County hosts Memorial Day services
Published 11:00 pm Friday, May 25, 2012
Pike County will be the site of three Memorial Day services on Monday with a fourth conducted by Brundidge VFW Post 7055 at Elam Cemetery at Elamville.
The first service of the patriotic holiday will begin at 6 a.m. at Greenhills Memorial Park in Troy.
“We will begin with a bugle first call “Reveille” followed by an invocation and then breakfast,” said Benny Pinckard, event organizer. “At 7:45, the Goshen Honor Guard will raise the flags and Debra Teal will sing the ‘National Anthem.’ The guest speaker for the Memorial Day service will be K.T. Cole who completed two tours of duty in Vietnam.”
A special recognition will be made to the family of the late Billy Gibson, a World War II veteran and recipient of two bronze stars and a purple heart.
A Memorial Wall with the names of the Alabama soldiers killed in recent wars will provide a backdrop for the Memorial Day service.
“Following the program, everyone will be encouraged to attend the Memorial Day program at Bicentennial Park and then come back to Greenhills Memorial Park for the retiring of colors and “Taps” at sundown,” Pinckard said.
At 9 a.m., Brundidge VFW Post 7055 will conduct a short Memorial Day service at the Veterans Memorial in downtown Brundidge.
Freddie Turner, post quartermaster, said the service will include prayer and the placing of a memorial wreath.
At 11 a.m. American Legion Post 70 and Auxiliary Unit 70 will conduct a Memorial Day service at Bicentennial Park in Troy.
Otis Stone, past post commander, said Col. (Ret) William “Billy” Jackson of the Banks community will be the guest speaker.
“Col. Jackson was a pilot in the Army Air Corps in World War II,” Stone said. “He is also a member of our post. Special music will be presented by Laura Mixon and the auxiliary will place the memorial wreath.”
Charlies’ Angels and the Charles Henderson High School JROTC will participate in the Memorial Day program.
Stone said a highlight of the program will be the reading of the names of soldiers with Pike County roots who were killed in action or missing in action from World War I to the present. The Gold Star mothers will also be recognized.
“Two new plaques will be added to the Memorial Wall by the Auxiliary Unit 70 and four new flags will be added to the Avenue of Flags,” Stone said. “The program will close with echo “Taps” by Michael O’Hara and Doc Kirby.
Also at 11 a.m. will be the Memorial Day Program at Elam Cemetery.
“Bruel Davis will be the featured speaker and the program will also include patriotic music,” Turner said. “The traditional laying of the wreath and a rifle salute will be conducted by VFW Post 7055. The program will close with the singing of ‘Amazing Grace’ by all in attendance and the playing of ‘Taps.’”
Everyone will be invited to attend a shared lunch at the Elam Baptist Church fellowship hall.
From Brundidge, Elam Cemetery is on Danny Road just off River Road near Clio.