![]() The crowd dispersed with hugs and handshakes, shoulders erect and heads held high, a mixture of pride and humility.Īfter the ceremony, I spoke with Seaside Mayor Don Larson, a retired Army Reservist. ![]() The ceremony concluded with a Three Bell Salute and the playing of Taps. Thomas tossed a fresh floral wreath into the river below as a US Coast Guard helicopter flew overhead. Eventually, we made our way to the bridge for the presentation of the wreath. While we listened to comments by Admiral Nelson and other guests, a slideshow played in the background showing pictures of Bill Thomas’ trip back to Pearl Harbor last December. Why remember? “Because sacrifice without remembrance is meaningless.” I also appreciated his childhood recollections of starting each school day with a patriotic song, not, he said, to glorify war but to remember and show respect. Guest speaker Retired Admiral Ed Nelson of the US Coast Guard outlined the events that led up to the attack helping me to better comprehend the significance of that day. The Remembrance Day Ceremony opened with Thomas announcing this would be his last year coordinating the event and he was given a rousing hand for his efforts over the years to ensure that the events of Decemnot be forgotten. The rest of us civilians were there to pay tribute to family and friends who have served our nation whether at Pearl Harbor or elsewhere during World War II or even in other conflicts including Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Also on hand were Representative Deborah Boone and a representative from Senator Jeff Merkley’s office. ![]() Under the leadership of Seaside Resident and Pearl Harbor survivor, Bill Thomas, with the cooperation of the City of Seaside, the American Legion coordinated the event and was joined by members of the Oregon National Guard, US Coast Guard, VFW and several other active and retired military men and women. In an effort to establish countywide recognition of this infamous day, several groups came together to mark the occasion. This morning I attended the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Seaside Convention Center. Thankfully, damage was minimal and a feared full-scale invasion never materialized. A Japanese submarine shelled Fort Stevens in April of 1942 and a Japanese plane bombed the southern coast in September of the same year. Seaside’s bridge is one of only a handful of such memorials and is certainly apt for the area, given the Oregon Coast’s unhappy distinction of being one of the few places on the US Mainland to be attacked following Pearl Harbor. One such gem is the First Avenue Bridge, also known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, with three memorial plaques I had failed to notice until today. Seaside has many treasures “hidden” before our very eyes, ones we may take for granted because we don’t fully grasp their importance.
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