Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base | April 6, 2026

Patrick “Pat” Suenaga’s leadership and life story were at the heart of the 2026 Vietnam Veterans Day commemoration at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, where veterans, military leaders and families gathered to honor all who served during the Vietnam War era.

A day of remembrance at Punchbowl

On March 27, 2026, hundreds assembled on the grassy slopes of Punchbowl for a solemn ceremony marking National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The extinct volcanic crater, long a sacred place of rest for more than 53,000 American service members, provided a serene backdrop as color guards, wreath bearers and rifle teams moved with precise, unhurried dignity. The message echoed throughout the morning was simple but powerful: after decades of indifference or hostility that many Vietnam veterans faced on returning home, the nation now says, “Welcome Home.”

Pat’s journey to service

At this year’s commemoration, that message was personified by CPO Pat Suenaga, U.S. Navy (Ret.), president of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 858 on Oahu and a familiar advocate for veterans across Hawaiʻi. A Honolulu native and graduate of St. Louis School, Suenaga first joined the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard while still in high school in 1972 before a Navy recruiter persuaded him to enter the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program later that year. He went on to serve aboard multiple ships and submarines in the Pacific at the end of the Vietnam War, part of the final generation of sailors who deployed to the region before the last U.S. combat troops departed South Vietnam in 1973. After being medically retired, Suenaga built a second career in engineering in Los Angeles and then in downtown Honolulu, but he never stepped away from the military community that shaped his life.

A voice for Hawaii’s Vietnam veterans

Today, Pat is a central figure in nearly every major veterans organization on Oahu: he leads VVA Chapter 858, commands Disabled American Veterans Chapter 1, and serves as treasurer for the U.S. Submarine Veterans Bowfin Base at Pearl Harbor. Those roles positioned him to help organize and host the 2026 Punchbowl ceremony, continuing a tradition in which Chapter 858 partners with U.S. Pacific Fleet and other commands to ensure the observance remains both deeply local and nationally significant. At the commemoration, Pat offered opening remarks that wove together his own experience as a young Yonsei—fourth‑generation Japanese American whose family has lived in Hawaiʻi for more than a century—with the broader story of Hawaiʻi residents who fought in Vietnam from plantations, inner‑city neighborhoods and rural islands across the state. His presence underscored how deeply the legacy of the war runs through Hawaii’s communities, from Kalihi, where he grew up and still lives, to the neighbor islands that sent sons and daughters to Southeast Asia.

Ceremony highlights and distinguished guests

The program reflected the joint‑service nature of modern Hawaii’s military, with participation from the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, joint color guards, rifle teams and wreath‑laying parties representing a wide range of veterans organizations. Rear Admiral (Ret.) Alma Grocki served as master of ceremonies, guiding attendees through a schedule that included a prayer, national and state anthems, an invocation, remarks by Pat, and keynote addresses from Brig. Gen. Phillip Mallory, Deputy Adjutant General of the State of Hawaiʻi, and Maj. Gen. Christopher Faurot, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Indo‑Pacific Command. As wreaths were placed and a rifle volley cracked across the crater, taps rang out over the cemetery, drawing the crowd into a moment of shared silence for the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the conflict and the millions who served during the war era. For many families, including Gold Star relatives and aging veterans who once slipped home in uniform to protests instead of parades, the ceremony was both a recognition long delayed and a chance to remember fallen comrades in the company of those who understand their grief.

Pat’s enduring legacy

Beyond the pageantry, the 2026 Vietnam Veterans Day commemoration highlighted the quiet, steady work Pat has carried out for decades: connecting veterans with health care, encouraging younger generations to understand the cost of war, and keeping Hawaii’s unique military history at the forefront of public memory. Whether coordinating parades in Waikīkī, representing submarine veterans, or standing at Punchbowl to say “Welcome Home” on behalf of a grateful community, he embodies the determination of Vietnam veterans not to be defined only by trauma, but by service to one another and to the state they call home. In honoring Pat’s story, this year’s ceremony affirmed that the legacy of Vietnam is still being written—by veterans who continue to serve, by their families, and by communities like Honolulu that gather year after year on the rim of an ancient crater to remember.

Watch: Hawai’i News Now – War Veterans

2026 Vietnam Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony Photos

The Parade

During the Vietnam Veterans Day parade on March 28, 2026, Pat did more than ride along—he turned his decorated truck into a moving tribute to those who served. Covered in unit insignias, flags, and remembrance emblems, the truck became a natural focal point as fellow Vietnam veterans walked proudly ahead of it, holding their banner high. Pat’s steady presence behind the wheel symbolized the support and solidarity he has offered his comrades for decades, while the veterans leading the way showed that their service and sacrifice continue to march at the front of the community’s memory.

2026 Vietnam Veterans Day Parade Photos

On Friday, July 4, 2025, members of the Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base proudly joined the 76th Annual Kailua Independence Day Parade, upholding a beloved tradition that continues to unite generations along Kainalu Drive. For over seven decades, the Kailua Independence Day Parade has been a vibrant celebration of unity, patriotism, and community spirit. Since 1970, Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base submarine veterans have been honored participants, symbolizing dedication, service, and the enduring relationship between the military and the local community.

This year’s theme, “Waves of Aloha,” beautifully embodies the ever-present spirit of kindness, unity, and welcome that defines Kailua. Just as ocean waves continuously shape the shoreline, the aloha spirit shapes the community—embracing everyone with warmth, respect, and compassion.

“Waves of Aloha” Highlights:

Enduring Bonds – Celebrating the connections between generations, neighbors, and friends, strengthened through shared traditions and support.

Community Spirit – Uplifting Kailua through acts of generosity, inclusion, and collective energy.

Heritage and Progress – Honoring the past while looking forward, much like the waves that are both timeless and ever-changing.

Military and Civilian Unity – Recognizing the contributions of Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base submarine veterans and all who serve, fostering gratitude and pride.

The Bowfin Pearl Harbor Base submarine veterans are honored to continue their participation in this cherished parade. As we ride the “Waves of Aloha” together, we celebrate not only our nation’s independence but also the enduring spirit of Kailua—a community where aloha flows as freely as the ocean breeze.

More photos HERE.