Eastern Washington University hosted multiple Memorial Day events Wednesday in observance of the upcoming federal holiday. Memorial Day is a remembrance of the veterans who gave their lives in service to the United States.
The Veterans Resource Center hosted a display outside the PUB on Wednesday with plaques honoring the nine EWU alumni who were killed in action during the Vietnam War. “Remembering our alumni who gave their lives in Vietnam will remind the campus community what Memorial Day is all about,” said Dave Millet, director of the EWU Veterans Resource Center. A banner was also displayed for people to write messages honoring all of those who have fallen in combat.
At noon, the EWU ROTC program held a Fallen Soldier Memorial Ceremony to honor the ten former EWU ROTC cadets who have died while defending their country. Ten blank cannon rounds were fired from the hill above Roos Field to honor those fallen soldiers.
On Monday, the observed holiday, the Veterans Resource Center and ASEWU will place flags in the grass across campus to honor the 156 Washington state service members killed in action since 9/11. Those flags will remain through next week as students, faculty and staff return to campus.
Also on Monday, the community is invited to an 11 a.m. Memorial Day Ceremony at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery. A musical prelude will begin at 10:30 a.m. The cemetery is located at 21702 W. Espanola Rd. in Medical Lake.
