Large crowd gathers at Veteran's Cemetery for Memorial Day service

BLOOMFIELD — A large crowd gathered under sunny skies Monday afternoon at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Keynote speaker Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Bob Thrower thanked the veterans in attendance for their service and sacrifice. He also thanked the families of the veterans for their sacrifice that hardships of past wars have caused. Thrower spoke of his experience as a young lieutenant at Fort Riley, Kansas. He remembered the World War I veterans that showed up for the ceremonies in brown uniforms.

“Old military posts were meeting points for these old vets,” he said.

Thrower stated he learned a few things about the old veterans.

“One, half of them could no longer walk, you had to help them into the stands,” he said, “Two, half of them couldn’t see any further than 10 to 20 feet, they didn’t even know we were in front of them.

“Three, not one of them could hear anything and four, they were grinning from ear to ear, shaking hands and hugging each other.”

Thrower emphasized this point, “This was their day, this was their time and they were going to do everything in their power to be there and pay their respects to those who didn’t make it home.”

Thrower stated 116,000 did not make it home from World War I. Thrower said they also paid respects to the vets beside them. Thrower said these WWI vets belonged to a very unique group that was a closed group with no new members allowed, only the guys they served with.

Thrower explained to those in attendance that during WWI the family of a fallen soldier was usually notified within a week and often the fallen had already been laid to rest.

He said the total of servicemen lost in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Dessert Storm and the war on terror is approximately 623,000, or as he described them “623,000 heroes.”

“While we are here today, to pay our respects to the fallen,” Thrower said, “it is important to remember why they gave their lives.”

“It has to do with freedoms,” he added. “Our freedoms were given to us by all of the men and women who gave their lives on the battlefields.”

Thrower recognized the 18-year-olds who join the military saying they now protect our freedoms.

“Contrary to popular belief, the lawmakers in D.C. can become more dysfunctional and it doesn’t impact our individual freedoms,” Thrower said, “because they aren’t the ones who guarantee them, it’s the 18-year-olds to come forward each year to serve.”

Pastor Ronnie Stevens opened the ceremony with an invocation and later said the benediction. Stoddard County Veterans Honor Guard member Bradley Williams followed with the Pledge of Allegiance. Kara King sang the national anthem.

Tommy Horton, Retired Master Sergeant Missouri Army National Guard, narrated the POW/MIA table ceremony in which the missing and prisoners of war from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force were honored. A uniform hat was placed at setting at a table representing the aforementioned branches of service.

After the Stoddard County Veterans Honor Guard fired the ceremonial volley, Bradley Williams concluded the service with playing of TAPS.