• Placing a flag on a grave marker at Crystal Lake Cemetery. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Philomath resident Eric Niemann speaks during Wednesday morning’s event to honor veterans at Crystal Lake Cemetery in Corvallis. Serving as a backdrop is a statue honoring Civil War Union soldiers that was dedicated in 1908. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • A World War I uniform worn by the grandfather of Philomath resident Eric Niemann was on display at Wednesday’s event. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The National Medal of Honor Highway along Highway 20/34 near Reser Stadium in Corvallis. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • The Oregon National Guard stands at attention prior to placing flags on the grave sites of veterans. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Oregon Army National Guard Capt. Sascha Tudela speaks during Wednesday’s ceremony. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Eric Niemann, former mayor and city councilor in Philomath, talks about Spc. Eric S. McKinley, who was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Eric Niemann’s presentation at Crystal Lake Cemetery included the story of Paul “Jeff” Cochran, a Philomath High graduate who was killed in 1968 in Vietnam. A veterans memorial park in Philomath was constructed on property donated to the city by his mother, Beverly Durham, and carries his name. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Eric Niemann (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Benton County Commissioner Pat Malone places a flag on the grave site of Robert J. Oldham, a 23-year-old U.S. Army staff sergeant who died in an accident at Camp Adair in October 1943. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • An Oregon Army National Guard soldier looks for grave sites of veterans at Crystal Lake Cemetery. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • An event honoring veterans at Crystal Lake Cemetery. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Benton County Parks Maintenance Manager Shane Galloway speaks during Wednesday morning’s event at Crystal Lake Cemetery. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)
  • Crystal Lake Cemetery in Corvallis was established in 1860. (Photo by Brad Fuqua/Philomath News)

Brad Fuqua has covered the Philomath area since 2014 as the editor of the now-closed Philomath Express and currently as publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He has worked as a professional journalist since 1988 at daily and weekly newspapers in Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, Arizona, Montana and Oregon.

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