As does every year in honor of Memorial Day, a group headed by the American Legion toured the cemeteries of Oneida County and Utah in order to honor those who had given their lives in the service of their country with a three-volley salute.  The group visited Snowville, Holbrook, and St. John, before it stopped at the Malad City cemetery for the keynote presentation and program.  After the presentation, the tour continued to Pleasantview, Samaria, Portage, Washakie, Plymouth, and Cherry Creek.

American Legion Ernest W. Jones Post #65 Post Service Officer Gene Caldwell conducted the program, which featured the singing of Bob Kent and a keynote address from Board of County Commissioners Chairman Bill Lewis.  

After an introduction from Caldwell and the pledge of allegiance, an invocation was offered by Jean Thomas.

The memorial bell, which was dedicated during last year’s ceremony, was then run to commemorate veterans who had passed on during the last year.  Joe Daniels rung the bell.  Joe Burry, Brian Lewis, Steve Christiansen, and Franklin Christiansen were honored.

Bob Kent performed “God Bless America”.

Keynote speaker Bill Lewis: 

“I appreciate the opportunity of sharing a few thoughts with you today.  In preparation, Jean [Thomas] and I went and visited a number of World War II vets, and I’d like to acknowledge them, because they have a great story to tell.  Gene Edwards, Dean Evans, Leslie Ralph Thompson.”  Lewis asked all veterans to stand and be acknowledged.

“In Oneida County,” he continued, “over 1800 men or women have served our country, which is a great amount of people in a small county.  We acknowledge the freedom that they provide us.  Let us thank them for our service.  As we observe Memorial Day, we honor those that have gone before us beyond the veterans.  Those that are parents, pioneers, aunts and uncles.  Those that have made paths lighter and freer.  Let us reflect upon a few thoughts of some we know and some who are anonymous.  John F Kennedy said ‘as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.’  Lee Greenwood said, ‘I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free, and I won’t forget the men who died and gave that right to me.’  A couple of anonymous quotes: ‘home of the free because of the brave,’ and ‘may we never forget that freedom isn’t free.’  George S. Patton had an excellent thought: ‘It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died; rather we should thank God for such men who lived.’  An unknown author said this about our flag, ‘our flag does not fly because of the winds that moved it, it flies with the last breath of every soldier who died protecting it.’

Lewis then moved into the main portion of his talk.

“I wish to center a few comments around the flag of the United States, and the women and the men who fought to keep it flying, as well as those in the supporting cast—mothers, wives, sisters, brothers, children and other family members.”  

“I’d like to center on some comments that may teach us some important principles.  During the War of 1812, the soldiers at Fort McHenry successfully defended Baltimore’s harbor from attack by a British navy.  The Americans were engaged in vicious conflict with Great Britain, who had battleships just off the shore.  The American government initiated a prisoner swap and arranged for Francis Scott Key to go on a boat to the prisoner ship and negotiate with the British.  He got to the boat and went down to locate the prisoners in cargo holding areas in terrible conditions.” 

“Key said to the prisoners, ‘Men, I have news for you—tonight you’re free. I have negotiated successfully for your return.  You will be taken out of this ship, out of this filth, and out of your chains.’  Then Francis went back on top and was confronted by the British admiral, who said, ‘We have a slight problem.  We still commit to honor our agreement, but it will be merely academic after tonight.  It won’t matter.’  Key asked the admiral what was meant by that, and he said, ‘Tonight we have laid down an ultimatum to the colonies.  Tonight your people will either lay down the colors of that flag that you think so much of, or we’re going to remove Fort McHenry from the face of the earth.  Key said, ‘And how are you going to do that?’  He was directed to scan the horizon and see the hundreds of warships gathered.  The entire British warfleet had been called in to destroy the fort.  ‘The war is over,’ he said.  ‘These men would be free anyway.’”  

“Francis Scott Key informed the admiral that the fort contained women and children, and could not be shelled.  ‘We have left a way out,’ the admiral said.  ‘See that flag flying on the rampart?  We have told them that if they lower that flag immediately, we will know that they have surrendered and will be under British rule.’  Key went down below and told the men what was about to happen.  As the ships approached, Key returned to the upper deck, yelling back down to the men below what was happening at the fort.” 

“A twilight began to fall, the British unleashed their warfleet.  The sound was deafening—there were so many guns.  It was so loud it was impossible to talk or hear.  From down below all it was possible to hear was the question of the prisoners—‘tell us were the flag is.  What have they done with the flag?  Is it still flying?’

“One hour went by into the shelling.  Two hours, three.  Every time the bombs would explode close to the flag, Francis Scott Key would see the flag illuminate in the red glare of the bombs, and report down to the men below—‘It’s still up!  The flag is still up!’”

“At one point, the admiral approached him and said ‘Your people are insane.  What’s the matter with them?  Don’t they understand this is an impossible situation?’  Key said at that time he remembered the statement by George Washington, ‘The thing that sets the America’s Christians apart from all other people in the world is he will die on his feet before he will live on his knees.’  The admiral instructed Key that they had been ordered to focus full fire on the rampart in order to take down the flag.  ‘We don’t understand something.  Our reconnaissance has told us that the flag has been hit directly again and again and yet it still flies.  But now we will bring every gun to bear on it.’”  

“Key reported that the barrage was unmerciful.  And all he could hear was the men down below praying the prayer ‘God keep that flag flying where we last saw it.’  Sunrise came, there was a heavy mist hanging over the land, but the rampart was tall enough to see the flag flying and in shreds.  The flagpole itself was at a crazy angle, but the flag was still flying and on top.  Francis Scott Key went on shore to see what had happened, and he found that the flag and the flagpole had suffered direct hits.  But when it had fallen, men knew what it meant for the flag to be on the ground.  And knowing that all the British guns were focused on it, they went over and held up that flag until they died and their bodies were removed and others took their place.”

“Key said ‘What held that flag in place at that unusual angle were patriot bodies.’  He then penned the words of what became our national anthem, the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’  So when we gather at a cemetery, at ballgames or other events where the flag is flying, let us honor those many lives given in support of our flag, and salute the red, white, and blue.”

Bob Kent then sang the branch of service songs for each of the branches of service, and the audience joined in for the national anthem.

Eric Madsen, Sergeant at Arms of the Legion, directed the rifle squad in a three-volley salute.  Max Huggins, Roy Johnson, Dave Colton, Bob Stokes, Doyle Waldron, Jerry Kemp, Mike Ard, Russ Wilson, and Travis Whipple.  Bridger DeJong played ‘Taps’ following the volleys, and Laura DeJong played the echo.   

Afterwards, the rifle squad moved on to the next cemetery, and those in attendance gathered to pay their respects to the fallen and spend time together as families, and as a community.

The programs for the event were printed by Kathy Kent, the sound was produced by Lance Tripp, and the chairs were arranged and removed by Boy Scout Troop 1776.