‘Wreaths Across America’ Honors Bend Veterans
As part of the national Wreaths Across America program honoring America’s veterans, members of the Civil Air Patrol’s High Desert Composite Squadron, cadets with the Mountain View High School Navy JROTC, families, friends, and veterans placed Christmas wreaths Saturdayon98 veterans’ graves at Deschutes Memorial Gardens in Bend.
Similar simultaneous ceremonieslaying 150,000 wreaths were held at over 400 national and private cemeteries across America and at military facilities, including Iraq.
The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the children the value of freedom.
At Arlington National Cemetery, where the program was begun 18 years ago by Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreaths of Maine, 15,000 wreaths were laid Saturday, including a wreath for Bend’s Cpl. Jessica Ellis, a combat medic who was killed in Iraq in 2008.
In Bend, wreaths were also placed at the flags of each military service and POW – MIA by WWII veterans, assisted by CAP cadets. All wreaths were provided by Worcester Wreaths.
The ceremony featured singing of the National Anthem, an invocation, speeches, reading a letter from Sen. Ron Wyden, Honor Guard, rifle salute by La Pine’s American Legion Post 45, and playing of bagpipes and Taps.
Jerome Daniel, owner of Deschutes Memorial Gardens, hosted the event for the third year. Dick Tobiason, a retired Army lieutenant colonel,served as master of ceremonies, assisted by Captain Bob Parker, Commanding Office of the CAP Squadron.
The Bend Wreaths Across America Team plans to continue the ceremony next year, with a long-term goal of honoring all 1,100 veterans who have beenlaid to restat Deschutes Memorial Gardens.
