BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
With Memorial Day fast approaching, there is a number of events taking place in the Treasure Valley on Monday to honor those who have died in war while serving the United States of America:
Ceremony at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery
The Idaho State Division of Veterans Services invites all visitors to attend the 2022 Memorial Day Ceremony at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 Horseshoe Bend Road in Boise.
Scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., the ceremony will include a wreath presentation by multiple veteran and civic organizations, support and participation by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force. Speakers will include representatives from Gov. Brad Little’s office, elected officials, and combat veteran Dan Nelson, who is the keynote speaker.
The cemetery will be decorated with a single American flag placed at each gravesite, according to a news release from the Idaho Division of Veterans Services.
Event parking will be at Optimist Park, located at the intersection of Hill and Horseshoe Bend roads. Bus transportation will be provided from there. Those planning to attend are asked to arrive early.
Meridian’s Rock of Honor
The public is invited to attend a Memorial Day Tribute at 11 a.m. at the Rock of Honor, a monument honoring military members and others from Meridian who have died defending the United States.
The Rock of Honor is located at Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park, 1900 N. Records Ave. in Meridian. Attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs or lawn blankets, as seating is limited.
The 45-minute ceremony will feature the recital of Meridian’s 62 fallen heroes, who are engraved on the Rock of Honor. Meridian Mayor Robert Simison will address those in attendance, and portions of the event will be dedicated to a wreath laying, rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.
The event is being presented by Meridian’s American Legion Post 113, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4000, and the city of Meridian.
Memorial Day Ceremony in Nampa
The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Kohlerlawn Cemetery, 76 6th St. N.
Hal Bongiovi – who served in the U.S. Air Force, Idaho Air Guard and the Idaho National Guard – will be the keynote speaker.
Bagpipes will be played by Lloyd Blackstone while the Legion Riders will do a Placement of Flags ceremony around the gravesite of “The Unknown.”
Troop 112 Honor Guard will conduct the Presentation of the Colors and the Pledge of Allegiance while Patti Syme will sing the National Anthem.
Special music renditions will be conducted by Obadiah Neashan while a Three Guns of Volley will be put on by the Firing Party Detail of the Nampa Police Department and American Legion Post 18 Honor Guard.
Eagle Field of Honor
Hundreds of American flags are currently on display, atop 8-foot poles in rowed formation, at Reid Merrill Park, 637 E. Shore Drive.
The 16h Annual Eagle Field of Honor has been up since May 21 and will remain standing until Tuesday. Visitors are invited to the patriotic tribute which, according to the city of Eagle, “will honor all veterans and currently-serving men and women who have served and are serving our nation to preserve our security and freedom.”
The flags, which can be purchased throughout the week, stand for 24 hours during the 10-day period and are lit at night.
Star Cemetery
Mayor Trevor Chadwick will host a Memorial Day Service at Star Cemetery, 9350 W Floating Feather Road.
The American Legion Post 39 will provide the Color Guard, invocation and a Taps salute.
Dana Partridge, Star’s public information officer, will be reading an excerpt of a story about her father, who was a warrant officer in the United States Army.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.
Warhawk flyovers
The Warhawk Air Museum will hold a series of Memorial Day flyovers that will stretch from Nampa, to Boise, to Meridian, and then wrap up at the museum.
The events will begin at around 10:45 a.m., when three World War II fighter planes will perform several flyovers at the Warhawk.
They will then begin an 18-minute route at 10:59 a.m. at the south side of Saint Alphonsus Nampa and make their way over Kohlerlawn Cemetery in Nampa, St. Luke’s Meridian (west side of the facility), Kleiner Park in Boise, Saint Alphonsus Eagle (south side of the facility), Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise, Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise, St. Luke’s Boise, the Boise VA Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Park, Cloverdale Cemetery and then finishing at Meridian Cemetery at 11:17 a.m.
After that the planes will return to the Warhawk Museum for more flyovers that will conclude with the missing man formation.
Pilots John Maloney (flying a P-51C), Jim Thomas (P-40E) and John Hinton (P-40N) will take to the skies.
On its website, the museum said it is saluting “the service and sacrifice of our magnificent veterans” as well as honoring “our front line health care providers and thank them for keeping us safe.”
The Warhawk Air Museum will also be open on Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Boise city cemeteries
A Civil War volunteer group will conduct its annual flag-raising ceremony, eulogy, and gun salute at 11:45 a.m. at the Silent Camp in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise, 317 N. Latah St.
Visitors are also welcome to place artificial flowers, flags, fresh flowers, and wreaths graveside at Boise city cemeteries. No glass or breakable containers are allowed and all mementos must be picked up by June 6 for those who wish to recollect them, a city of Boise news release states.
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