PORT ANGELES — Tumwater Truck Route’s designation as the state’s POW/MIA Memorial Highway will be celebrated with a ceremony that also will prompt the closure of the highway for three hours Sunday.
Preceding Sunday’s dedication will be a ceremony in memory of prisoners of war and those missing in action at the Clallam County Veterans Center, 302 S. Francis St., at 7 p.m. today. Cake and refreshments will be served.
On Sunday, all northbound and southbound traffic on state Highway 117 from U.S. Highway 101 to Marine Drive will be blocked from 10:30 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m., said Sgt. Barb McFall of the Port Angeles Police Department.
A dedication ceremony of a sign proclaiming the POW/MIA designation will begin at 11 a.m. at Rainbow Sweepers, 4101 Tumwater Truck Route, said Jerry Rettela, president of the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association, who advocated renaming the highway, known both as state Highway 117 and Tumwater Truck Route.
“We had one state highway that was free and clear, and I thought I’d grab that one, too,” Rettela said, adding that state Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, sponsored the bill for the dedication.
Hargrove represents the 24th District, which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.
Walk, barbecue
Sunday’s ceremony at the top of the truck route will be followed by an opportunity to walk the newly dedicated highway.
A free barbecue after the ceremony will be served at the Port Angeles Tire Factory, 320 S. Tumwater Truck Route.
The Clallam County Veterans Association purchased the food, and the American Legion Post 29 Auxiliary will prepare and serve it, said Tammy Sullenger, county veterans’ coordinator.
Last to be dedicated
The short highway, which is 1.40 miles long and located entirely within Port Angeles, is the last state highway in Clallam County to be named as a memorial highway, Rettela said.
“We have all the rest of the state highways in Clallam County named for wars,” he said.
He ticked them off: state Highway 112 between U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 113, Vietnam War Veterans’ Memorial Highway; state Highway 113, Korean War Veterans’ Blue Star Memorial Highway; state Highway 110, Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial Highway.
Rettela said state Highway 117 is the only state highway designated in memory of POWs and MIAs.
“This is important primarily because we feel as veterans, we’re not going to be around that much longer,” said Rettela, who lives in Port Angeles.
“We felt the necessity to recognize the prisoner of war as well as those missing in action.”
The signs provided by the veterans cost between $500 and $700, Rettela said, adding that the money came from the Korean War Veterans Association treasury.
