GRAVETTE -- The sun was beating down and pushing temperatures into the 80s in the area Monday morning, but the heat didn't prevent a good crowd from attending the Memorial Day service at Hillcrest Cemetery. Most guests who attended the annual ceremony honoring fallen veterans did seek shelter in the shade, and few filled the chairs that had been set up.
Bill Mattler, commander of the John E. Tracy American Legion Post at Gravette, welcomed those present. Jheri Roberts, the post chaplain, gave the opening prayer. Mattler called attention to the empty chair in front of the platform which is set up at all Legion meetings in honor of those who are still prisoners of war or missing in action and urged everyone to continue to remember their sacrifices and spare no efforts to find all those still missing. Dustin Head, a new member of the post, placed the POW/MIA banner on the back of the chair.
Kaylee Ames, of Jay, Okla., and C.J. Ogle, of Gravette, raised the flag. The ceremony opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag. Members of the Gravette High School band, under the leadership of band director Aaron Ray, played the national anthem.
Navy veteran Al Blair, finance officer for the post, was the guest speaker for the short ceremony. He gave a brief history of Memorial Day, relating that the first such service, then called Decoration Day, honored fallen Civil War veterans. James A. Garfield was the speaker for that first official Decoration Day service, May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. Garfield was then an Ohio Congressman who had served as major general in the Civil War. Blair quoted excerpts from Garfield's speech, including, "We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country, they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue."
Blair noted that many still gather today to honor family members and friends who have given their lives in service to their country. "It is fitting that we take time from our busy lives to honor these heroes," Blair said. "Life goes on. We make a life without our loved ones. The days turn into weeks, the weeks into months, the months into years. The pain of loss grows less but it never goes away."
Following Blair's address, Commander Mattler presented certificates of continuous membership to several long-time members of the post. They included Robert L. Hamilton, 32 years; Robert Honderich, 32 years; Gary Hook, 35 years; John Easley, 36 years; and Larry Holloway, 40 years. Hamilton, Hook and Easley were present to receive their certificates.
The band played "America the Beautiful" and Roberts gave the closing prayer, expressing thanks that we live in a country where we can still honor our veterans and that we have men and women who are still willing to serve their country.
"Taps" was played to conclude the ceremony.
American Legion members announced that John E. Tracy Post will hold a flag retirement ceremony beginning at 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 19, at the Gravette United Methodist Church fellowship hall. The public is invited to the ceremony and to a cookout following, hosted by the post.
General News on 05/30/2018