Armed Forces Day Celebration Day Set to Kick Off in Salem

The formal portion of the celebration will begin at 11:55 AM.

Oregon State Capitol in Salem. Photo by Tim King Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - The State of Oregon will recognize the historical and present-day contributions of the U.S. Military during an Armed Forces Day celebration May 15th on the Capital Mall.

Oregon's Armed Forces Day gives citizens an opportunity to see the capabilities of the Oregon National Guard and the Office of Emergency Management, and introduces them to the agencies which support the state and work with federal partners.

Several items of military equipment will be on static display starting at 10:00 AM, including a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, 105mm Howitzer cannons, a light armored vehicle (LAV), military firefighting equipment, a HEMTT, and a Humvee.

In addition, there will be displays of special communications equipment, as well as equipment used by the 125th Special Tactics Squadron – one of only two special operations units in the National Guard. The Oregon Military Museum will also have displays of historic military equipment. The static displays will end at 2:00 PM.

The formal portion of the celebration will begin at 11:55 AM. Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney will attend the ceremony, and Chip Terhune, the governor's Chief of Staff will deliver an Armed Forces Day proclamation.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, The Adjutant General of Oregon, will recognize Thomas P. Moyer, Sr. as an Honorary Member of the 186th Infantry Regiment. Moyer is a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific Theater with the 41st Infantry Division – the first National Guard unit to deploy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The formal ceremony will conclude at 12:30 PM with a cannon salute and flyover by a formation of F-15 Eagles.

The first Armed Forces Day in 1950 replaced separate celebrations each held by the individual services. The tradition continues today as the state recognizes the contributions the military makes to the safety and security of U.S. citizens around the world.

The event is open to the public