TRACY HARRIS-Staff Writer
Nov. 11 is marked as Veterans Day and this year in Lewisburg, the weather was perfect to honor those who have served in all U.S. wars – past and present. On Oct. 8, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation which read: “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all Veterans, all Veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.”
The Lewisburg Fire Department raised a flag from Ladder 1 next to the courthouse. American Heritage Girls TN 7712 and Trail Life USA TN 7712 passed out free flags to spectators prior to the parade.
The Veterans Day Parade started at 10 a.m. with Troop 273 Scouts BSA leading the way. The MCHS Band led by Director Clay Sawyer followed with patriotic selections. Locals decorated their cars and trucks and more than 25 Corvettes from a middle TN Corvette Club came. Some of the participants were: Ken Lee-USAR. John Phelan-USMC, Blossom Ezell-USAR, DAR, Barbara Blackmore and Pam Davis with Moms on a Mission, and a trailer full of veterans.
The Veterans Day Service was held on the courthouse lawn at 11 a.m. Troop 273 Scouts BSA presented the colors. Walter Redding, American Legion Post 39 Commander, led the program and introduced everyone. Larry McKnight with Veterans Outreach gave the invocation. Debra Crable, American Legion Adjutant, commemorated American service men and women who are prisoners of war or missing in action with the POW/MIA Chair of Honor. This chair remained unoccupied throughout the service as a reminder of service members who have not returned home.
Beth McDaniel performed the National Anthem right before Redding introduced Vince Cuevas as the speaker. Cuevas was recently appointed as The American Legions Department of TN 7th District Commander.
Cuevas did something a bit different this year and asked veterans to raise their hand so they could introduce themselves, list their years in service, their rank, and their time in combat if any. He took the microphone out in the crowd and one by one service members shared. Several served in the Vietnam War, one served in the Korean War, some served during Desert Storm, and a few named multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jacob Curry had shared his service in the military, but he raised his hand a second time to make sure Cuevas know there was a “Gold Star” mom in the crowd. Elaine Huffines talked about her son, Marine Staff Sergeant Marcus A. Golczynski, age 30, who died on March 27, 2007. Golczynski died during Operation Iraqi Freedom, just two weeks before the end of his second deployment in Iraq. Curry said, “I didn’t know him personally. I was in her class when he was KIA and attended his funeral as a 17 year old junior in high school.”
Cuevas presented military statistics as follows: “Since the American revolution over 41.9 million Americans have served in the military. Roughly 1.5 million have been wounded in combat and 1.4 million have been killed in combat. 40,000 are still missing in action. Today there are 21.8 American veterans alive, and Marshall County is home to over 2,000 of those.”
McDaniel sang God Bless America to close the program.
Afterwards, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5109 hosted a free fish fry that was open to all. Arianna Barnett-Lashwood, the 2024 Jr High Miss Nation Nationals Queen, not only served meals Saturday, but she also baked and donated the desserts as part of her pageant community service project. Karla Hargrove, an auxiliary member of the VFW Post reported that over 100 people were served meals.
