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Veterans Affairs, American Legion Schedule V.I. Memorial Day Activities

On the weekend of May 27-29, the Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the American Legion have partnered again to commemorate all veterans who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and to honor those who are still serving the country loyally and with honor. 

Following custom, the VA will have activities on all three islands. Listed below are the dates, times and locations of this year’s events: 

Date — Time — Commemoration Activity — Start Point or Location 

May 27 and 28, All day — Placement of flags on Veterans’ graves on St. Thomas, St John and St. Croix

May 28 at 3 p.m. — Graveside Ceremony (David Collins), Eastern Cemetery, St. Thomas 

May 28 at 3 p.m. — Graveside Ceremony (Enrique Quinones), Kingshill Cemetery, St. Croix

May 28 at 3 p.m. — Memorial Day Ceremony, in Frank Powell Park, Cruz Bay, St. John

May 29 at 9:30 a.m. — Memorial Day March, at Post Office, Frederiksted, St. Croix      

May 29 at 9:30 a.m. — Memorial Day March, Cemetery No. 1, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

On St. Croix, the procession will start at the Post Office in Frederiksted via police escort and proceed to the Frederiksted Cemetery for the graveside ceremony, then on to the Frederiksted waterfront, adjacent to the Verne I. Richards Veterans Memorial Park, for the seaside service.

The Official Commemoration Ceremony will be held at the Verne I. Richards Veterans Memorial Park immediately afterwards. The keynote speaker will be Command Sgt. Maj. (retired) Christopher M. Dubose, Army instructor, at St. Croix Central High School JROTC. 

On St. Thomas, the VA will start with a graveside ceremony at the entrance of Western Ceremony No. 1. After the graveside ceremony the procession will start, via police escort, from Western Cemetery and proceed to the Emil White bust on the waterfront for the seaside ceremony.

After the seaside ceremony, the procession will travel up the waterfront, making a left turn before the ASFOUR Department Store towards Main Street, making a right onto Main Street and proceeding forward until it arrives at Franklin D. Roosevelt Veterans Park. The official Commemoration Ceremony will be held immediately afterwards at the Veterans Park. The keynote speaker will be 1st Sgt. Monet Davis of the Virgin Islands 73rd Army National Guard Band. 

On St. John, there won’t be a march. The official ceremony will take place at the Frank Powell Park starting at 3 p.m., Sunday, May 28. The keynote speaker will be Col. (retired) Alfred Francis, senior instructor at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School JROTC. 

For more information, call 774-(VETS) or 773-VETS (8387). 

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