Members of the honor guard waited to render the 21-gun salute at the end of the ceremony held Saturday morning at the Dubois County Veterans Monument in Huntingburg. (Photos by Matthew Crane.)
Saturday, the Dubois County Veterans Council held the annual Memorial Day observance at the Dubois County Veterans Monument in Huntingburg.
Colonel John Topper was the guest speaker at the event.
He recounted his time in Vietnam including the deaths of the men he served with and the tragedy of what they left behind.
“These were men who were someone’s son, brother, husband, uncle. Men who were our friends. Men who had unrealized dreams. They all had a first haircut; a first hit on a baseball diamond; a first kiss from the sweetheart,” he said in his remarks. “These were women who had a first dance rehearsal, a first prom. They had hopes of a future family, hopes to live happily ever after. So, for us to turn a blind eye to those sacrifices that were made by these young men and women would be to betray their trust in their country and in us. Trust that their deaths were for a just and noble cause. Trust that the freedom for which they died would long endure. Trust that their deaths will not have been for naught.”
Ceremonies recognizing veterans who have passed away will continue to be conducted at the area cemeteries Sunday and Monday.
The observance was well attended Saturday morning.
Members of the Marine Corps League Southern Indiana Leathernecks handled the flag ceremony during the event. Steve Lindauer (saluting) led the raising and lowering of the flag as members Karen Jessee and Beth Tyler (in photo) raised the flag before lowering it to half-staff in honor of the veterans who died in military service.
Marion Altmeyer (hat) lowered his head during the opening prayer and benediction presented by Connie Guimond, Chaplain of the Ferdinand American Legion Post 124 Auxiliary.
Steve Bartels from the American Legion Riders Post 147 oversaw the recognition of those considered prisoners of war or missing in action. He explained the significance of the table set up with the empty chair. The table is set with a white tablecloth, a single candle, a book of faith (optional), an inverted glass, and a single red rose in a vase, around which is tied a red or yellow ribbon. A pinch of salt and a lemon sit on the plate. The slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured or missing in a foreign land. The salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families. Bartels has been conducting the POW/MIA ceremony for about 15 years now and was recognized by the master of ceremonies for his diligence in keeping the ritual
Colonel John Topper was the guest speaker for the event. He recounted his time in Vietnam including the deaths of the men he served with and the tragedy of what they left behind.
Clint Reuber rang the bell in recognition of the many veterans that have passed away as Kent Schreiner read their names out loud to the crowd.
Master of Ceremonies and president of the Dubois County Veterans Council Kent Schreiner led the recognition of his father, Norbert Milton Schreiner, as this year’s honored veteran.
Members of the honor guard gave the 21-gun salute at the end of the day’s activities.
