Veterans will be thanked for their service to their country in observances throughout the North Olympic Peninsula on Thursday.
The largest Peninsula observance, which will be at Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles on Ediz Hook, will offer special recognition to Veterans of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield.
Operation Desert Storm veteran Colleen McAleer, now a Sequim real estate agent, will present the keynote address at the program held in the helicopter hangar at the base.
McAleer was an electronic warfare platoon commander of a unit deployed to the front lines of Operation Desert Storm in 1990, the first woman to serve in such a position in combat.
Coast Guard Cmdr. Kevin Gavin will welcome the public to the ceremonies.
Some 150 people will perform during the program, including the Port Angeles High School Band, directed by Doug Gailey, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Because of limited parking at the base, ride-sharing is encouraged.
Barbecue afterward
After the ceremony, a barbecue is planned at the Clallam County Veterans Center at 216 S. Francis St. in Port Angeles.
Hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad and baked beans will be served, with VFW Post 1024 and the Ladies of Auxiliary 1024 cooking the food.
Admission is free, but donations for the Veterans Center will be accepted.
For more information, phone 360-452-1135.
All entrance fees will be waived on all federal lands, including Olympic National Park, on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day.
The fee waiver covers land managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
This is the last fee-free day the National Park Service will hold this year.
As an added incentive, Aramark Parks and Destinations will give away two free Olympic National Park water bottles with every $25 retail purchase at Kalaloch Lodge and Lake Quinault Lodge that day.
Other observances planned on the Peninsula are:
Free vets breakfast
Laurel Park Assisted Living residents will host a complementary breakfast for veterans and their families Thursday.
The breakfast will be at 8 a.m. at the facility at 1133 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles.
“We wish to pay respects to all those who served our country and helped make this country strong and resilient,” said Walt Hatcher, sales manager.
Attendees should RSVP to Laurel Park at 360-452-7201 by noon today.
Remembrance set
The Navy Seabee Veterans of America will hold the 44th Anniversary Honor Ceremony and Veterans Day Remembrance program at Gardiner Community Cemetery.
The event honors Port Townsend native and Medal of Honor recipient Navy Seabee CM3 Marvin Shields.
Shields was killed in action in Vietnam on June 10, 1965.
The event is open to the public.
Because of limited parking on Cemetery Road, a shuttle bus will provide transportation to the cemetery from the Gardiner Community Center, 980 Old Gardiner Road, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
For more information, phone 360-681-2786.
Port Townsend
Port Townsend Police Chief Conner Daily will be the guest speaker for the American Legion Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 observance of Veterans Day beginning at 11 a.m.
The service will be at the American Legion Post’s building on the corner of Water and Monroe streets in Port Townsend
Special recognitions for service will be given to long-time Legion member Bob Yarr.
The 36-member Port Townsend Summer Band will present a half-hour concert at 10:30 a.m.
A potluck lunch will be served following the ceremony.
The event is open to the public.
For more information, phone Post Cmdr. Joe Carey at 360-379-1839 or 360-385-3454.
Forks observance
This End Up @ Laundry 101, 781 S. Forks Ave., will honor veterans by giving away red, white and blue custom-embroidered hats and visors to any current U.S. service member or veteran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Veterans Day.
Donations also will be accepted for a list compiled by Pat Doyle of West End service members serving abroad.
The list is called “In Our Thoughts and Prayers.”
For more information, phone 360-374-2540.
