This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Issaquah's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3436 Honors Veterans

Those who served in the U.S. military were recognized with a 21-gun salute at Hillside Cemetery on Monday.

Issaquah’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3436 honored those who served in the U.S. military on Monday with a memorial service at Issaquah’s Hillside Cemetery. 

Color and honor guards from Issaquah High School’s Junior Naval ROTC were on hand to present the nation’s colors and perform a 21-gun salute.

The memorial service drew a large crowd despite gray skies and the threat of rain.

“It gets bigger every year,” said Dave Waggoner of Issaquah’s VFW 3436. “I’m honored that they would take the day to come out.”

Waggoner, a VFW member since 1992 and Post 3436’s Quartermaster, has headed up the VFW’s Issaquah memorial for the past 10 years.

“Patriotism is what this is all about,” he said.

For Waggoner, it’s important to honor the nation’s veterans, particularly those he has known personally, every Memorial Day.

“I don’t want to go on a picnic today,” Waggoner said, referring to Monday.

The service was held just below the Veteran’s Section at the cemetery. Local veterans were encouraged to take part and introduce themselves to the crowd.

Most were Vietnam Veterans, though a few Korean War veterans were on hand, as well as veterans from recent conflicts. A World War Two veteran was in attendance, as well as an Englishwoman who had served with the Royal Air Force.

Two days earlier, volunteers from the VFW-sponsored Boy Scout Troop No. 709 and Cub Scout Pack No. 639 helped decorate the cemetery with crosses and American flags.

Editor's note: This service in Issaquah was the closest one for Sammamish residents who wanted to pay their Memorial Day respects in person. There was no organized Memorial Day service in the city of Sammamish. 

Find out what's happening in Sammamish-Issaquahwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Sammamish-Issaquah