In a salute to all branches and eras of military service, Hillsborough County Consumer and Veterans Services in conjunction with the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County will host the 59th annual Veterans Day Tribute on Saturday, November 11 at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park & Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum, located at 3602 U.S. 301 N. in Tampa. The one-hour outdoor ceremony will commence at the amphitheater, showcasing the facility’s new stadium-style seating.
The Veterans Day Tribute program includes:
• Keynote speaker Col. Adam D. Bingham, commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base.
• JROTC color guard and tributes from local high schools.
• Veterans Council awards.
• Cornhole games, music and refreshments.
• Resources for veterans and military families.
In a special Veterans Day tribute to service members of the Greatest Generation, guests will see a static scaled replica of a U.S. Army Air Force B-26 Marauder bomber recently added at Veterans Memorial Park. The model is historically significant to Hillsborough County; during World War II, most B-26 crew members operating in Europe were trained at MacDill Air Force Base. By the war’s end, the model, once nicknamed ‘Widowmaker,’ had earned the best safety record among all American bombers.
The outdoor Veterans Day Tribute is free and open to the public. Improvements to the park’s amphitheater space include the replacement of aluminum benches with new stadium seating and recently added sunshades for comfort.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Veterans Day National Committee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has named Hillsborough County’s Veterans Memorial Park & Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum to its list of official Regional Veterans Day Sites, a recognition of excellence for patriotism and honor to our nation’s military. The park is free and open daily from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and the community is encouraged to tour its many monuments. The Veterans Resource Center is also located on the grounds of the park in building 3610 and offers services for veterans.
For more information about the 59th annual Veterans Day Tribute or Veterans Memorial Park, visit www.hcflgov.net or call 813-635-8316.
