Veterans Honored At Warsaw Memorial Day CeremonyThree years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.
Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country, according to the Veterans Affairs website.
In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. There, a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War.
Over 1 million Americans have died “in combat or battle” since the American Revolution, said Ken Locke, the Salvation Army envoy, during a Memorial Day celebration at Oakwood Cemetery Monday. And that number keeps rising.
Locke, a veteran himself, is a son of a veteran.
Locke said his father was a combat veteran, serving with the 88th Infantry. He said when he was younger, Locke’s father would share the funnier stories with him, but as he grew up, his father shared stories with him of what it meant to go to war.
“The one thing he taught me is the people you are serving with are the most important at that moment,” he said. Locke’s father said it didn’t matter about politics or religion at that point.
Locke said he thinks it’s disgusting there are people that are trying to divide the country.
He said his father would never allow Locke to call him a hero, as his father would say the real heroes never came home.
Locke talked about Gold Star families, saying those families gave the best part of their families and the best part of their families served.
Locke’s father was wounded during his time with the 88th, and Locke said his unit patched him up as best as they could and left him to be picked up.
Locke said his father said the wounded or dying would always cry out for their mothers. When Locke’s father was wounded, he said his father cried out for help and thought of his mother and what she was making for dinner at that time.
Locke also talked about how his father accepted Jesus in 1947. Locke said America needs to be careful not to push God out of society.
America is great, not because it is a country of smart people. It is because America has been a people of faith and people of blood, sweat and tears.
“We are blessed beyond description,” he said.
Also, as part of the Memorial Day ceremony, the Warsaw Community High School JROTC Color Guard posted and retired the colors. Kathy Breske, president of the Unit 49 Auxiliary, read the names of the American Legion Post 49 members who died over the past year before a moment of silence was observed.
American Legion Post 49 Commander John Mort, along with the color guard, laid wreaths at each of the three veterans circles in Oakwood Cemetery. The Legion’s Honor Guard then shot a three-round volley, followed by the playing of Taps.
