Memorial Day: Honoring men, women who gave ultimate sacrifice
Nicole Tavenner
Memorial Day services at Ronan Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Kent Luetzen
Memorial Day services at Lakeview Cemetery
Nicole Tavenner
Memorial Day services at Ronan Cemetery
Nicole Tavenner
Memorial Day services at Ronan Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Nicole Tavenner
Memorial Day services honoring LaVerne Parrish, WWII Medal of Honor recipient, at Ronan Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Memorial Day services at Lakeview Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Kent Luetzen
Memorial Day services at Lakeview Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Chief Warrant Officer Pruett Helm speaks at Memorial Day services at Lakeview Cemetery
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Linda Sappington
Ronan Memorial Day Parade
Linda Sappington
Ronan Memorial Day Parade
Linda Sappington
Ronan Memorial Day Parade
Nicole Tavenner
Trees stand at attention during Memorial Day services at Ronan Cemetery
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham and his daughter, Kimberly Chenoweth, receive flags on behalf of a grateful nation, to honor Tom's brother SSGT Robert Needham. Robert's plane went down under enemy fire 72 years ago during WWII.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham sings during the Memorial Day service at Ronan Cemetery.
Nicole Tavenner
Tom Needham sings during the Memorial Day service at Ronan Cemetery.
Kent Luetzen
Polson Memorial Day Parade
Kent Luetzen
Walter Mihara watches the Memorial Day Parade in Polson.
Linda Sappington
Francis Stanger, U.S. Marine Corps, rides in the Ronan Memorial Day Parade.
Kent Luetzen
Memorial Day services at Lakeview Cemetery
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Red, white and blue colors lined the streets of downtown Polson as Veterans walked in remembrance of fallen heroes.
Former State Senator Janna Taylor spoke to the crowd before families gathered around First Citizens Bank to watch the three-volley salute.
“The older I get the more I remember the stories my father told me,” Taylor said. “He told me that the real heroes are the ones that didn’t return home.”
After guns went off, Veterans made their way to the Polson Cemetery for another honoring.
“We send our youngest and finest to war,” Chief Warrant Officer Pruett Helm said. “Many of them never come home. Many of them don’t get the freedoms that we have today.”
Memorial Day is a time to sit and reflect on how truly lucky Americans are to have freedom, according to Helm. Helm, who served as a helicopter pilot during Vietnam, directed his speech toward tomorrow’s future.
“Kids, the future is not an Xbox or a video game, the future is getting yourself an education,” Helm said. “That is the best way you can honor these men and women. Freedom is not free.”
A parade and gravesite service in Ronan followed, with the annual honoring of Medal of Honor recipient LaVerne Parrish. Two American flags were presented to the brother and niece of SSGT. Thomas A. Needham, a Ronan pilot who went missing 72 years ago during WWII.
Services were also held in Arlee and St. Ignatius.
