Submitted by Sounds of Aloha on
The Sounds of Aloha Chorus was honored to continue its long tradition of contributing a big part of the musical program for the Mayor's Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl or Pūowaina). This year's ceremony was again well attended by military, governmental, and diplomatic dignitaries and numerous veterans' and other civic organizations, as well as by families of those who have sacrificed for the nation. The program also included the Royal Hawaiian Band, a flyover by the Hawaii Air National Guard, and speeches by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the U.S. Navy's first Asian-American Admiral, Harry B. Harris Jr., Commander, United States Pacific Command. The Boy Scouts had adorned all of the gravesites with American flags and lei lovingly made and donated from all over the state. The members of SOA, shown here with Governor David Ige and First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige, were grateful for another opportunity to pay our tribute in song to our fallen heroes.
