For the Reporter

Tahoma National Cemetery honors military members past and present with a special Veterans Day program at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 at the main flag pole assembly area, 18600 SE 240th St., Kent.

The program, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, begins at 11 a.m. The public is welcome.

Keynote speaker is Jim Martinson, a Vietnam veteran who lost both legs above the knee to a mine in Da Nang in 1968.

The Puyallup man started racing wheelchairs in 1976 and competed in numerous road races and track events. Martinson has won the Boston Marathon, captured gold medals in the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and in 2009 became the oldest athlete in the history of Winter X Games.

Martinson founded Shadow Products, a sports equipment manufacturing company, and developed products like the race wheelchair for 10-kilometer, marathon and track distances; the Kan Ski for water skiing; the mono ski for snow skiing; the basketball and tennis wheelchair, and other sports products.

At the Nov. 11 program, the U.S. Naval Air Station at Whidbey Island will provide a flyover. The Electronic Attack Squadron 139 “Cougars” will fly two EA-18G Growlers for the ceremony.

Parking space is limited in the cemetery. Plan to walk to and from your parking spot to the ceremony. Disabled parking is available with a shuttle.