Washington State Ferries to honor military service with Veterans Day salute

SEATTLE - Washington State Ferries will recognize Veterans Day with a special whistle salute and flags flown aboard vessels. At 11:11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, all WSF vessels underway will sound their whistles to recognize the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Vessels in service that day will fly a flag representing one of the six military branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy or Space Force, as well as the Merchant Marine flag. All WSF vessels will also fly the POW/MIA flag to honor those who were prisoners of war or are missing in action.

Veterans are a key part of WSF: More than 110 veterans work at WSF in marine and administrative roles. They serve aboard vessels and work at terminals, the warehouse, Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility and WSF headquarters. WSF is proud to recognize their service and the contributions they make to our communities.

"Washington State Ferries could not successfully operate without veterans," said WSF Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey. "This tribute is a small gesture to our employees who served our country and every veteran in the communities we serve each day."

WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and safely and efficiently carries tens of millions of people a year through some of the most majestic scenery in the world. For the latest service updates, sign up for rider alerts and track each ferry using the real-time map.