Posted by The Oregonian - May 01, 2008

About 65 to 70 members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 8 gathered on the Eastbank Esplanade between the Burnside and Steel bridges about noon Thursday to place 800 carnations in the Willamette River.

The group was commemorating the deaths of more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers who have died in the Iraq war.

ILWU workers were joined by members of other groups, including Commander Harvey Thorstad, U.S. Navy (Ret.) of the Portland chapter of Veterans for Peace.

"The whole purpose of the demonstration is to bring light to the people that want to bring the troops home, now," Thorstad said.

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