U.S. Navy chaplain David Magruder of Riverton will be the keynote speaker at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. today.

Magruder served in Operation Enduring Freedom with the Joint Logistics Command at Bagram, Afghanistan. During his tour in Afghanistan from 2007 to March 2008, he served with both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

He was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy in 1995. He has been assigned to the 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, as well as the 1st and 4th Marine Aircraft Wings during his 14-year career. He currently serves as the reserve staff chaplain for the commander, Navy Region Southwest and is the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Riverton.

The Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery was established through the cooperative efforts of the state of Wyoming and the U.S. Veterans Affairs Cemetery System. Any veteran who received a discharge other than dishonorable from the U.S. Armed Forces is eligible for burial in the cemetery.

"We are proud to pay homage to our fallen comrades as well as those who are still serving and have served in the Armed Forces of our great country," said Burt Widmer, cemetery director.

The cemetery is located in Evansville and is accessed by following Curtis Street north. From the intersection of Wyoming Boulevard and East 2nd Street, turn north on Wyoming Boulevard, which becomes Curtis Street in Evansville.

For more information about the Memorial Day ceremony, call Widmer at 235-6673. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the cemetery's chapel.

At 1 p.m. today, representatives of the families of five Casper soldiers who died in Iraq will meet at the Sunup Ridge War Memorial Wall on the Platte River Parkway to lay a wreath, according to wall organizer Leo Sanchez. All are welcome to attend.

The five fallen solders with ties to Casper, their age and date of death are:

*Marine Sgt. Brendon Reiss, 23, (March 23, 2003);

*Army Guard Capt. Robert Lucero, 35, (Sept. 25, 2003);

*Army Cpl. Jason Corbett, 23, (Jan. 15, 2007);

*Army Pvt. Scott A. Miller, 20, (June 9, 2007); and

*Army Pvt. Corey L. Hicks, 22, son of Russell Hicks of Casper, (May 2, 2008).

Access to the Wall may be reached from the parking lot at the White Water Park on the south side of W. 1st Street, between Poplar and the Salt Creek Highway.