INDIANAPOLIS — Cities and organizations across the state held Memorial Day services to honor our fallen men and women who bravely served in the military.
The American Legion Post 34 held a remembrance ceremony to take time to pause and reflect on the lives lost fighting for this country.
“It's a day that we want to, get to, and heavenly father knows that we need to remember our fallen,” Ely Hinkle, Post 34 past commander, said.
“The soldiers that went before us and that will go after us,” Kerry Turney, Post 34 commander, said. “The war is still going on and we still have soldiers they’re fighting for this country. And to us, it is truly a time to reflect on that and just think about what they’ve done for us and pay some tribute.”
They gathered on Monday, raised the flag from half staff, and held a remembrance ceremony to give families of the fallen some closure.
“It’s a very subtle day, and that everybody needs to remember how and why we have our freedoms,” Hinkle said. “And that they were given to us not by the men and women that came home but by the ones that didn’t make it home.”
That’s what Memorial Day is about, these vets tell WRTV. It’s not a three day weekend and not a time of celebration.
“I’ve already been thanked probably 20 times for my service this week and that’s great,” Turney said. “We love that. We appreciate that. We love the support. But I think it’s one of those things we want to remind people that today isn’t about us. Today is about those who have passed fighting for this country and those that didn’t make it back home. Those that we had to bury. Those that have families that are still mourning them.”
“And to keep them in our hearts,” Hinkle said. “To me, that’s the whole purpose of Memorial Day.”
