Hundreds remember state’s fallen during Capitol ceremony

It’s important to remember that Memorial Day marks more than just the beginning of summer, said Army Maj. Gen. Thomas James Monday morning.

It’s more than the day swimming pools open, and it’s more than a day off to spend with family, he continued. It’s a day to remember the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“They answered the call for duty, and they gave their lives for our great nation,” James said.

“They made a difference in the security at home, and the liberty of those abroad,” he added.

James, commander of the 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, delivered the keynote address to the hundreds of people gathered at the Capitol Rotunda for Memorial Day.

The event is hosted annually by the Thurston County Veterans Council. It featured cannon and rifle salutes, music from the 133rd Army Band and the Puget Sounders Men’s Chorus, and messages from elected officials.

In a letter read at the event, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, echoed James’s sentiment.

“There is no sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of service members who gave their lives for our country,” Murray wrote.

During his speech, James told stories of local soldiers who died in the line of duty. Gary Mack, of Olympia, died in Vietnam in 1968 and was posthumously awarded a Silver Star.

Justin Norton, who was born in Olympia and raised in Rainier, died in 2005 at the age of 21. He was in Iraq and was hit by an improvised explosive device.

James encouraged those gathered at the Rotunda to visit the graves of fallen soldiers, and to thank veterans and soldiers they see in the community.

“Tell them simply ‘Thanks,’ ” James said.

During the ceremony, Thurston County Commissioner Bud Blake read the definition of a veteran. He then asked veterans from the Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Army to stand. As the men and women rose, members of the 133rd Army Band played the anthem of each branch.

The ceremony ended with a rifle salute and the band playing “taps.”

This story was originally published May 30, 2016 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Hundreds remember state’s fallen during Capitol ceremony."