Ceremonies are scheduled throughout Cowlitz County on Monday to honor U.S. military members who died while in service.
Memorial Day has been a federal holiday since 1971, but the day of remembrance began more than a hundred years before, when people started decorating the graves of the hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers who died in the American Civil War.
A WW2 veteran with no surviving relatives celebrated his 105th birthday with more 3,000 cards from kind-hearted strangers after a charity appeal.
Schedule
9 a.m., Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens, 1535 Mt. Brynion Rd., Kelso.
The ceremony is set to include a joint honor guard comprised of members of the Glen Hoyer Castle Rock American Legion Post 175 and Toutle Valley Veterans of Foreign War. A full rifle volley will be performed and taps will be played. The American Legion post commander is set to speak and the “Castle Rock Singers” are scheduled to perform.
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About 10:30 a.m., Silver Lake Cemetery, near the 4000 block of Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, Silver Lake.
The ceremony is set to include a joint honor guard comprised of members of the Glen Hoyer Castle Rock American Legion Post 175 and Toutle Valley Veterans of Foreign War. A full rifle volley will be performed and taps will be played. The American Legion post commander is set to speak and the “Castle Rock Singers” are scheduled to perform.
11 a.m., Longview Memorial Park, 5050 Mt Solo Rd., Longview.
Longview American Legion Post 155 is set to host a roughly 30-minute ceremony, which will include retired Cowlitz County Sheriff Mark Nelson singing the national anthem. Mount St. Helens Marine Corps League Detachment 889 is set to perform a rifle volley, and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets are scheduled to display the colors. Attendees can enjoy coffee and cookies inside the Steele Chapel after the event.
11 a.m., IOOF Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Kalama.
Kalama VFW Post 10435 and Kalama American Legion Post 107 are set to host a 30-minute ceremony emceed by Brian LaRoy. Wesley Eader of Kalama Baptist Church will also speak. There will be a color guard and gun salute, and taps will be played.
About 11:30 a.m., Whittle Hubbard Cemetery, 315 Cemetery Rd., Castle Rock.
The event is set to include a joint honor guard comprised of members of the Glen Hoyer Castle Rock American Legion Post 175 and Toutle Valley Veterans of Foreign War. A full rifle volley will be performed and taps will be played. The American Legion post commander is set to speak and the “Castle Rock Singers” are scheduled to perform.
