The Federal Way Veterans Memorial will have a new addition soon.
In a statement from the office of the Mayor of Federal Way, they said: “Our Veterans Committee is finalizing a proposal to Mayor Ferrell to use a $10,000 grant from King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer to honor Gold Star Families.”
The Federal Way Veterans Monument, situated near the Performing Arts and Event Center (PAEC), plans to set up a display to honor Gold Star Families, including a flag. The display will comprise two plaques – one showcasing the Gold Star Families flag and the other providing information about their history, legacy, and dedication. An event is also being planned to unveil the monument, which will bring together Gold Star Families, veterans, and the local community.
The memorial site currently features six bronze plaques with the seal of each military branch, an engraved stone, a remembrance bench and hand-carved stone for service members who are considered Prisoners of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA). These current elements of the Federal Way Veterans Memorial were dedicated on Sept. 11, 2021.
The bench and stone was made possible by Boy Scout Jack Garfield as his Eagle Scout project. As a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) member at Todd Beamer High School, Jack conducted a POW-MIA ceremony in high school and admired the story behind the selfless servants.
The local Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 2886 Charles C. Ralls Post, is involved in the project to add the new addition that honors Gold Star Families.
The memorial will gain even more centrality in the Federal Way community as development plans become reality in the area near the PAEC.
File photo Jack Garfield in 2021 who carved and painted a stone at the veterans memorial to honor Prisoner of War (POW) or Missing in Action (MIA) service members.
Interurban Trail Memorial
In nearby Pacific, Washington, along the Interurban Trail, several cities are coming together to create multiple Veterans War Memorials. Seven in total will dot the trail, allowing visitors to walk a path through time and honor those lost conflicts through the last hundred years.
There will be individual memorials for World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, the Gulf War and the Afghanistan War.
A ribbon cutting on Friday, Nov. 10, included three separate honor guards and flag raisings. U.S. Congressman of District 9 Adam Smith spoke on the benefit of the memorial to the district and State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti shared the history of the trail itself.
File photo At the dedication ceremony in 2021, more than 100 community members, service members and elected officials gathered for the dedication ceremony of the Federal Way Memorial on Saturday, Sept. 11.
