PORT ANGELES — The soldiers now serving in Afghanistan share a “common thread” with all those who came before them, said retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Bill Patterson, the keynote speaker at yesterday’s Veterans Day ceremonies at the Port Angeles High School auditorium.
The ceremonies were moved to the high school from the Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook over security concerns.
About 300 people attended the hour-long event.
Patterson began his remarks by saying, “I can’t tell you how honored, flattered and privileged I am to be standing here.”
Patterson said during his time in the military, he worked with “the finest men and women on Earth.”
A Vietnam War veteran, Patterson said many of today’s leaders came from that war, including Secretary of State Colin Powell.
A common thread exists for all veterans, he said.
We must have continued vigilance and the soldiers now serving in Afghanistan continue the tradition, he said.
The rest of this story appears appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News Jefferson County edition. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered or mailed to your home or office.