Honoring America's veterans

Mike McCoy photo Veteran Gary Kitchens narrated a POW/MIA Table Ceremony at the Veterans Day ceremony held Wednesday at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield. Servicemen and women who have been designated as missing in action or who were prisoners of war were remembered and praised for their service. The ceremony included representatives of all military branches. James Adams, facing the camera, represented the Army with Bill Miranda representing the Marine Corps, Bill Alexander the Navy, Darryl Lapierre the Air Force and Justin Baker the Coast Guard. [Click to enlarge]

Dexter High School's marching band followed close behind, playing their renditions of several patriotic pieces. Flag-waving fifth graders from Central Elementary brought up the rear of the parade and in-between were local veterans and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Kenady-Hanks American Legion Post 59 Honor Guard and Auxiliary members.

The annual event is sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution which annually also sponsors a poster contest for local fifth graders using the Veterans Day theme. One student from each fifth grade classroom is recognized for their efforts and announced at the conclusion of the parade.

Mayor Joe Weber made introductions of those on the podium, which included event organizer and longtime DAR member, Delores Bailiff, Rep. Billy Pat Wright, SPC Katie Alsup of the 1221st National Guard Transportation Unit, Dr. Steve Easterwood, Dexter native and keynote speaker, Sgt. Travis Rowland of the U.S. Army, and American Legion Post 59 Commander Jerry Seabaugh.

Rowland is currently convalescing in Dexter from wounds suffered in combat during a second overseas tour. He elected to address Wednesday's crowd in civilian clothes, explaining, "Today I am not speaking as a representative of the U.S. Army. Today I represent myself, a combat veteran with two overseas deployments."

Rowland told those gathered in front of the City Administration Building about a fellow soldier named Nick Casey, a soldier who came to be a dear friend over time. Rowland explained that he and Casey shared the same values and had the same vision in mind for the country they both loved. Each was willing to give the supreme sacrifice for their country and in the end, Casey did just that. He lost his life in a battle in Afghanistan by radical Islamics.

After telling the story of Nick Casey, Rowland told the audience, "I have to be honest with you. I have to speak from my heart today."

"Nick actually gave two lives for his country," he said. "He gave up the life he was living, and he gave the life he could have lived. But he did that for us. He did it for our country."

Then, addressing the recent killings at Fort Hood, with the U.S. flag in his sights flying at half-staff Wednesday in honor of the lives lost there, Rowland said, "We can either stand and choose to call something what it is or we can choose not to, but to me sometimes it seems within the circles of the homefront, some choose to blind themselves to the truth, afraid of retribution from those who have bought into the lie of political correctness."

Then, to applause from those gathered, Rowland said, "And they've also failed to protect the most innocent members of our society---the unborn child."

After quoting the late Pres. Ronald Reagan, Rowland further commented, "I would call the act at Fort Hood an act of terrorism. That is what it is. And we have to wonder why those 13 soldiers had to die on the homefront. I wonder why. It comes to my mind that some do not have the courage to face the facts and take action."

Answering to further applause, Rowland concluded, "As veterans we must choose today whether we will stand and take action as we once did before, or will we allow what we have fought for and what others have died for, to be railroaded into a lie."

Citing a Bible passage from the book of Joshua which states, "I will not forget or forsake you," Rowland then posed a challenge to the veterans in attendance, "I ask you, when our government at the drop of a hat will dump trillions of dollars into corporate America to save payrolls, do we not have a much greater obligation to send the troops and supply the equipment to support the commander on the ground in his efforts to save American lives?"

An appreciative crowd responded once again with applause, after which Rowland concluded his address by thanking all of those veterans in attendance and those who were not able to attend Wednesday's event, for their dedication and their service.

"Had it not been for what you did before me," he told the veterans, "I would not have had the opportunity to stand here before you and serve this great nation today."

Missouri Veterans

Cemetery

An overflow crowd packed into the pavilion area of the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield to honor and pay tribute to Stoddard County veterans.

The event opened with the American Legion Post #59 Honor Guard's posting of the colors and an invocation by Cotus James.

Keynote speaker Blair Moran highlighted courageous actions by veterans during war. He told the crowd of the Church Prison Riot in Vietnam during which prisoners of war staged a church service including a sermon, and 12 men who sang in the choir. All were put into isolation by North Vietnamese commanders for their expression of religion freedom.

Moran also told of Mike Christian, a soldier who was taken as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Christian used a bamboo needle to sew together a US flag which he sewed to the lining of his jacket. Each day he would hang this flag on the wall of the prison and his fellow prisoners would say the Pledge of Allegiance.

The commanders of the prison discovered the ritual and severely beat Christian With "swollen eyes" from the beating, Christian began to sew another flag to inspire the prisoners.

"Without these great sacrifices,"Moran stated, "we would not be here at this ceremony today."

Several guests were introduced at the ceremony including Sen. Rob Mayer, Rep. Billy Pat Wright and Judy Thrower, representing US Rep. JoAnn Emerson's office.

A special POW/MIA Table Ceremony was held in remembrance of veterans who were listed as missing in action during war or were taken as prisoners of war. Each element on the table that was set in front of the podium stood for the service of the veteran and the loss suffered by family.

Mitchell Davis sang the National Anthem at the beginning of the program and Matthew Bounds played Taps on the bugle to close the program.