ROCKINGHAM – Patriotic music played in the background as many veterans and relatives thereof, friends, and community members arrived on Saturday morning, May 26, for the Memorial Day Remembrance at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4203 in Rockingham. The Reverend Sam Standridge, who is the local AMVETS commander, served as the Master of Ceremonies, introducing the guests and speakers on hand to remember the many men and women who died while serving our country.
Reverend Charlie Tyler of Timbers Crossing Freewill Baptist Church delivered the invocation. He is a Purple Heart recipient, which was the first American Service Award made available to the common soldier. It has been awarded to members of the United States Armed Services wounded or killed in combat with a declared enemy of the United States. The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration still being used today, initially created by George Washington in 1782 as the “Badge of Military Merit”.
The Presentation of Colors followed by members of the Richmond Senior High School Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Vickie Daniels, the Clerk of Court for Richmond County, then sang the National Anthem, and the crowd joined together to recite The Pledge of Allegiance.
Commander Standridge introduced the guest speaker, the Reverend Dr. Mark Harris, who is the interim pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. He is presently running for Congress in the 9th District. He shared that Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those that gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we may have the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
In the book of Joshua, he shared, the 12 stones piled high on the west bank of the River Jordan were there as a sign and a call to remembrance for all generations for all people of Israel. The memorial was there to cause the people to remember the Lord’s goodness, when He led them into the Promised Land.
Dr. Harris also spoke about his hero – his father. Raised in the Methodist Children’s Home, he served in World War II. While on a combat mission, his plane was shot down over Belgium, and he spent the rest of the war in a Nazi concentration camp.
Then Harris talked about a politician who told him how much he loved flying into Washington, DC and sitting in the window seat, so the historical monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument were visible. But then he saw the Arlington National Cemetery, and came to the realization that the real heroes were the actual people who fought and died for our country.
The Wreath Laying Ceremony followed, with an array of beautiful wreaths being set around the Battlefield Cross Monument which memorializes the fallen comrades lost in the battlefield with their boots, rifle, and helmet.
Multiple wreaths were placed, including those from American Legion Post 49; American Veterans Post 316; Daughters of the American Revolution; American Vets Auxiliary Post 316; American Legion Post 147; Detachment 1252; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4203; VFW Auxiliary; Order of the Purple Heart; and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 59.
Reverend Charlie Tyler then gave the Benediction, which was followed by a 21 Gun Salute from the Post 316 Honor Guard and Taps.
Throughout the program, the threat of a downpour seemed imminent and may have kept some people from attending this Memorial Day ceremony.
As the bugle player came to the conclusion of Taps, a light rain fell over the crowd, which seemed rather appropriate for this patriotic but somber occasion, lest we forget those who fought and died for our country so that we may live in the greatest nation on Earth!
