The state and the city, for the first time, will jointly hold a May 29 Memorial Day ceremony at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl to honor Vietnam veterans for their service 50 years ago.
“This (event) is special because it commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam veterans who really have been waiting a very long time for the recognition that they’ve deserved,” said Lt. Col. Chuck Anthony, spokesman for Hawaii’s Department of Defense. “They were not really extended the recognition that they should have 50 years ago and it’s well overdue that we’re providing that recognition to those veterans today.”
The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to draw a higher-than-usual crowd of about 3,000 people, the state and city said in a joint statement.
The Vietnam War was still escalating in 1967. U.S. involvement did not end until April 1975 with the fall of Saigon, which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
For the past 25 years, the governor and Honolulu mayor held separate Memorial Day events at Punchbowl and at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe.
This year’s commemoration is sponsored by Gov. David Ige, Mayor Kirk Caldwell, the U.S. Veterans Administration, the state’s Office of Veteran Services, the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam Commemorative Committee and various Vietnam veterans organizations.
There will be speeches, wreath presentations, a cannon salute, a flyover by the Air Force and Hawaii Air National Guard, the playing of taps and a performance by the Royal Hawaiian Band. The event is free and open to the public.
No public parking or driving will be allowed in the area and everyone must be in place by 8 a.m., when access will be restricted. Free city bus shuttles will be available from the Alapai Transit Center from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. Attendees who ride the shuttle are asked to park at the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building, Alapai Transit Center and McKinley High School parking lots.
Only Handi-Van vehicles and licensed taxicabs will be allowed to drive into the area for drop-offs.
Covered seating will be limited so attendees are encouraged to wear sunscreen and bring water. Reserved seating will be available for veterans and invited guests. Remaining seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Personal chairs are not permitted.
Other events will lead up to Memorial Day, such as the city’s Sew a Lei for Memorial Day event at Honolulu Hale on May 26. State officials ask that the public make or donate lei or fresh flowers so 38,000 lei can be placed on Punchbowl grave sites.
Other events include islandwide plumeria picking on May 25 and a Memorial Day parade down Kalakaua Avenue on May 27.
For a list of lei drop-off sites, information on plumeria picking locations and other information on the Memorial Day events, visit www.honolulu.gov/parks and click on the Memorial Day Ceremony banner.
