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The Evening Sun | American Legion And VFW Honor Veterans At Memorial Day Service
NORWICH
—
The
Norwich
American
Legion
Post
189
and
Christy
Rock
Veterans
of
Foreign
Wars
(VFW)
Post
2782
held
a
Memorial
Day
service
in
Norwich’s
West
Park
on
Monday,
May
29.
The
service
honored
fallen
service
members
with
opening
and
closing
benedictions
by
Acting
Legion
Auxiliary
Unit
189
Chaplain
Charlene
LaFever,
the
Pledge
of
Allegiance
presented
by
American
Legion
Post
189
Adjuvant
Edwin
J.
Tucker,
a
firearms
salute
from
the
Honor
Guard,
a
playing
of
“Taps”
by
Boy
Scout
Troop
62
members
William
Lindner
and
Joseph
Paul,
and
other
services.
Vietnam
combat
veteran
and
Purple
Heart
recipient
Lt.
Frank
Revoir,
Sr.
served
as
Master
of
Ceremonies
for
the
service.
“Again,
our
nation
has
assembled
to
honor
its
heroic
dead.
1,000
battles
of
land,
sea,
and
air
echo
the
glory
of
their
valiant
deeds,”
said
Revoir.
“Under
the
quiet
sod
or
beneath
the
murmuring
waves,
their
bodies
sleep
in
peace.
But
in
the
destiny
of
veterans,
they’re
souls
go
marching
on.
Because
of
them
our
lives
are
free.
Because
of
them
our
nation
lives.”
This
year’s
guest
speaker
was
retired
US
Air
Force
Colonel
Dale
G.
Gray.
“In
many
towns
and
cities
across
this
great
nation,
Memorial
Day
is
marked
by
parades,
speeches,
and
wreath
laying
ceremonies.
These
serve
as
solemn
reminders
of
the
sacrifices
made
by
the
men
and
women
who
have
died
in
service
to
our
country,
and
a
time
for
us
to
reflect
on
the
true
cost
of
freedom,”
said
Gray.
“Today,
we
honor
these
heroes,
to
remember
their
achievements,
their
courage,
their
dedication,
and
to
say
thank
you.
“We
stand
in
the
midst
of
patriots
and
family
and
friends
of
those
who
have
nobly
served.
These
service
members
we
honor
today
came
from
all
walks
of
life,
but
they
shared
some
fundamental
qualities:
they
possessed
courage,
pride,
determination,
selflessness,
and
dedication
to
duty,
honor,
and
country.
All
qualities
needed
to
serve
a
cause
far
larger
than
oneself.”
The
service
also
included
a
presentation
of
the
Honor
and
Remember
flag,
which
was
flown
on
the
East
Park
flagpole
beneath
the
American
Flag.
The
flag
includes
a
red
field
to
represent
the
blood
spilled
by
service
members;
a
blue
star
to
represent
active
service
and
military
conflict;
a
white
border
to
signify
the
purity
of
sacrifice;
a
gold
star
to
represent
the
ultimate
sacrifice
of
a
soldier
lost
in
battle;
a
folded
flag
to
represent
the
final
tribute
given
to
a
soldier
lost
in
battle;
and
a
flame
that
serves
as
an
eternal
reminder
of
the
spirit
that
has
left,
but
remains
in
the
memory
of
loved
ones
of
the
fallen
soldier.
The
flag
was
presented
by
North
Norwich
Supervisor
Robert
Wansor,
as
well
as
Run
for
the
Fallen
participants
Alicia
Mullins
and
Jessica
Jaquay.
“The
US
flag,
when
it’s
removed
from
the
coffin
of
a
fallen
soldier,
is
folded
in
a
very
special
way,
and
handed
to
the
family
member,
never
to
be
unfolded.
The
Honor
and
Remember
flag
works
in
the
opposite
way,”
explained
Wansor.
“This
is
a
flag
that
can
be
flown
on
Memorial
Day,
birthday,
date
of
death,
other
significant
times.
It
can
be
kept
open
inside
the
house.”
Wansor
also
gave
a
presentation
on
the
Run
for
the
Fallen
program,
an
annual
run
that
honors
fallen
soldiers
by
name.
A
team
of
approximately
25
runners
will
run
from
June
8
through
June
11,
from
Watertown
to
Syracuse
to
Saratoga.
Every
few
miles,
the
team
will
stop
at
designated
“Hero
Stops”
that
are
dedicated
to
fallen
soldiers
from
New
York.
At
each
stop,
their
names
will
be
read
out
loud
to
pay
tribute
to
their
sacrifice.
This
year,
the
New
York
Run
for
the
Fallen
will
be
honoring
1,343
soldiers
lost
in
combat
or
as
a
result
of
military
service,
training
accidents,
illnesses,
and
suicide.
At
some
stops,
Wansor
said
Gold
Star
Families
will
be
present
for
the
tributes.
Those
families
will
be
presented
with
Honor
and
Remember
flags
embroidered
with
their
loved
one’s
name,
branch
of
service,
and
date
of
death.
More
information
on
the
Run
for
the
Fallen
program
can
be
found
at
NewYork.USARunForTheFallen.org.
Wansor
and
Mullins
also
read
a
proclamation
from
the
Chenango
County
Board
of
Supervisors
proclaiming
May
as
National
Military
Appreciation
Month
in
Chenango
County.
“Whereas
the
sense
of
wellbeing,
freedom,
and
love
of
country
that
citizens
of
the
United
States
enjoy
today
are
the
result
of
personal
sacrifice,
lives
changed
or
lost,
and
ongoing
vigilance
given
by
the
United
States
Armed
Forces
over
the
history
of
our
great
nation
in
caring
for
and
honoring
always
our
military
during
and
after
one’s
service,”
read
Mullins.
“[We]
encourage
the
people
of
each
state
to
dedicate
themselves
to
the
values
and
principles
for
which
Americans
have
served
throughout
the
history
of
the
nation,”
read
Wansor.
“In
this
highly
effective
way,
we
may
sustain
with
hope
and
dignity
the
morale
and
improve
the
quality
of
life
and
wellbeing
for
service
members
and
their
families,
for
most
assuredly
they
are
our
most
precious
national
assets
of
interest
to
be
protected
always
and
forevermore.”
Monday’s
service
included
a
wreath
laying
ceremony
honoring
veterans
of
World
War
II,
the
Korean
War,
Vietnam,
Desert
Storm,
Iraq,
Afghanistan,
the
War
on
Global
Terrorism,
and
veterans
from
all
other
wars
and
military
operations.
Additionally,
a
wreath
in
honor
of
veterans
lost
in
World
War
I
was
placed
in
front
of
the
World
War
I
monument
in
East
Park.
After
Monday’s
service,
the
American
Legion
Post
189
conducted
a
memorial
service
for
service
members
buried
at
Mount
Hope
Cemetery,
and
the
VFW
did
the
same
for
veterans
buried
at
St.
Paul’s
Cemetery.
A
floating
wreath
was
also
placed
in
Canasawacta
Creek
in
honor
of
service
members
lost
at
sea.
Revoir
also
provided
a
final
roll
call
tribute
to
members
of
the
American
Legion
Post
189,
VFW
Post
2782,
and
other
area
veterans
who
have
passed
away
since
Memorial
Day
2022.
Those
honored
included
Ronald
Francis
Smith,
US
Army;
Melvin
Westley
Davis,
US
Navy;
Angelo
Muserelli,
US
Navy,
WWII;
Robert
S.
Despres,
US
Army,
Vietnam;
Charles
W.
“Scrapper”
Jeffrey,
US
Army,
Korea;
Gary
D.
Smith,
US
Air
Force,
Vietnam;
Jeffrey
L.
Cross,
US
Army,
Vietnam;
Gerald
Wolfe,
US
Army;
Robert
Daniel
Graef,
US
Marine
Corps.,
Vietnam;
Nicholas
Parks,
Jr.,
US
Marine
Corps.,
Vietnam;
Kenneth
P.
Merchant,
Jr.,
US
Navy,
WWII;
Robert
Edward
Kirkby,
US
Army,
Korea;
and
Rena
L.
Gracin,
US
WWII
Uniformed
Cadet
Nursing
Corp.
