A self-evident truth of the United States Declaration of Independence is that “all men are created equal.”

“Some rise above it,” VFW Post 7055 Commander Henry Middlebrooks told the large crowd that gathered at the Veterans Memorial in downtown Brundidge Monday morning.

“Those that we honor here today are among them.”

VFW Post 7055 conducted Memorial Day services at 9 a.m. in Brundidge and at 11 a.m. at Elam Cemetery in Elamville.

Both services included the placing of memorial wreaths at the Veterans Memorials and special prayers for of appreciation for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Freddie Turner Post 7055 quartermaster ask for prayers for the families of those veterans who gave their lives in service to their country.

“We must not forget that they, too, paid the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “They also serve who must stand wait.”

Navy Commander (Ret.) Bruel Davis was the featured speaker at the Elam Cemetery service.

“This is the ultimate in Americanism,” Davis said of the large number of people who had gathered to pay their respects to those who gave their lives in service and to honor their country. “We need more of this.”

Davis told how he, a country boy, marched off to war and of the patriotism displayed by an entire nation as the world went to war. “We must now do all that we can to hold and honor those traditions of pride in our fighting forces and in our country,” he said.

“I believe that today we are doing more to honor our fighting men and women, especially here in the South, but, if we don’t take more pride in our country and those who fight to keep the freedoms that we have, we could lose them – will lose them.”