American Heroes Remembered

It was a hot one this past Saturday with humidity you cannot escape from, but only wear a wet shirt as spring rains have made the area soggy with the infamous “gumbo” mud we all love so much here in Southeast Texas.  

Of course, no outside activity during this time of year would be complete without the sightings of our beloved and unofficial state bird as they try to whisk you away, the mosquito.  

That’s what most of this weekend consisted of for our local veterans and Boy Scouts, bending their knees up and down nonstop in area cemeteries while placing American flags next to the headstones of Liberty area veterans. 

Every Memorial Day post and auxiliary members of the Liberty VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Nolan D. Pickett, Post 5621, honors our country's military members who are no longer with us by setting out American flags at the graveside of our local veterans. 

While not all these men and women died while in the service, it is still an annual nod of appreciation rendered, as they are not here with us anymore, this Memorial Day is no exception; the VFW, along with the help of the Boy Scouts of America and Cub Scouts from Troop 56 and Pack 55, have placed approximately 900 flags by the headstones of our nation’s heroes.  

To do this, the volunteers drive to nine Liberty area cemeteries, locate the veterans’ graves and drive the miniature American flags into the ground by the headstone. This small and noble gesture of a flag remains in place for a week before they are all rounded up by the members of the VFW and stored for next year. 

It is all worth it for these combat veterans who are more than happy to work with the young scout as they all spend their day off doing this.  

Some younger vets have brought their children before to help and for the kids to learn about what this holiday is truly about. Still, other volunteers are senior citizens who ache as they bend over to put the flags in hundreds of times.  

This group of veterans calls each other “brother” and “sister,” regardless of an age difference, even though it can sometimes be over 40 years. From the Vietnam veteran in their 70s to the Global War on Terror veterans in their 30s with young children still at home, this motley crew of individuals has formed a bond here on the home front and want to use that to help and educate the community and fellow veterans. 

Everyone here in our little slice of Heaven should especially enjoy today. After all, our name of Liberty is synonymous with freedom.  

We may all hear that today is not a happy day, not a day to be celebrated, but a day of national mourning and remembrance, which it is. That is the entire point of this being made into a federal holiday.  

It is also, however, a day in which friends and families gather for cookouts and festivities. A day when living veterans get together and remember their comrades who are no longer here.  

There is no wrong way to observe this holiday so long as we are thankful and mindful of the many young Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us reading this today.