Hundreds gather at Washington State Veterans Cemetery to honor the fallen
MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — Hundreds of family members, friends and fellow veterans gathered at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery Monday to remember the men and women who served our country.
The commemoration featured a flyover and the presentation of colors from the Fairchild Air Force Base Honor Guard. Veterans across all generations and wars and Gold Star families were recognized at the ceremony. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers also gave a speech.
U.S. Navy veteran Michael Wiykovics served in Vietnam and attended Monday’s ceremony.
“Certainly a lot of them that served come back in pieces. Come back, not at all,” Wiykovics said.
A total of 42 local veterans who passed away before receiving honors were remembered Monday. Wiykovics said he feels connected to all veterans, even if he didn’t get the honor of serving alongside them.
“Those who didn’t come back, the hard part is, you don’t know them personally but you know what they went through,” Wiykovics said. “You know what their families have gone through.”
Nearly 5,000 veterans have been laid to rest at the cemetery. Monday’s ceremony marks the eighth year the cemetery has hosted the event.
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