CLEVELAND — Coast Guard men and women from across the 9th Coast Guard District celebrated Veterans Day at various observances today, as well as earlier this month.

Throughout the Great Lakes region, Coast Guard units hosted Veterans Day observances, supported community events, and honored those who served before.

“Our nation owes its existence to those Americans who have fought for — and continue to fight for — our freedoms,” said Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District.

The 6,000 active-duty, reserve, civilian and Auxiliary personnel who make up the 9th Coast Guard District deliver multi-mission services in search and rescue, maritime safety and security, environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, aids to navigation and ice breaking throughout the five Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway and parts of the surrounding states.  This area includes 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of shared border with Canada.

Editor’s Note: Click the below thumbnail images to obtain high-resolution versions.

CHICAGO — Rear Adm. Michael N. Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, stands at attention as the Coast Guard’s service song, Semper Paratus, is played at the City of Chicago’s Veterans Day observance at Soldier Field here Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Scott McGrew

CLEVELAND — Coast Guard Capt. Stephen H. Torpey, chief of response for the 9th Coast Guard District, gives the keynote speech at the Veteran’s Day ceremony at Lakewood Park in Lakewood, Ohio, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. The city’s annual Veterans Day observance is a tribute to the men and women who served our country in the armed forces. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener

CLEVELAND — Coast Guard Capt. Stephen H. Torpey, chief of response for the 9th Coast Guard District, gives the keynote speech at the Veterans Day ceremony at Lakewood Park in Lakewood, Ohio, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. Torpey’s duties include the management of all law enforcement, search and rescue, pollution response, operational communications and intelligence programs within the Great Lakes. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener

CLEVELAND — In this screen-capture from a video produced by the 9th Coast Guard District External Affairs Office, Capt. John Bingaman, 9th Coast Guard District chief of staff, thanks Elizabeth Racic for her service as a Coast Guard SPAR during World War II before an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., at Cleveland-Hopkins Intl. Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. Click here to read a blog post about the Honor Flight event. Click here to view a multimedia video from the event.

CLEVELAND — Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District, thanks Elizabeth Racic for her service as a Coast Guard SPAR during World War II, before an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., at Cleveland-Hopkins Intl. Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011. SPARs (a contraction of Semper Paratus, Always Ready, the Coast Guard’s motto and its translation) were the women’s reserve that augmented forces in the United States during World War II. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Dave Lheureux conducts the Twelve Folds of the Flag Ceremony at a Veterans Day observance at Air Station Traverse City on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class April Caverly

DETROIT — Coast Guard WWII veteran David Walker visits Coast Guard Sector Detroit Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011. Walker, who served a combined total of 15 years in the Naval Reserve and active-duty Coast Guard, frequently visits today’s Coast Guardsmen at Sector Detroit and celebrated his 93rd birthday at the unit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Ezra Graham   Click here to read a blog post about Walker’s visit to Sector Detroit.

9th District units supported these other events and observances:

• A rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., flew over Forest Park schools in Crystal Falls, Mich., and landed there on Nov. 3 to kick off the town’s Veterans Week celebrations
• Capt. Jeff Ogden, commander of Coast Guard Sector Detroit, laid a wreath and served in a US/Canadian honor guard at the Lost Mariners Remembrance at Dossin Great Lakes Museum Thursday evening, with Station Belle Isle supporting with a rescue boatcrew
• Cmdr. Edward Marohn, deputy commander of Sector Detroit, attended a Veterans Day ceremony at the Detroit Athletic Club, and Lt. Cmdr. Gary Koehler, chief of prevention at Sector Detroit, participated in a memorial service at Mariner’s Church of Detroit by conducting a reading and bell ringing Friday
• Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Sanders, a search and rescue controller at Sector Detroit, participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Mich., Friday
• A crewmember will represent Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay, Wis., at the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation’s “Celebrating What’s Right With America” event Friday afternoon
• Senior Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey Dale, command senior chief at Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., spoke at a Veterans Day observance at Sault Ste. Marie High School Friday
• Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Wong, chief of prevention at Sector Sault Ste. Marie, re-enacted a re-enlistment ceremony for a member of the unit at a local grade school Friday
• Personnel from Coast Guard Station St. Clair Shores, Mich., gave presentations on boating and water safety as well as Coast Guard careers at a Veterans Day concert at Fountain Elementary School in Roseville, Mich., Friday
• Much of the crew at Coast Guard Station Harbor Beach, Mich., attended Harbor Beach High School’s “Breakfast for Veterans”
• Master Chief Petty Officer Gerald Backus, officer-in-charge of Coast Guard Station Saginaw River in Essexville, Mich., participated in a Veterans Day event at a local school Thursday