SCOTT TRUXELL/unbiased editor
Instructing, studying and understanding the true which means of Memorial Day – that was the message throughout Monday’s annual Van Wert American Legion Publish 178 Memorial Day service at Woodland Cemetery.
The keynote speaker was Stephanie Renner, a trainer and Veterans Day program coordinator at Lincolnview. She delivered a robust message to a well-attended ceremony on a cool, windy and cloudy Memorial Day morning.
“To many, Memorial Day simply appears to be one other vacation off of labor,” she mentioned. “Do our kids actually know what at the moment means? Do they know the highly effective affect of shedding somebody they love who selected to selflessly serve others – for this reason understanding Memorial Day is so essential for not solely our youth however our neighborhood to return collectively, to recollect and to carry these grieving, to acknowledge all of those that made the final word sacrifice to guard these they may by no means meet.”
“On Memorial Day we bear in mind the fallen who gave their lives for our nation,” she continued. “We honor their bravery, their sacrifice and dedication given within the line of responsibility. If we don’t bear in mind our veterans then what had been their sacrifices for?”
“Our future generations have to be instructed about what it really means to be a veteran, what they sacrificed to serve our nation, leaving all they know behind, together with their households, their associates and their jobs. They accomplish that with out asking for something in return.”
She additionally careworn the significance of asking veterans about their tales so future generations gained’t overlook what they did to make the USA the best nation on this planet.
Throughout her speech, Renner spoke of her great-grandfather, Lawrence Gehres, who served in World Warfare I, and her grandfathers, Vernon C. Kill, who served within the U.S. Military throughout World Warfare II, and Richard Gehres, a World Warfare II veteran who served within the U.S. Navy. She mentioned Kill was a person who would do something for these he cherished, however he handed on lengthy earlier than she was capable of meet him.
“Though he didn’t die on a battlefield, the accidents he sustained in World Warfare II would finally price him his life,” Renner mentioned. “From studying his letters to house to talking with relations, my grandfather made large sacrifices whereas serving in World Warfare II. These sacrifices led to him being awarded many medals and commendations, together with two Purple Hearts.”
She spoke of Kill making an attempt to avoid wasting as lots of his males as attainable when he was shot on a bridge by a Nazi tank, then after barely surviving his accidents, he selected to return to the entrance line and as soon as once more suffered accidents.
Renner went on to share that she misplaced her different grandfather on Memorial Day, 2011, and known as him probably the most necessary individuals in her life.
“He was so extremely particular and taught me so many issues, together with my love for this nation and to honor our veterans,” Renner said. “He was so particular to me that I truly took him in for show-and-tell after I was in elementary faculty on a day that you just had been supposed to usher in one thing which means essentially the most to you.”
She went on to say that those that knew him affectionately known as him “Grandpa Chubby” and he or she mentioned he took his household to parades, celebrations and applications to honor veterans to point out how they need to be revered. She additionally shared the emotional occasions of Might 30, 2011, the day Gehres handed away. He was set to Memorial Day program that day however known as to say he wasn’t feeling nicely. A squad was known as and he was taken to the hospital. “They knowledgeable us he had a large coronary heart assault they usually had been certain how he even survived,” Renner mentioned. “Lutheran Lifeflight was known as because of the extent of the injury and to get him to the hospital as shortly as attainable in Fort Wayne. The flight instructed everybody they ‘had essentially the most particular passenger aboard, a World Warfare II veteran,’ and grandpa thought that was great as he all the time had a love for flying.
“Once we left the hospital to go to Lutheran my grandpa gave my mother a thumbs up and mentioned ‘don’t overlook to place my flag out earlier than you head to Lutheran.’ Even within the midst of all he had occurring, he was anxious about not having flag up. Little did we all know that inside the subsequent couple of minutes he would have a second coronary heart assault. The Lifeflight nurse by no means stopped doing compressions on my grandpa the complete flight and later instructed us all he wished to do was save this World Warfare II veteran on Memorial Day.”
“Memorial Day is so necessary and we should make it our responsibility to protect this present day of remembrance for individuals who come after us,” she added.
American Legion Publish 178 Commander Ken Myers supplied opening remarks and mentioned veterans have three days they appear ahead, but cringe on the identical time – Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday of Might), Veterans Day (November 11) and Memorial Day, the ultimate Monday of Might.
“Right now is Memorial Day and we have a good time those that made the final word sacrifice with their lives for our freedom,” Myers mentioned. “Whereas most might be celebrating with a barbeque or get-together of some type, please take a second to pay tribute to those that usually are not right here to get pleasure from this present day any longer.”
Monday’s service additionally included patriotic music by the Paul Hoverman Group; the Inserting of the Wreath by Renner and her son Carter Renner; a 21-gun salute and faucets, and the invocation and benediction by Dick Elder, and the firing of 1 cannon volley in honor of Civil Warfare veterans who died in fight.
After the ceremony, a free luncheon was held for all at Publish 178.
Along with the ceremony in Van Wert, different companies had been held across the space, together with Ohio Metropolis, Convoy, Willshire and Venedocia.