Military Recruitment Center.

For more information, contact Kristine Lesure at 360-452-7201 or klesure@enlivant.com.

Park View event

PORT ANGELES — Park View Villas, 1430 Park View Lane, will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The event will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the national anthem.

A short Veterans Days speech by veteran Mary Reid will follow.

The ceremony will end with more patriotic songs performed by Sarah Shea.

For more information, phone 360-452-7222.

Spaghetti dinner

PORT ANGELES — The Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., will host a spaghetti dinner and Veterans Day-themed trivia night Tuesday.

Members, guests and all veterans are welcome to the event in the second-floor lounge.

Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Veterans will eat for free, while others will be charged $7.50 per person.

Trivia questions are based on veterans, and the game will start at 7 p.m.

For more information, phone 360-457-3355.

SEQUIM

Free at Applebee’s

SEQUIM — Applebee’s at 130 River Road invites veterans and active-duty military to a free meal Tuesday.

Between 10 a.m. and midnight, veterans and active-duty military, with proof of military service, can order free meals.

A special menu has been designated.

For more information, phone Shelly Allen at 360-683-9090.

Great Clips cuts

SEQUIM — Great Clips, 680 W. Washington St., will offer veterans a free haircut between Tuesday and Dec. 31.

Customers can come in for service on Veterans Day (Tuesday) and get a free haircut card to give to a veteran, redeemable through the end of this year. Cards are limited to one per customer.

The free haircut cards are redeemable by veterans at any U.S. Great Clips with proof of service.

The promotion applies to veterans only.

For more information, phone 360-681-8767.

FORKS

Forks schools

FORKS — Forks schools will hold a Veterans Day assembly in the high school gym, 261 Spartan Ave., at 2 p.m. Monday.

All past and present veterans and the public are welcome to attend.

The Coast Guard will provide a Color Guard.

Songs and poetry are planned.

For more information, phone the Quillayute Valley School District at 360-374-6262.

CLALLAM BAY/SEKIU

Lions dinner

CLALLAM BAY — The Clallam Bay/Sekiu Lions will host their annual Veterans Day dinner for veterans and their partners at the Lions Den, 90 Bogachiel St., on Tuesday.

Visiting will start at 5:30 p.m., and a free dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

The menu is pot roast, vegetables, potatoes and gravy, dessert and beverages.

Veterans are invited to bring memorabilia.

Time will be made for sharing and discussions.