Parades, Silence, Poppies, and Services to Honor Our Serviceman on Memorial Day

In 2009, Washington state has many services to honor our serviceman and remember their contributions in protecting our country at home and around the world, during peace time and during war. If you encounter someone handing out paper poppies, please wear it in a button hole, on your hat or wherever you can attach it. According to Memorial Day history, the tradition of wearing poppies began when Moina Michael started the tradition by wearing one and selling others to her friends to help support serviceman in 1915.

Also at 3:00, everyone is urged to observe a moment of silence to remember those who have served in the military, a practice established in 2000.

Many servicemen from World War I, World War II, Vietnam, the Korean War, Desert Storm, Operation Freedom and the Iraqi Freedom War are still alive and deserve the respect. Serviceman have also participated in actions ordered by the President of the United States in such places as Grenada, Somalia, Haiti, Yugoslavia, the Congo, Albania, the Dominican Republic - a full list is found on the Memorial Day history site linked above. I was impressed by the sheer scope of where Americans have served and in what capacity.

Memorial Day 2009 parades this year and annually are held to honor United States servicemen in Washington State including the following:

Arlington, WA : Memorial Day 2009 Parade to be held May 25, 10:00 a.m, on Olympic Avenue

Coupeville, WAon Whidbey Island: a Memorial Day 2009 parade and picnic to be held May 23, details of time and date still being planned.
Address: Sixth and Main, Whidbey Island, WA 98239 360-678-5434

Other Events Include:

Edmonds, WA : Annual Memorial Day 2009 Celebration held at Monday, May 25, 2009 at 11:00 AM
15th St SW and 100th Ave W. (North of the Westgate Shopping Center)

Everett, WA: Monday, May 25, 2009 Location: Flying Heritage Collection, Members of the community, World War II (WWII) bomber crew members and other war veterans will reunite on Memorial Day 2009 to pay tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country's freedom.

Kent, WA: Tahoma National Cemetery Memorial Day 2009 Service TBD
18600 SE 240th Street, Kent, WA 98042-4868, Phone: 425-413-9614

Olympia, WA : Vietnam Veterans ThunderRun 2009 on Memorial Day 2009, on May 25, at 12:30 pm at the Vietnam Memorial and Unveiling of name of Platoon Sgt. Richard E. Dodd, 11th Armored Cavalry
State Capitol, Olympia WA tacvnvmc@aol.com, 253-460-0587

Seattle, WA: Boeing Museum of Flight a special event held on Memorial Day 2009, Monday, May 25, 12:00pm-3:30pm with the Boeing Employees Concert Band playing patriotic music. Cascade Warbirds and the Boeing B-17 scheduled there during the week.
Marginal Way S. Seattle, WA 98108-4097 Phone: 206.764.5720

Spokane, WA : Medical Lake, WA Eastern Washington State Veterans Cemetery Groundbreaking ceremony, on May 25, Memorial Day 2009
Invitation with Directions and Map, Richardc@dva.wa.gov, (509) 496-0796

Vancouver, WA : Monday, May 25, 2009 at Fort Vancouver, a Memorial Day 2009 salute of arms in honor of veterans and the military. Come view the tradition using armory of the 1860s. The Black Powder demonstration will take place on the Parade Ground across from the Howard House.

Vaughn, WA : 2009 Aisle of Honor at the Key Peninsula Veterans Institute for Memorial Day 2009 on May 24 at 1:00 pm
Vaughn Bay Cemetery Corner of 100th St. KPN and 186th Ave. KPN Vaughn, WA 98394
Key Peninsula Veterans Institute Home, WA 98349 KPVeterans@KPVeterans.com

Many local cemeteries throughout Washington hold services on Memorial Day, be sure to watch the news for announcements in your area. Also, remember 2009 commemorates the 65^th anniversary of D-Day, World War II, on June 6.