DULUTH — Several communities across the Northland will host events Monday to honor those who died while serving in the armed forces.
Women of Today West Duluth Memorial Day Parade
The West Duluth Memorial Day Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Grand Avenue near the West Duluth Branch Public Library. The parade route continues along to North Central Avenue down to Wussow’s Concert Cafe where the parade will end.
Gary-New Duluth Veterans Memorial program
The Gary-New Duluth Veterans Memorial program will begin at 9 a.m. Monday on the corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Stowe Street. It will honor those who served from Duluth’s Riverside, Smithville, Morgan Park, Gary-New Duluth and Fond du Lac neighborhoods as well as Oliver, Wisconsin.
Prior to the ceremony, the “Leathernecks” motorcycle club of former active-duty Marines plan to stand guard around the memorial from sundown to sunup May 29-30. All veterans from any military branch are welcome to join.
The Monday program will include music, a flag ceremony, posting of the colors, recognizing the lost veterans and remarks from local officials.
Northland Vietnam Veterans Association
A ceremony at the Northland Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Lakewalk in Duluth will begin at 6 p.m. Monday. The presiding officer of the ceremony will be Dwight Nelson, a past NVVA president and designer of the memorial. The main speaker will be Neill Atkins, a U.S. Navy Corpsman and Midwest News co-host.
Proctor Memorial Day Observance and Program
The annual Proctor Memorial Day observance and program sponsored by the Proctor American Legion Post 106 will be held 9:30 a.m., Monday outside of the Proctor Community Center. This year’s service pays a special tribute to Proctor Captains James Verville and Sherman Gonyea on the 50th anniversary of the fatal crash of their F-101.
Brig. Gen. Kenneth J, Sromquist, retired, is the keynote speaker. He joined the Duluth Air Guard in 1973 and became Wing Commander in 1996. In commemoration of the occasion two F-16s from the 148th Air National Guard, Captains Verville and Gonyea unit, will conduct a fly over.
Fifty-eight other Proctor area service members will also be honored for giving their lives defending the country as a member of the armed forces. A locomotive bell will ring once for each name read.
Following the program, the American Legion Honor Guard will visit the six area cemeteries to salute the departed.
