Memorial Day weekend: Kitsap residents pay homage | Kitsap Week

Memorial Day is May 27, a federal holiday to remember those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Kitsap residents and veterans organizations are honoring the peninsula’s war dead — as well as veterans who have died — in several ways this weekend.

May 24 at 9 a.m., the Suquamish Warriors — a veterans group — will place flags on graves at St. Peter’s Mission Cemetery on the Suquamish reservation. The cemetery is most noted as the burial site of Chief Si’ahl, or Seattle, first signer of the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855 and namesake of the city.

At 10 a.m., the veterans will place a wreath at the Suquamish Veterans Memorial. The memorial features carved poles depicting Suquamish leaders Kitsap and Seattle, and a canoe-shaped granite wall of veterans’ names.

On May 25, veterans will escort the unclaimed remains of 21 veterans from the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office to Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.

“The Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma” will honor the veterans and one veteran’s widow with words, music, and a Missing Man flyby. Two families have requested that their deceased parents be included, bringing the total to 25 departed who will be honored.

The Missing Man flyby will be conducted by local pilots from the Northwest Squadron of the Beechcraft Boys, according to Leif Bentsen, event organizer and liaison with the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office.

The ceremony will include a prelude of classical and popular music from different eras, played by the Duncan String Quartet. The Marine Security Battalion and Navy personnel for IMF Bangor will provide color and honor guards, respectively. A 133rd U.S. Army National Guard vocalist will sing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Miserables, “Ballad of the Green Berets” by Barry Sadler, and the National Anthem.

“The Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma” ceremony is sponsored by the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners, the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office, the Kitsap County Veterans Advisory Board and Combat Veterans International, Chapter 5.

The event starts at 10:45 a.m. at the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office, at 911 Carver St., near Pendergast Park in West Bremerton. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided by the USO Mobile Canteen.

Following the ceremony, there will be a 30-minute break prior to the departure to Tahoma National Cemetery. The departed will be carried in a vehicle donated by West Sound Auto Plex.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2669 and American Legion Post 30 will conduct a Memorial Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Monument at Sunset Lane Memorial Park, 1000 Bethel Ave., Port Orchard.

On Memorial Day at 11 a.m., the Allyn Community Association hosts “A Time for Remembering” at the Allyn Waterfront Park gazebo. Allyn is 17 miles southwest of Port Orchard, on Highway 3.

The remembrance includes an honoring of active duty military personnel and living veterans and their families. This year’s honorees are WWII and Korean War veterans. Patriotic music will be performed by The Windjammers. Free hot dogs, coffee and cake will be provided.

Names of veterans whose remains will be escorted to Tahoma National Cemetery for interment.
— Melvin C. Anderson, SGT, Air Force, WWII.
— James G. Bacigalupo, SN, Coast Guard, Korea.
— Harold H. Baldwin, PVT, Army, WWII.
— Derrell Bennett, A1C, Air Force, Cold War.
— Leslie Blakely, ABE3, Navy, Vietnam.
— Lawrence L. Burger, SSGT, Marine Corps, Korea.
— Donald L. Curtiss, Merchant Marine, WWII.
— James A. Davis, A1C, Air Force, Korea.
— William D. Graham, CPL, Marine Corps, Korea.
— Robert L. Grigg, PM3C, Navy, Cold War.
— Eugene E. Hill, CPL, Army, Korea.
— Donald Johnson, A1C, Air Force, Cold War.
— Robert A. Johnson, PFC, Army, WWII.
— Glen A. Marsh, CPL, Army, WWII.
— Lyle W. McDonald, RD1, Navy, WWII and Korea.
— Richard E. Neakrans, PVT, Army, WWII.
— Dorothy Oliver, widow of George E. Oliver, CBM, Navy, WWII.
— Ross M. Pentz, SP2, Army, Korea.
— Myles J. Potts, A1C, Air Force, Korea.
— John L. Rustuen, PVT, Army, WWII.
— Ms. Cyrill H. Spencer, PVT, Army, WWII.
— Hubert F. Taylor, AB, Air Force, Korea.