Local veterans were joined by residents and county and city officials last Thursday as a ceremony was held commemorating Veteran’s Day. The event featured music, singing, prayer, and the laying of the wreath to honor those who have served their country.
Susan Hinton, the 2021 Ms. Sr. DeKalb County Fair Queen, spoke at the ceremony as well as helping provide the music. Smithville Community Chorus Director Faye Fuqua was also on hand to lead the crowd in patriotic songs.
Jerry Hinton of American Legion Post 122 led the group in prayer, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Susan Hinton then spoke about the history of Veteran’s Day, and how it evolved into the holiday that is observed today.
“We are here today to pay tribute to our veterans,” Hinton said. “Veteran’s Day was originally celebrated as Armistice Day, and was first issued on November 11, 1919, by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. The purpose was to honor the fallen soldiers of the Great War for their sacrifice and bravery.”
“Seven years later, in 1926, Congress adopted a resolution requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations in November, making November 11, a legal holiday,” Hinton continued.
“In 1945, World War II Veteran Raymond Weeks had an idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans rather than just the ones who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was all for the idea. The first Veteran’s Day celebration occurred in 1945 and every year since.”
“Weeks was later honored by President Ronald Reagan with the Presidential Citizenship Medal, and was named the father of Veteran’s Day by Elizabeth Dole.”
Hinton then went on to explain how the holiday was later celebrated on the fourth Monday of October in 1971, but in 1975 President Gerald Ford signed a law designating the holiday on its original date of November 11 each year.
In 2001 a United States resolution designated the week of Nov. 11 thru Nov. 17, 2001 as National Veteran’s Awareness Week, calling for educational efforts at elementary and secondary schools for the awareness of contributions and sacrifices of veterans.
Mrs. Hinton then read a poem to the crowd titled “A Soldier” by Brionna C.
The poem read:
He says he's leaving.
He'll be gone about a year.
He's headed off to fight the war,
And his time is drawing near.
I have no words of wisdom
To ease our aching hearts.
They'll be gone and I'll be here,
A thousand miles apart.
The danger that soldiers face,
They know it all too well.
Still, they keeps our spirits up,
As our throats begin to swell.
The morning comes all too fast;
I'm not prepared at all,
Because I know there is a chance
My soldier won't come home.
My soldier is a strong person,
One that's brave and true.
Not afraid of dying,
And fights for me and you.
So if you see a soldier,
Give them lots of praise.
Tell them that you're thankful,
You see the price we pay.
Afterwards, local veterans in attendance came forward to lay the wreath at the memorial outside the DeKalb County Courthouse. Adjunct Ronnie Redman of the American Legion Post 122 led the ceremony.
