GRAND HAVEN. — People gathered downtown and along the waterfront in Grand Haven Monday to honor fallen heroes as part of Memorial Day. This year's parade concluded with a special dedication of a new memorial at Escanaba Park.
The new U.S. Coast Guard Brick Memorial Garden honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Grand Haven honors its service members unlike any other community in West Michigan, and that was especially evident on Memorial Day.
"It's just a great privilege to be apart of it. We have a great turnout for the parade every year. A lot of people here you know participating in the service," Vietnam War veteran Norm Boeve said.
The new memorial honors the names of over 2,000 Coast Guardsmen from all around the country who lost their lives serving.
"It's very important to memorialize the people who have given their lives in service to the country. I mean we couldn't do what we do today without their service," said one of the organizers, retired U.S. Coast Guardsman David Karpin.
Karpin added the idea for the garden started with the sinking of the USCGC Escanaba in 1940. The ship was serving on the Atlantic Ocean during World War 2 when it was torpedoed by an enemy submarine.
The ship lost 101 of its 103 crew members. However, when the two survivors returned to Grand Haven, they renamed Kelly Park to Escanaba Park and created a memorial to honor those who died.
About seven years ago, the last survivor of the Escanaba passed away, so organizers with the Grand Haven Chapter of the Chief Petty Officers Association started raising money in partnership with the Coast Guard Festival. After seven years of fundraising the memorial has become a reality.
"The understanding, and the embracing of the city of Grand Haven, Coast Guard City USA, it just doesn't get any better than that," said Karpin.
Vietnam War veteran Norm Boeve and his wife were in attendance for Monday's ceremony.
Boeve has been in the city's Memorial Day parade for years and was an honorary marshal this year.
"Grand Haven is a unique community as far as honoring the military and the Coast Guard in particular. And as you can see from this ceremony, it's a unique thing and we're happy to be able to be here," said Boeve.
He says the new brick memorial garden is the perfect addition to the waterfront as Coast Guard City, USA, continues to honor its service members.
"It's a great part of small-town America where we honor those who have served, and I'm very pleased to be a part of it," said Boeve.
Organizers and members of the Coast Guard hope the new memorial garden will honor the branch's fallen heroes for generations to come.
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