Memorial Day Service in Bend

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) —  At the heart of Memorial Day in central Oregon is the longstanding traditional service held in Deschutes Memorial Gardens.

It’s intentional held at the Vietnam veterans memorial, to put extra emphasis on those who lost their lives in Vietnam, and did not get the recognition they deserved.

Each year, the service remembers the fallen with speeches, prayers and songs.

People were invited to lay roses at the memorial, and the foot of the new flagpole and memorial which was replaced after it was vandalized last year.

This year also featured a speech by 15 year-old Morgan Goodrich who wrote an award winning essay on the voice of democracy.

As our cameras captured the event, veterans shared their stories of fallen comrades with us.

Lamont D Boileau told us about Joe Boccia. “ We served together” said Boileau, “a great man, a great spirit. Great defender of freedom. And, he gave his life as an officer, leading man and the in over in Lebanon and during the Beirut bombing.”

The service closed with a prayer and many of the antennae headed to local VFW Post 1643 to spend the rest of the day together.