Veterans Day ceremonies at Sunset Hills in Bellevue

Flags adorn veterans graves at Sunset Hills.
Photo courtesy TripAdvisor.com

The public is invited to attend Veterans Day ceremonies in Bellevue on Friday.

A moving and colorful ceremony to honor America’s active duty military, military Veterans and First Responders will be held at Sunset Hills Memorial Park on Friday, November 11, 2022, at 11:00am in a ceremony hosted by the Sons of the American Revolution, American Legion Post #161, VFW Post #2995, and Sunset Hills Memorial Park. 

In what has become one of the largest Veterans Day ceremonies in Washington State, all active duty military and military Veterans will be honored by the traditional greeting and exchange of salutes from their respective senior branch officers. 

Vietnam era Veterans, and the widows and mothers of deceased Vietnam Veterans, will receive the Department of Defense 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War commemorative lapel pins. Eastside Scouts will place more than 3,200 American flags and poppies on the graves of Veterans buried in the cemetery. 

The event is open to the public. Sunset Hills is located at 1215 145th Place SE, in Bellevue, Washington.

This year’s ceremony focuses on women in uniform. On hand will be flag officers from various military branches, Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson, senior officers of the Bellevue Police and Fire Departments, and dignitaries from across Western Washington.

This ceremony is an Eastside tradition, involving senior military officers from each branch of service, Scouts of all ages, the University of Washington Air Force ROTC Color Guard, the USO Director, a renowned area bagpiper, a US Navy bugler, and representatives of various military and service organizations.

The Committee to Honor American Veterans was assembled in 2016 by Eastside attorney Gregory Lucas, of the Cascade Centennial Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, to plan ceremonies honoring America’s military and military veterans. 

It includes former Boeing VP Dan Heidt, Air Force Major General Richard Paul, Army Colonel Howard Lim, Air Force Major and former POW Joe Crecca, Cascade DAR Regent Marcia Williams, and Pastor Emeritus Ward Tanneberg of Bellevue’s Westminster Chapel.