VERNON — As they have done every year for more years than anyone can remember, veterans, civic leaders and the public will meet at the Vernon Cemetery on Monday at 11 a.m. to honor America’s fallen heroes.
“We’ll be there. COVID has made everything harder for everyone this year, but we will be there as we always have been,” said Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2021 spokesman Dave Stocks.
While for many citizens Memorial Day weekend is all about picnics and race cars, in Jennings County, the original purpose of the holiday is observed every year with the same ceremony.
The origins of Memorial Day goes back to 1783 when the traditional ceremony to honor the War Dead of the Revolutionary War was first observed.
First called “The Great Jubilee Day,” the ceremony was traditionally observed on May 30 .
Following the Civil War, Col. John A. Logan reestablished the day to remember the dead from all wars and began the tradition of calling it Memorial Day.
In 1967, the name was officially changed to Memorial Day.
The VFW, AMVets, Vernon Grays, will take part in the ceremony and retired Col. Steve Graham will give a speech.
“Our commander Terry Ferguson , volunteers and Jennings County Jail inmates have been working all week to make sure every veteran in the cemetery will have an American flag on their grave and we will have that done by the time of the ceremony this year. We hope a lot of people will come,”Stocks said.
