VIEWFINDER: Shoreline City Hall Ceremony Honors Veterans

Accomplished veteran Brad Brown, president of the veterans group at Shoreline Community College and a business student there, recently completed six years in the Army as a medic serving on missions in Afghanistan as well as helping victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Brown, who grew up in Bothell, was one of four veterans honored Wednesday at Shoreline City Hall sponsored by the City of Shoreline, Shoreline Veterans Assocation, Starr Sutherland, Jr. Post 227 of the American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans Association.

Alyson Teeter-Baker, a veteran who assists other veterans out of Sen. Patty Murray's office, was also honored and read a proclamation from Murray imploring government, employers and citizens to assist returning veterans by hiring them for jobs. She was introduced by Hap Emmons, a senior at King's High School in Shoreline, who is applying to the Naval Academy in Anapolis, Maryland.

Also honored were Rick Bassi, 94, an Air Force navigator in World War II who was shot down over Germany and spent 14 months in a German prisoner of war camp, and Kenneth Bradford, who served in the 101st Airborne in Vietnam.

The Shorecrest High School Chansons Choir performed two songs, including the National Anthem. Three Navy members fired their rifles outside the City Hall chambers in a three-gun salute.

Shoreline's deputy mayor Will Hall made remarks thanking the veterans for their service and read a proclamation on behalf of the city. Mayor Keith McGlashan was on city business in Phoenix and could not attend.

Dozens of local veterans were in the audience, including Bob Allen of Innis Arden, who served as a dentist in Vietnam.

Allen, who sported a red, white and blue American flag tie, said he was pleased to be able to attend the second annual Veterans Day event in Shoreline and see veterans recognized for their service.

World War II Air Force veteran Dwight Stevens, served as master of ceremonies and helped organize the event with fellow veteran Frank Moll of the Shoreline Veterans Assocation.