Honoring our veterans, past and present
On Twitter - #VeteransDay
PORTLAND, Ore. - It's that time of year again when we pay tribute to those who have served our country, whether they are with us today or have passed on.
This year, Veterans Day falls on Sunday, Nov. 11.
As is custom, the president of the United States will place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery and around the nation, there will be parades, remembrances and celebrations to honor our country's veterans.
Veterans Day is a long tradition in the United States that began back in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson declared a day to honor veterans. It wasn't until 1938, however, that Veterans Day (or Armistice Day as it was originally called) became a legal holiday.
Below are some of the local events scheduled for the Veterans Day weekend. If there's an event in your community that's not on the list, send us an email so we can add it.
Albany
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - Albany's Annual Veterans Day Parade
Beaverton
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day observance at Veterans Memorial Park
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day ceremony at Bethel Congregational Church
Clackamas
- Friday, Nov. 9 - Open House at Camp Withycombe from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Forest Grove
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day Dinner at the Elks Lodge
Gresham
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - Veterans Day Parade in downtown Gresham
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - Community Pancake Breakfast at the Veterans Hall at 150 W. Powell Blvd. (from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.). $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and kids 12 and under.
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day Heroes Memorial
Hillsboro
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day Ceremony at the Washington County Fair Complex
Milwaukie
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Open House at American Legion Post 180 at 2146 S.E. Monroe Street. Hot dogs and chili will be served and there will be live music. Will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
North Portland
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Praying Hands Memorial at the University of Portland at 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. Will start at 1 p.m.
Northeast Portland
- Monday, Nov. 12 - 38th Annual Ross Hollywood Chapel Veterans Day Parade
Salem
- Friday, Nov. 9 - 50+ Center is hosting a lunch and Veterans Day program with musical entertainment. Located at the corner of Portland and Silverton Roads N.E. RSVP by Nov. 8 - call (503) 588-6303.
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Free spaghetti lunch for all veterans, current military and their families at the Elks Lodge at 2336 Turner Road S.E. Non veterans can eat with a suggested donation of $5. Event will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 12 - Veterans Day Story Time at A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village
Sandy
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Ceremonial tribute with patriotic music hosted by VFW Post 4273 and Auxiliary at the Sandy Town Square on Pioneer Blvd. Will start at 11 p.m., followed by a community potluck at 12 p.m. at VFW Post 4273 at 38452 Proctor Blvd.
Southwest Portland
- Friday, Nov. 9 - Public grand opening ceremony for the traveling Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall at 4101 S.W. Skyline Blvd. Begins at 10 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - MIA/POW Ceremony at 4101 S.W. Skyline Boulevard. Will start at 7 p.m.
Troutdale
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - Pancake breakfast at the Wood Village Baptist Church at 23601 W. Arata Road. Veterans eat free. Requested donation for non veterans is $5. Will run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Vancouver
- Saturday, Nov. 10 - Veterans Day Parade at Fort Vancouver
- Sunday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day, An American Tribute at Hudsons Bay High School
I don't want to take any Glory away from our Veterans, but I think this is a much nicer and healthier way of celebrating and thanking them, then showing brutal war movies on TV all day. Â Living through it, for them, was most likely bad enough. Â Who wants to be honored as heroes by getting triggered by Hollywood's version of so called entertainment. Â Thank you for your Service to our Country and it's people. Â May you all have a safe, fun, and healthy day of remembrance and celebration!!
I have 38 years of military service behind me. 20 years Navy, and 18 years National Guard.When I went into the service I really had no other choice... I could go into the military, or go to jail. Lucky for me I chose the Navy and have never regretted my choice. The Navy sent me to college and gave me a chance to make something of my life I don't ask for thanks, parades, or any special treatment of any type. I got my reward, and I ask only for the citizens of the United States not to waste the small amount of freedom you still have. More and more of your life is being handed over to the federal government, because either you have forgotten how, or are just too lazy to take care of yourself.
Thank you to all service members past and present.
Lot of nasty vitriol in the comments section today. Like some Mom said- if you don't have something nice to say just be quiet.
Make sure you arrest & throw in jail all those HOMELESS VETERANS ON THE STREETS who might spoil the festivities....
Why is this not being report on all news stations... "" CIA operatives twice asked for permission to help Ambassador Chris Stevens and his staff, and twice were told to 'stand down' .... while a later request for military backup was denied"" .. ..just when you think Obama policies can't get any worse then another tip-bit comes out.....Former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods was part of a small team who was at the CIA annex about a mile from the U.S. consulate where Ambassador Chris Stevens and his team came under attack. When he and others heard the shots fired, they informed their higher-ups at the annex to tell them what they were hearing and requested permission to go to the consulate and help out. They were told to "stand down," according to sources familiar with the exchange. Soon after, they were again told to "stand down." ..How could our government do this?  They were in contact, watching it live and still the 4 Americans were denied help...NO EXCUSE FOR THIS..It sure speaks to the character and priorities of Obama.... A very SAD day to celebrate our Veterans...the neglect that is shown for all our military is so disrespectful and needs to change....
 @KHEB It was necessary to keep those embarrassing facts quiet prior to the election. But keep in mind that it was not our veterans that made that decision. It was our civilian leaders.
I guess all the homeless disabled veterans living on the streets along the parade routes will be thrown in jail for the duration of the Veteran Day celebrations....
 @August100 Why don't you take some of those and give them homes and jobs. In the meanwhile, give a bit of respect to the veterans and don't by default blame them for our nations ills and bring politics into the celebrations. At least not on Veterans Day.
 @Nobody Way ahead of you; we hired 4 homeless veterans right off the street and NONE OF THEM were CRAZY, ADDICTED, or ALCOHOLICS (like the VA & Poverty Pimps slandered them as); they just needed a chance!
How about housing & employing the hundreds of thousands homeless veterans living on the streets all across the nation....
There is no honor in unjust wars of occupation and empire... If our soldiers would like to "fight for freedom" for real, they should march on washington.... They are the biggest threat to your freedom there is.
@gjUhnhwwMspREt
You miss the point of Veterans Day entirely. The men and women who have served and continue to serve do so because they have a sense of patriotism and devotion to us as a country and are willing to defend and protect us with their lives. They do not sign up thinking of war or conquest; they do so VOLUNTARILY and with a great feeling of pride in our values as a country. You should focus your thoughts on the politicians not the servicemen and women. In case you havenât noticed, our military also been very active in disaster relief around the world. They are not thoughtless killing machines, one of the most important lessons I learned from serving in the military is learning to take care of each other and work together, accept each other as equals and respect each other. Ask any one veteran and you will hear over and over again how they speak of each other as brothers and sisters. That is because the bonds people develop while serving are very strong, I donât know of any corporation or entity that will inspire and value the sense of community you experience in the service. So please, let the veterans have the recognition they have earned with blood sweat and tears,  is only 1 day out of 365. Lastly, veterans have always been very active in Washington demonstrating against social injustice, more so that you probably have.
At this time 3:19 PM, yours is the only post that deals with the story, the only post that is not off topic. Or trying to be political
Thank you for your post!
Thank you to those who have served honorably in the past, thank you to those who serve honorably wearing the uniform of the United States Military.
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 @boned Thank you for your service.  Just curious, do you ever attend Veteran's Day events?  It might do you good to go and see the appreciation that at least some of us have for veterans. Â
 @Just Lookin I was in a war and got spit on and called all kinds of names when I landed at Travis AFB. I changed into civvies's and left my uniform in a heap outside the restroom. I will wear my embroidered 25th ID t-shirt on that day underneath my Columbia sweatshirt made in some foreign country. Not proud of our current administration and refuse to recognize omama as a leader of anything, but tyranny...