Hawaii’s top military and civilian leaders will lead Memorial Day observances Monday on Oahu.
The Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear III, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui will place wreaths at the Dedicatory Stone.
The city will operate shuttle buses to Punchbowl, leaving the Alapai Transit Station from 7 to 8 a.m.
Buses will return at 9:30 and 9:40 a.m. The cost is $2.50 each way. Free parking will be available at the Fasi Civic Center garage.
At 1 p.m., the Governor’s Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe.
Abercrombie and Maj. Gen. Darryll Wong, Hawaii adjutant general, will speak and place a wreath at the Memorial Plaza Monument. A second will be placed by commanders of each military service branch.
About 40,000 people are expected at the 15th annual Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony, which will begin at 6 p.m. at Magic Island.
People may obtain a free lantern on which to write personal messages, or fill out forms that will be placed on collective remembrance lanterns to be floated by volunteers.
Lanterns will be available at the lantern request tent beginning at 10 a.m. People are asked to limit themselves to one lantern per family or group, a news release said.
Memorial messages also may be submitted online at www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com to be placed on lanterns.
Free parking will be available at the Hawai‘i Convention Center from 9 a.m. until midnight. A free shuttle will take people to Ala Moana Beach Park beginning at 3:30 p.m., then back to the convention center from 7:45 p.m.
The U.S. and Hawaii flags will fly at half-staff from sunrise to noon Monday.
Here are other Memorial Day observances:
TODAY
>> 8 a.m., Honolulu Shinto Renmei Tribute, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.
>> 10 a.m., Roll Call of Honor in Remembrance by the Pacific American Foundation, Punchbowl.
>> 10 a.m., Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial observance, Kapiolani Park across from the Natatorium.
>> Noon, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts decorate graves at Punchbowl.
>> 1 p.m., Girl Scouts of Hawaii program, Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery.
>> 5:30 p.m., American-Vietnamese Coalition and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10583 candlelight ceremony, Punchbowl.
MONDAY
>> 10 a.m., Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery. Nonmilitary guests should arrive early at Lyman Gate to obtain a visitor’s pass.
>> 11 a.m., Submarine Veterans Association ceremony, Bowfin Base, Pearl Harbor.
