Hundreds gathered for a Memorial Day ceremony at the American Legion Post 235 in Fort Walton Beach on May 25 to remember those military members who died in service to their country.
The event, organized by The Beal Memorial Veterans Tribute Tower committee, was moved from Beal Memorial Cemetery to the American Legion because of inclement weather.
Despite Monday’s rain, cadets from Fort Walton Beach High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, along with volunteers from the Boy Scouts and Air Force Enlisted Village, placed flags at the graves of more than 2,000 veterans at Beal Memorial Cemetery.
Dignitaries included keynote speaker U.S. Army Col. Blake Anderson; State Rep. Patt Maney, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and retired Okaloosa County judge; and U.S. Rep. Jim Patronis, a former Florida chief financial officer.
The event started with the posting of the colors by the JROTC cadets, followed by comments from Patronis.
“Memorial Day is not about barbecues and weekends,” Patronis said. “It’s about remembrance, and the men and women who have kissed their families goodbye, put the uniform on and never came home.”
Community leaders read the roll call of the deceased, and members of the public were invited to add white and red carnations to a commemorative wreath representing all branches of the nation’s uniformed services.
Anderson, the keynote speaker, closed the ceremony with a message to Gold Star families ― the immediate family members of U.S. military service members who died in the line of duty.
“We commit ourselves unequivocally to ensuring that your loved ones’ names continue to be spoken, and that their legacies live on,” Andeson said.
This information was provided by Devon Ravine, Fort Walton Beach public information officer.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Fort Walton Beach remembers fallen service members on Memorial Day
Reporting by Northwest Florida Daily News / Northwest Florida Daily News
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