There will be multiple opportunities for people to pay their respects to fallen soldiers this Memorial Day, with three local organizations hosting events at Juneau cemeteries.
American Legion Auke Bay Post 25 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Taku Post 5559 are holding services in the Mendenhall Valley and downtown, respectively. The American Legion Memorial Day Observance will take place at 11 a.m. Monday at the Alaska Memorial Park Cemetery. The VFW Memorial Day Observance is taking place at the same time Monday at the Evergreen Cemetery downtown.
Post Commander John Cooper is officiating the American Legion service while Commander Kevin Hassin is officiating the VFW event.
Following the American Legion event, there will be a cookout at Post 25, located at 13 mile on Glacier Highway/Veterans Memorial Highway. The cookout, featuring chili and ribs, will run from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Southeast Alaska Native Veterans are also hosting a Memorial Day ceremony and luncehon.
The event will start at 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Park on Warrior Street and the luncheon will follow at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall, 320 W. Willoughby Ave. For more information, contact Commander Ozzie Sheakley at 209-0985.
All events are open and free to the public.
Bill Dwyer and his twin daughters, Martha and Mary, look on while Dwyer’s classmate from the Coast Guard Academy, Commander Patrick Hilbert, delivers an address on Memorial Day 2014. (Matt Woolbright | Juneau Empire File)
