Written by Amanda Coers – Voices cracked with emotion during a heartfelt ceremony held at the Central Texas Veterans Memorial Park in Brownwood on Monday, May 28th, in observance of Memorial Day. Over 100 attendees gathered in the center of the Memorial Stones at the park beneath tents erected to shield them from the sun.
Leading the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem was Brownwood Fire Department Captain James Lemond, who also leads Boy Scout Troop 14. The troop has been a key volunteer group at the memorial park, sanding, painting, and assisting in the restoration of several of the military vehicles on display.
“It’s taught our boys a lot about respect and honor and history,” Lemond told attendees at the ceremony before leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
Six-term State Representative and Retired Army Reserve Colonel Bob Turner was asked to lead the invocation for the ceremony.
“This morning coming over, I noticed how many flags there were in every place we went by,” Turner said before offering the opening prayer. “That does my heart good. I think every American home should have a flag that they can fly on special occasions. We fly ours 365 days a year. That to me is the epitome of us showing our pride in being Americans.” Turner also praised the Memorial Park for it’s rich history represented.
After the prayer, Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes was then asked to say a few words.
“These monuments, this memorial park, and this special day, are dedicated to remembering the sacrifice of those great men and women who have served to preserve our freedom,” Haynes said, and offered recognition for those in attendance who currently serve on the Veterans Memorial Park Board of Directors, as well as anyone who had worked or donated funds to help build the park.
“Recently these monuments were damaged, we will rebuild them, but there’s something more important we must do,” Haynes said. “I hope this park will continue to expand and grow. But our granite stones and military displays will all be for naught if we forget the purpose for which the sacrifice was made.”
Haynes quoted a portion of the Gettysburg Address, in which President Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, on November 19, 1863.
During the address, President Lincoln said, “We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
After quoting Lincoln, Haynes explained the challenge for the community today was not only to remember, not only to rebuild the recently damaged monuments, but to promise to continue the fight to remain a Nation Under God, and continue to oppose anyone who would threaten to take away our liberty.
President of the Central Texas Veterans Memorial Board, Harold Steiber, and Secretary-Treasure Joyce Leidig came forward to recognize the Gold Star Families, those who had lost family members in active military service, present during the ceremony.
“I can’t imagine what y’all go through on a daily basis,” Leidig said to the families present. “Some of these soldiers left young sons without a dad. One young marine had just gotten married and his parents will never know the joy of those grandchildren. One soldier who was killed in Vietnam, his sister grieved until her death just this last year. That’s just a few of the thousands of stories. These are the stories of Memorial Day.”
The Keynote Speaker for the ceremony was retired General Dan Locker, who had a 32 year career in the Air Force, and is the only General Officer to graduate from Brownwood High School. Locker’s family has four consecutive generations of officers in the military. Locker is also a General Surgery Specialist in Brownwood.
“World War I cost us 116,516 lives, many of them are on these stones. World War II accounted for 405,399 more,” Dr. Locker said in his address. “Korea cost us 36,651 more, and Vietnam 58,220. Beruit cost us 215 Marines and Sailors on a warm sunny morning in October, 1983. I went there to assist in the care of the survivors. This was my first exposure to the ugliness of Muslim fanatics, and their willingness to do suicide missions. Operations in the Middle East continue to take the lives of our men and women in uniform, the toll now nearing 7,000.”
Dr. Locker’s thoughtful voice occasionally faltered with sorrow as he counted out the numbers, and offered his own remembrance of friends in the service lost.
“I with my family have walked through the neatly lined crosses and the Stars of David at our National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia,” Locker said. “And the Punchbowl in Hawaii, the American Cemetery overlooking the Normandy Beach in France, the Battle of the Bulge Cemetery, and the American Cemetery near Cambridge, England. Each filled with Americans, who as President Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, had given their last measure of devotion so that we might be free. We have thousands of young Americans who serve today, so that we may be free.”
He urged attendees to bring up their families and the younger generations to appreciate the sacrifice of those men and women.
“Each generation must teach the next that freedom isn’t free,” Dr. Locker said. “Growing up, our school teachers, our preachers, family and friends, had served in the military. We were proud to know them. Today each of us is a hero to our kids and our grandkids. We must teach them that living in American brings great privilege, but also great responsibility. As we pass those responsibilities to the next generation we must ensure they understand the importance of service to the military in order to sustain our freedoms.”
At the close of the ceremony, Harold Steiber spoke regarding the rebuilding efforts after several stones at the memorial park had been damaged by either strong winds or vandals.
“Today we want to thank a lot of people. Our tragedy has turned into a blessing, bringing people together for a common cause,” Steiber said. “Those names listed on those tablets had fallen once before, but they will be resurrected. We are receiving contributions from the whole United States to rebuild this memorial.”
