Residents are invited to celebrate Central Oregon veterans of World War II on Friday as they leave Bend on their way to the dedication of the new WWII memorial in Salem.

June 6 is also the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France, which marked the beginning of the end of the war.

Local vets have been instrumental in raising money for the Salem memorial, and many WWII vets are in their 90s. The local procession will leave the Jake’s Diner parking lot at 8 a.m. and will proceeding west on U.S. Highway 20 and north on Third Street out of town. Motorcycles of the Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Association will be escorting the vets all the way to the event in Salem. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office buses will be transporting the vets.

Residents are encouraged to see the vets off by waving hands or flags at them as they depart.

Contact: Lyle Hicks, 541-419-6021.