Veteran news: Memorial Day services, local inducted into national “In Memory” program

There are services this Sunday and Monday, plus a ceremony for resident Sadao James Hilario on June 15.

Correction: In the print article, the Courier-Herald misspelled the name Sadao James Hilario. The Courier-Herald regrets the error; the online article has been updated.

With Memorial Day around the corner, here are several ways you can honor those who served in the armed forces on the Plateau and nearby.

First, Enumclaw’s VFW Post 1949 is holding a Memorial Day service on the Sunday before the holiday.

The event will be at the city’s Veterans Memorial Park, starting at 2 p.m., featuring the Gateway Concert Band and the Allegro Women’s Ensemble for various musical performances.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Philip Lindholm, a former chaplain for the Washington Air National Guard.

Post 1949 will also host a short 9 a.m. service on Memorial Day at the Evergreen Cemetery with an honor guard and gun salute.

Second, Buckley’s VFW Post 1414 is hosting three Memorial Day services. Each service lasts about ten minutes, featuring the Buckley Fire Department as the honor guard. The first is at the Buckley Cemetery at 10 a.m., followed by a service at the Wilkeson Catholic Cemetery around 10:20 a.m., and finally, the Carbonado Cemetery around 11 a.m. (all times are subject to change, based on travel time).

Third, you can stream a “In Memory” service in Washington D.C., featuring an Enumclaw local who recently died.

Photo courtesy Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Sadao James Hilario. Sadao James Hilario. Photo courtesy Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

SADAO JAMES HILARIO

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will be honoring local Sadao James Hilario into its “In Memory” program on June 15.

The program aims to recognize veterans that die after they’ve been discharged but due to complications from their service.

“For many Vietnam veterans, coming home from Vietnam was just the beginning of a whole new fight. Many never fully recovered, either physically or emotionally, from their experiences,” Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF, said in a press release. “As these veterans pass, it is our duty and solemn promise to welcome them home to the place that our nation has set aside to remember our Vietnam veterans.”

Hilario, a former U.S. Army Specialist 6th Class, died on March 8 from numerous cancers caused by Agent Orange exposure when he was stationed in Chu Lai, Vietnam.

While his name won’t be inscribed in the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. (because he died after the war), his name will be read aloud at the service, along with more than 650 others. His name will also be shown online in the “In Memory” honor roll at vvmf.org/honor-roll, and his photos displayed at the VVMF’s “The Wall That Heals” mobile exhibit when it visits Washington state. (The exhibit is not scheduled to come to Washington this year.)

The service is held at The Wall’s East Knoll, and begins at 10 a.m. eastern standard time (7 a.m. pacific time).

For those who can’t attend the service in person, it will be streamed live at facebook.com/VietnamVeteransMemorialFund and on VVMF’s website (www.vvmf.org/live).