Veterans honored with ceremony
This Veterans Day marked the 100th anniversary of the dedication date of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of three unknown American soldiers and the historic memorial site to commemorate those whose remains have never been recovered.
On Thursday, Sgt. Lee Coleman, a veteran of the U.S. Army who was stationed at Arlington during his service, was the keynote speaker during a Veterans Day ceremony hosted by the Yolo Post 77 of the American Legion.
A sizable crowd gathered out front the Historic Yolo County Courthouse — located at 725 Court St. in Woodland — as they listened to speakers, observances and music courtesy of the Yolo Community Band to honor those who have served and continue to serve and commemorate those who have been lost.
“On this day, Veterans Day, we commemorate the service and sacrifice of those who answered the nation’s call to arms,” Will Anderson, six-year veteran and the master of ceremonies, said. “We remember how these men and women set aside their civilian pursuits to stand between the people of this country and those who would do us harm.”
The ceremony began at 11 a.m. with a presentation of the colors and the playing of the national anthem by the Yolo Community Band. In remembrance of those who are missing in action or prisoners of war, a POW/MIA wreath and chair, which remains perpetually empty to represent those who have not returned home, were placed.
Coleman, who traveled from Illinois, spoke at length about his thoughts and experiences while serving in the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, the keepers of the Arlington National Cemetery. The Old Guard performs ceremonies, funerals and guards the cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Coleman shared memories during his time in the 3rd Infantry, the oldest active infantry of the U.S. Army, which Coleman noted, is also a fully operational infantry unit that spends time at the rifle range to maintain gun skills and
are air mobile when they are not performing ceremonies. Coleman joined the Honor Guard Company in the 3rd Infantry after completing training.
“We tried to hold ourselves to the highest standards you can imagine,” Coleman explained while speaking about the perfectionism that was expected from those in the Old Guard.
Despite trying for three or four months to become a part of the special platoon to become an official guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Coleman never became one during his time of service, yet he spoke highly of them, describing them as “perfection in itself.”
“There is a guard at that tomb 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in the snow, in the ice, in the rain, the cold, the summer heat, they are there, always,” Coleman emphasized. “Always. Because the sacrifice is always.”
Woodland High School student Conner Smith also read his first-place essay from the Veterans Day essay contest. This year’s prompt asked students to write about what they believe citizens owe to service members, given the sacrifices they must make while serving the country.
“I’ve shaken the hand of the person who still wonders why they can’t sleep at night,” Smith read from his essay. “I’ve spoken to the person who is terrified to be alone. I have gone eye to eye with the person who questions if I would forgive them if I knew what they did. Now, I ask you how can we not thank our service members for everything they have done. They are all family of this great nation, as are you and I.”
The Yolo Community Band performed the Armed Forces Salute, a medley of songs of the various branches of the military before a three-volley salute was done by the members of the Yolo Post 77 of the American Legion and the playing of Taps was performed.
“Each one of them has endured hardship in one form or another during their time in service,” Anderson said of service members. “Whether that service was in war time or in peace, in combat or in support, each of them gave of themselves so that we may stand here today in peace. To our fellow veterans today, we say thank you.”