HOPE – During the post World War II era, a young boy would tag along with his dad on Memorial Day to pay tribute to fallen soldiers and sailors.
It was an act of respect and honor that the father, Alton Reeves, took seriously. In late 1917, he quit his college studies in architecture to become a member of the U.S. Army’s 23rd Engineering Co. in France during World War I.
When he described his reasons for visiting the graves of servicemen, Alton Reeves kept the explanation to his young son, A.C. Reeves, simple. It was an act of patriotism, he said.
Although 62 years have passed since Alton Reeves died, his son continues to honor the memories of veterans by serving as commander of the Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard.
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"He’s got everything organized and placed on a computer," said American Legion Post 229 Commander Larry Wheeler said of the leader of the honor guard. "A.C. has done a great job for both our Legion post and the county’s Honor Guard."
In addition, A.C. Reeves was honored earlier this year for his 50 years of service to Hope American Legion Post 229.
The Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard is made up of members from several different American Legion posts who usually take turns covering requests for their presence, such as veterans’ funerals.
On Memorial Day, Honor Guard members prefer to remain near their hometowns and follow their own local traditions, A.C. Reeves said.
Local traditions
As he did as a boy following his father, A.C. Reeves still visits eight cemeteries or public places mostly in Flatrock or Hawcreek townships every Memorial Day to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
He’s joined by a number of other veterans who, like Reeves, are second or third-generation members of the Honor Guard, Wheeler said.
Traditionally, services conducted by members of Post 229 consist of a word from the commander, a prayer by the chaplain, the placing of a fresh bouquet of flowers at a designated grave or the flagpole, the firing of three volleys (21-gun salute) and the playing of taps, Reeves said.
Their first stop is always at the grave of Jonathan Moore at Sharon Cemetery, located two-and-a-half miles northeast of Petersville along County Road 700E.
Historians recall Moore (1754-1853) as the longest surviving member of General George Washington’s guards during the Revolutionary War. Today, a section of State Road 46 on the west side of Columbus is named in Moore’s honor.
Their final stop is the Hope Moravian Cemetery, where up to 200 people usually attend the ceremony to reflect back on the memory of a lost friend or loved family member, Reeves said.
With the inscribed names of 796 veterans, the Moravian Cemetery Veterans Memorial reduces the need to store and maintain hundreds of personalized crosses that were placed on the grave of every veteran prior to the memorial’s dedication in 2000, Reeves said.
Visiting cemeteries where eastern Bartholomew County veterans are buried is a cherished tradition that will likely continue well into the future, Reeves said.
A father’s memories
A.C. Reeves believes his father was likely haunted by memories of his service and dead comrades, as well as survivor’s guilt after World War I.
The family believes Alton Reeves likely witnessed horrific conditions in the 1918 Marne Offensive (12,000 Americans killed or wounded) and the 1918 Meuse Argonne Offensive (over 122,000 Americans killed or wounded).
"The letters he wrote to his mom were pretty generic," A.C. Reeves said. "But I found one letter he wrote to his dad where he talked about burial details and all the gruesome stuff he would never tell anyone else."
Decades after what was called "The Great War" ended in 1919, Alton Reeves would serve as the commander of the Ninth American Legion district in Indiana. The one-time postmaster of Hope was also active with the Masonic Lodge, the Lions Club, the Salvation Army and the Tuberculosis Association.
Since Alton Reeves died in 1957 when his son was only 14, A.C. Reeves said he wasn’t aware of all the community service his father performed while he was still alive.
But he did realize how important veterans were to his father, which has been passed down from one generation to the next, A.C. Reeves said.
A different way to serve
A.C. Reeves own military experience was much different than his father’s in World War I.
A 1961 graduate of Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School, he went to Purdue University and received his bachelor of science degree in institutional management in January 1966. After that, he married his first wife and began management training with Kroger supermarkets.
But after being unexpectedly drafted into military service, Reeves found himself in basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
After the college graduate twice turned down requests to receive officers training, he found himself learning how to become an infantry machine gunner at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
But instead of fighting in the Vietnam War, Reeves found himself embroiled in the Cold War. The Army stationed him 110 miles behind the Iron Curtain near the Berlin Wall, he said.
East Germans and the Russian Soviets in Berlin saw Americans there as an army of occupation, and the Americans knew they would be vastly outnumbered in the event of a military conflict.
"We always said that if the Germans or the Russians decided to move, (Americans) would only be a speed bump to them for about an hour," A.C. Reeves said.
When his superiors discovered A.C. Reeves knew how to type, he was reassigned to an office as a personnel specialist until his honorable discharge was issued in May 1968.
A family tradition
When A.C. Reeves returned to civilian life in Hope, his father’s best friend, Rusty Stewart, paid his dues to join the Hope American Legion Post "because my dad would have wanted it," Reeves said.
"The military has long been a part of my family, and I’ve always respected the flag," he said.
Besides pride in a father and two uncles who served in the military, A.C. Reeves is also proud of his stepson, David Fields, a Gulf War veteran and Cummins Inc. employee who still serves as a sergeant major in the U.S. Army Reserves.
He says the 25 or so veterans on the roster of the county’s honor guard have distinguished themselves far more than he has.
"We have guys who are quite a bit older, and don’t walk very well," Reeves said. "While those rifles feel pretty heavy for those guys, we do hundreds of funerals a year. And whether it’s raining or snowing, they show up."
Reeves said he would prefer they would get more recognition for their service in the honor guard.
"I never found myself in a combat situation," Reeves said. "But I am proud of the service I gave to my country."
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Memorial Day ceremonies conducted by American Legion Post 229
- 8:30 a.m. – Sharon Cemetery, on County Road 700E
- 8:50 a.m. – Newbern Cemetery, Newbern
- 9:15 a.m. – Hartsville Town Square, Hartsville
- 9:40 a.m. – Hawcreek Church Cemetery, County Road 900E/Stafford Rd
- 10 a.m. – Simmons Cemetery, County Roads 625E and 950N.
- 10:15 a.m. – Old St Louis Cemetery, County Road 670E (south of 800N)
- 10:30 a.m. – Jackson Street Bridge, West Jackson Street, Hope
- 11 a.m. – Hope Area Veterans Memorial, Hope Moravian Cemetery
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Age: 76
Born: Columbus
Hometown: Hope
Education: Member of the Hauser High School Class of 1961. Received his bachelor of science degree in institutional management from Purdue University in 1966.
Military: U.S. Army, Company C, 3rd battalion, 6th infantry. Later transferred to the 287 Military Police company, also known as the "Berlin Brigade."
Career: Worked for Arvin Industries and Aida Engineering Inc. in Columbus. Retired after 20 years working for Aid Association for Lutherans, now known as Thrivent Financial.
Family: Wife, Donna. Six adult children.
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Services in Columbus on Memorial Day:
9 a.m. — Tossing of rose petals into East Fork White River from the Robert N. Stewart Bridge. This ceremony honors all military personnel who died in naval engagements.
10 a.m. – Ceremony at the veteran’s section of Garland Brook Cemetery. This ceremony is designed to be more religious in substance that other local observances. With more than 3,000 veterans buried in Columbus’ largest cemetery, this ceremony has been held annually since 1972.
11 a.m. – Community Memorial Day observance at the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans, southwest of the county courthouse. Former Columbus Mayor Fred Armstrong, a Vietnam War veteran, will be guest speaker.
12:30 p.m. – The Columbus VFW posting will host a free lunch following the downtown Memorial Day service. Ham salad, chips, a cookie and fountain drink will be available from 12:30 until 2 p.m. The post is located at 215 N. National Road.
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Members of the Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard are:
- David Baldwin
- Charles Beatty
- Gary Beatty
- Dave Blair
- Wayne Bunch
- Donald Clark
- Ed Davis
- David Fields
- Steve Forgey
- John Foster
- Mike Hess
- Stan Hill
- Michael Housefield
- Jim Isacson
- Marty Kildren
- Mike Kuppler
- Dave Munn
- Dave Newmister
- Dennis Oehmsen
- A.C. Reeves
- Charlie Reynolds
- James Settle
- Jerry Thompson
- Carl Weichman
- Larry Wheeler
- Carla Williams
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