| Plaques honoring Veterans are unveiled at the Elmo, Cleveland, Lawrence and Huntington cemeteries on Memorial Day with the color guard in attendance. The color guard members at the Elmo Cemetery are Lamond Gardner, Stan Roberts, Hal Nelson, Willard Young, Fon Leamaster and Grant Wilson. |
The American Legion Huntington Post 73, held Memorial Day services in four of the county’s cemeteries to unveil monuments that the post had donated. Ray Quinn, post commander welcomed everyone and introduced Carolyn Randall (Elmo and Cleveland cemeteries) and Jennie Olson (Lawrence and Huntington cemeteries) to read a poem entitled Flanders Field.
Following the moving poem about our nation’s heroes, the soldiers, Quinn introduced the person chosen to complete the unveiling. Daryl Wilcox, mayor of Elmo at the Elmo Cemetery, Lindora Draper at the Cleveland Cemetery, Emery County Commissioner Ira Hatch at the Lawrence Cemetery, and Huntington Mayor Jackie Wilson at the Huntington Cemetery. Each spoke of the many thanks to the American Legion and proudly accepted the monument.
At each cemetery, Quinn said, “On behalf of the “American Legion, Huntington Post 73, and all those who contributed both money and services, as well as the local businesses, and the county, we present this Veterans Memorial Monument to the cemeteries. This is in remembrance of our veterans, who gave their all for their country. Let us never forget the sacrifices that they gave for us, many with their lives, and others with terrible wounds that forever changed their lives.
“Their battles for freedom resulted in our freedom. Remember, if they hadn’t won their battles, the younger population wouldn’t even be here, and the older population would be in labor camps if they were fortunate enough to even be alive.
“The fight still goes on for all veterans. With the cuts the government has imposed on the veterans, many can’t even get medical help. They are closing VA hospitals and clinics all over the country. Now Walter Reed Hospital is on the chopping block, along with more that $@ billion in cuts to the veterans. They fought for their country, but the government has a very short memory.
“So, it is up to all of us to write to Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Robert Bennett, and Representative Jim Matheson, and tell them that they must support our veterans. The money that is wasted overseas in just one day would help thousands of veterans get medical services they were promised but have never been able to get. So, please write today, our veterans need your help very much,” said Quinn.
In the cemeteries, Mayor Wilcox (Elmo), Mayor Jeff Horrocks (Cleveland) , Bevan Wilson (Lawrence), and Mayor Wilson (Huntington) accepted the monuments. Each city donated and prepared the base for the monuments, and at the Lawrence Cemetery, the county prepared the location for the monument.
The American Legion members have been holding raffles and other fund raising events for the purchase of the granite monuments. The post’s chaplain offered a prayer, and the Vice Commander Blake Jones recited the Ragged Ole’ Flag, followed by a firing squad firing three vollies. A boy scout color guard raised the flag from half mast to full mast and back to half mast, while buglers played Taps, to conclude the program.