Honoring the fallen
BROKEN BOW - On Monday, May 29, a Memorial Day ceremony was held at the Broken Bow Township Cemetery. Afterward, everyone was invited to the Veterans Memorial Building for a snack and refreshments.
Roger Wenquist started the service at 10 a.m. by thanking everyone for joining in honoring our soldiers. Kathy Salts of Our Savior Lutheran read from the poem, “In Flander’s Fields,” by John McCrae, to officially open the ceremony. Salts went on to lead in prayer and give a Thank You to “the many brave men and women who have served in the sacrifice for peace and justice.”
Members of the Ogle family sang the National Anthem and were thanked by Wenquist on behalf of the American Legion for all of their dedication over the years.
Tammy Hendrickson, of the Custer County Museum, spoke about Memorial Day and its history. Hendrickson said, “For some, it is the unofficial first day of summer. To others, it means honoring those who have served and fallen while protecting our freedoms. But for most of us, is a combination of both.”
Memorial Day is a time to remember our fallen soldiers and the sacrifices they made for our country, however, it’s also important to celebrate the lives of those who served by sharing laughter and good times with loved ones. Hendrickson talked of how Memorial Day came to be what it is today and explained how it started as Civil War ceremonies, was called Decoration Day and evolved into what we know it to be today. She also talked about the history of headstones as well as the DAR’s contribution to keeping them clean.
Hendrickson ended by saying, “It is important that we keep all of the fallen war vets in our minds because without their ultimate and supreme sacrifice we would not be able to enjoy all the things you love to do as well as honoring those veterans. Thank you for your military service, all of you veterans.”
Nancy Young, Patsy Burnett, Tammy Hendrickson and Nancy Harrold placed the memorial wreath to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers. Three gunshots, also known as the three-volley salute, rang through the air before “Taps” was played by Tallen Harrold. Salts was welcomed back to end the ceremony with a final prayer saying, “We memorialize those who lived and died for the liberty and freedom of our nation.”