Community honors fallen heroes

Bugler Gary Rushing
of Magic City Post 24
plays "Taps."
(Photo by John H. Walker)

More than 200 people, a larger than normal audience, gathered at the new Veterans Plot at Ponemah Cemetery Monday to honor America's fallen at Bogalusa's annual Memorial Day observance.


The program, as always, was hosted by American Legion Magic City Post 24 and included participation from Boy Scout Troop 86 and the Bogalusa High School JROTC Honor Guard.


Following the official welcome, delivered by Mayor Charles Mizell, keynote speaker Dr. Dennis LaRavia shared stories or heroism with the audience ... from World War I, World War II and Afghanistan ... and how the soldiers, sailors and Marines cited all shared a faith in God and belief in Him to help them survive the horrors of war.

Hon. John Gallaspy recites
"In Flanders Fields" for 40th year.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

And for what he estimated as the 40th year, Hon. John Gallaspy recited "In Flanders fields." Canadian physician and Lt. Col. John McCrae is popularly believed to have written it on May 3, 1915 after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lt. Alexis Helmer, 22, the day before.


The poppies referred to in the poem grew in profusion in Flanders in the disturbed earth of the battlefields and cemeteries where war casualties were buried and thus became a symbol of Remembrance Day — the predecessor of Memorial Day.


Prior to Mr. Gallaspy's recitation, Girl Scouts placed poppies on the graves in the Veterans Plot.

Some of the veterans in attendance at Monday's
Memorial Day observance at Ponemah Cemetery.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Placing poppies on graves.
(Photo by John H. Walker)

Among those in attendance were a number of veterans, including Norma Paige Jenkins, who was an Army nurse in the Pacific Theatre.


"We worked in the evacuation arena,” she told wpnewsblog. "We saw the worst of the worst."


She said she remembered Aug. 6, 1945, when the Japanese city of Hiroshima was destroyed by an atomic bomb.


"We knew when we heard the bomb had been dropped that we would be coming home," she said. "I wondered how we could be so happy (at the news of so many deaths), but we were ... we were going home!"


(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)