ON MONDAY, THE country will mark Veterans Day — a day to honor those who have served in the armed forces.
Veterans Day ceremonies beginning this weekend on the North Olympic Peninsula will range from a regional observance in Port Angeles to a memorial to a Medal of Honor recipient in Gardiner to other special ceremonies and thank-you meals.
Here is a list:
PORT ANGELES
Local commemoration
PORT ANGELES — The Coast Guard station in Port Angeles will host the 18th annual Veterans Day ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Monday (Nov. 11).
Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office on Ediz Hook has been designated for 18 years as the regional Veterans Day observance site by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is the traditionally the largest of the Peninsula celebrations.
The public is welcome to attend and can enter the Coast Guard station from the front gate at the end of Ediz Hook starting at 9:30 a.m.
Attendees must have photo identification available at the entry checkpoint.
The former commander of the USS Carl Vinson, Capt. John S. Payne of Poulsbo, will present the keynote address.
Payne, who retired in 1997 after 30 years’ service in the U.S. Navy, is a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He also piloted F-4 Phantoms.
Cmdr. Michael Campbell, executive officer for Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles, will serve as master of ceremonies.
The ceremony will feature performances by the Port Angeles High School Band, the Sequim High School Select Choir, the Olympic Peninsula Men’s Choir and the Grand Olympics Chorus of Sweet Adelines International and bagpiper Thomas McCurdy.
The event is sponsored by the Clallam County Veterans Association.
Barbecue
PORT ANGELES — A free veterans reception and barbecue will be held at noon Monday at the Clallam County Veterans Center, 216 S. Francis St.
The barbecue is hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary, Post 29, Port Angeles.
Flag retirement
PORT ANGELES — The St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church memorial flag will be retired at a flag-retirement ceremony at 1 p.m. Monday.
Port Angeles High School Navy JROTC cadets, under the direction of Capt. Jon Picker, will retire St. Andrew’s memorial flag and raise a new one.
Prayers will be offered for the U.S. and for those who served, are serving or are preparing to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The new flag was donated by Mary Lee Long, in the name of her husband, Kenneth Long, retired from the U.S. Air Force.
His flag has flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Long said.
The retiring flag will be presented to a representative of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for proper disposal.
Special lunch
PORT ANGELES — Laurel Park Assisted Living, 1133 E. Park Ave., will host a Veterans and Servicemen Lunch featuring a performance by Matsiko World Orphans Choir at 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The lunch is free to veterans and active-duty members of the military.
Guest meals will cost $5
For more information, email Kristine Lesure at klesure@alcco.com or phone 360-452-7201.
Veterans potluck
PORT ANGELES — Fairview Grange, 161 Lake Farm Road, will hold a Veterans Appreciation Event and Potluck at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Veterans need not bring a potluck item.
There will be a short ceremony recognizing veterans, food and a small token of appreciation from grange members.
For more information, phone 360-461-9008.
GARDINER
Medal of Honor given
GARDINER — Navy Seabees from the Northwest will honor Navy Seabee and Medal of Honor recipient Marvin G. Shields during Veterans Day ceremonies at the Gardiner Cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday.
Shields is buried at the Gardiner Cemetery, and his gravesite is marked with a custom granite Medal of Honor headstone.
Speakers at the ceremony will include Daniel Johnson, a Seabees reservist, and Capt. Chris LaPlatney, commanding officer of Naval Facilities Northwest.
Shields’ widow, Joan Shields Bennett, is expected to attend.
Because of limited parking, the public is encouraged to park at the Gardiner Community Center at 1040 Old Gardiner Road, where a bus will transport attendees to the cemetery beginning at 10:15 a.m.
Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Marvin Shields died in 1965 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson for gallantry during combat in Vietnam.
Shields was the first and only Seabee to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
He was a graduate of Port Townsend High School and lived in Discovery Bay.
The annual ceremony is sponsored by the Navy Seabee Veterans of America.
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303, and Construction Battalion Mobile Unit 18 Reserves, will participate in the memorial services.
PORT TOWNSEND
Legion ceremony
PORT TOWNSEND — The public is invited to attend the annual Veterans Day ceremony by the Marvin G. Shields Memorial American Legion Post 26 at 11 a.m. Monday.
Marie McDaniel, an Army Medical Corps veteran, will be the guest speaker at the ceremony at the American Legion Hall at the corner of Water and Monroe streets.
A pre-ceremony concert by the Port Townsend Summer Band at 10:30 a.m. will feature marches and other patriotic music.
The ceremony will honor all veterans and recognize 47 Legion members who have held continuous membership for 20 years or longer.
Following the ceremony, a buffet luncheon will be served by the Post 26 auxiliary to the public.
Guests are encouraged to bring a salad or side dish item for the luncheon.
For more information, phone the Legion Hall at 360-385-3454.
CLALLAM BAY
Annual dinner Sunday
CLALLAM BAY — The Clallam Bay-Sekiu Lions Club will host its annual Veterans Day dinner at 6 p.m. Sunday.
The meal will be in the Lions Den on Bogachiel Street.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. for conversation and sharing of photos and memorabilia.
The meal will be served an hour later.
For more information, phone Patty White at 360-963-2668.
