A Memorial Day service held Monday by the American Legion Post #105 and the Patrick County Veterans’ Memorial Honor Guard remembered the war dead and honored those who served.
The ceremony opened with the posting of colors by the Honor Guard, and a welcome by Clyde Thomas, commander of Post #105 and the honor guard.
“Memorial Day is … a day of honor and reverence … a sacred day,” Roy Jones said as the ceremony got underway. “We must recognize an unfortunate fact of life; our beloved country was formed, and is protected by, the blood of veterans.”
“As unfortunate as this is, we can be thankful because over the years, America’s veterans have answered the call every time our way of life was threatened,” Jones said.
Retired Lt. Col. Robert Forrest presented the prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Johnny Joyce presented renditions of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “A Name on the Wall.”
Jones also presented the POW/MIA Remembrance of the Empty Chair.
“Those who have served and those currently serving in the uniformed services of the United States, are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice,” Jones said.
“We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are those who have endured and may still be enduring the agonies of pain, deprivation and imprisonment,” Jones said.
The POW/MIA flag on the empty chair serves as a “reminder to all of us to spare no effort to secure the release of American prisoners from captivity, the repatriation of the remains of those who died bravely in defense of liberty and a full accounting of those missing,” Jones said, and urged those attending to “rededicate ourselves to this vital endeavor.”
The Rev. David Sparks was the keynote speaker. A graduate of Martinsville High School, Sparks served as Fire Control Technician (Gunnery) in the Navy in the Amphibious Forces aboard Landing Ship Tanks during the Vietnam Conflict.
He has been an ordained minister for more than 44 years, and currently leads the congregation at the Flat Rock Pentecostal Church in Mt. Airy, N.C.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Doug Dunlap presented a portion of the ceremony, as did John Reynolds.
Thomas read the names of those veterans who died in 2016 and were served by the honor guard at funerals, as candles were lit in remembrance.
An estimated 80 people attended the ceremony that was co-sponsored by Patrick Memorial Gardens. It included a prayer, 21 Gun Salute and a rendition of “Taps.”
