Each year at Apple Blossom, you may see an entry in the Grand Parade with an outpouring of community volunteers carrying banners with the face of a soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or guardian on them. These are the Washington State Fallen Heroes Banners – each one memorializes a post-9/11 service member from Washington state (and the PNW) who has fallen.
The Washington State Fallen Heroes Project started in 2007 when Spokane resident Kim Cole’s son, Marine Corporal Darrel Morris, was killed in Iraq. Wanting to be sure he would never be forgotten, she had a large banner made with his name and picture and took it to an event for surviving families. Other survivors loved the idea, and soon Kim was taking orders for banners for their Heroes too. As the support and orders grew, Kim began to reach out and bring some community partners on board.
In January of 2011, Kim attended the VFW Dept of WA Midwinter Conference in Spokane and gave a presentation about the project. Our very own Comrade Brad Pieratt saw this presentation and was greatly moved by what he heard and saw. As quickly as he could, he invited Kim to bring the banners to Wenatchee for the annual Apple Blossom Festival so they could be carried in the Grand Parade.
At the next business meeting of our Post, we voted to cover the cost of lodging, fuel, and parade entry fee for the Fallen Heroes Project. But who would carry the over 250 banners of our Heroes?
That’s where our wonderful community came together. Through Comrade Pieratt’s local connections, he drummed up enough volunteers, from churches and sports teams to our own veterans and members of other service organizations, to recognize and carry a banner of a Hero. The community overwhelmingly responded to our request and ensured that every banner was carried that first year. It took some work, but it was worth it.
With over 250 banners featuring the names and faces of our Fallen Heroes solemnly carried along the parade route, spectators were often moved by the sight. Salutes, hands-on-hearts, and other somber gestures were seen throughout the parade. The Banner carriers were also moved, feeling both a sense of sorrow and pride at what this all meant. It was important that this be done, and that we should do it again.
After this resounding success, it was determined we should have them back every year, for both the Classy Chassis Parade and the Apple Blossom Grand Parade. As such, our Post now has an annual budget to cover the cost of the parade entry fees as well as a hotel stay and dinner for the Gold Star families that travel from all over the state to carry their own Hero’s banner. Additionally, the trailer that hauls the banners doubles as their memorial float.
The Fallen Heroes Project now has over 350 banners of post 9/11 Fallen Heroes from the Pacific Northwest who died in service or as a result of their service. In 2019, we had every banner carried in the Grand Parade! We are ever grateful to our community for coming out in force to ensure each one of these fallen heroes is remembered.
Each winter, Comrade Pieratt reaches out to make the offer, and each year the Project says “yes!” Coming to Wenatchee is one of the highlights of their year. As such, it has become a sort of Apple Blossom tradition for the banners to visit Wenatchee. Due to COVID they did not come in 2020 or 2021, but every year since 2011, the Banners have been part of our Parades. While our volunteer numbers haven’t fully recovered from 2019 levels, we strive to gain more banner walkers every year in hopes of carrying every single banner once again. We’re getting there…
