Dignitaries from APEC to attend Veterans Day events

Dignitaries representing three Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation nations will attend Veterans Day observances Friday and Saturday at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.

Punchbowl director Gene Castagnetti said that because of security he cannot identify the dignitaries, but said three APEC officials will attend each ceremony.

Castagnetti said visitors planning to attend the 10 a.m. observance Friday are asked to be in their seats by 9:30 a.m. Adm. Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, will deliver the address. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and Mayor Peter Carlisle will attend.

The annual Punchbowl Veterans Day ceremony will end with the traditional flyover. This will be the first time the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron’s new F-22 Raptor fighters will take part.

The flyover will take place about 11 a.m. with the fighters flying a route over Kahala, along the H-1 freeway, over Punchbowl Crater and along the Koolau range.

Hawaii has received 14 F-22s and should get two more F-22s by the end of the year. A total of 20 new fighters are expected. The Hawaii Air Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron is the first Air Guard-led F-22 Raptor "associate" unit. The Guard will own the aircraft and receive assistance flying and maintaining the jets from active duty Air Force pilots and air crews from the 19th Fighter Squadron, 15th Wing, at Hickam.

On Saturday, Punchbowl cemetery will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon for a special ceremony in which a delegation from three other APEC members will join in honoring America’s war dead, Castagnetti said.

On Friday, the state observance of Veterans Day will take place at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and retired Vice Adm. Richard Kihune will be the guest speakers.

The program will begin at 12:45 p.m. with a musical prelude by the 111th Army Band from the Hawaii Army National Guard, followed by a chant by Kahu Manu Mook.

A parade of flags and presentation of lei from various veterans organizations will follow. The ceremony will also feature the Hawaiian Lua group Pa Ka ‘Ai Kanaha Elua performing "Ha‘a Maha U," a form of Hawaiian martial arts. A musical interlude will be performed on ukulele by a member of the 111th Army Band. Tomoko Hotema will sing the national anthem and "Hawaii Pono‘i."

The Wahiawa Veterans Day Parade has been canceled because there are no special duty police officers available to direct traffic that day.

Police officers will be working at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.