“We are the voice for those that have no voice. For those that paid the ultimate price.”
Those words were spoken by Gary Dyer, chaplain for American Legion Post 89 in Seymour, on Monday morning during the annual Memorial Day service.
More than 75 people gathered around Soldiers’ Row at Riverview Cemetery on the north side of Seymour for that service to honor those who have fallen and those who have served their country.
“At the Gaiser memorial, there are over a million names on there of men and women who paid the ultimate price for us to be here today,” Dyer said in reference to the war memorial at Gaiser Park in Seymour.
“It still gets to my heart,” he said.
The annual Memorial Day service consisted of prayers, messages from Bob Kinzie, commander of the post, and Dyer, who is a veteran of the Vietnam War, and the laying of wreaths on graves.
Brandy Johnson sang the National Anthem to open the service. Seymour Young Marines also had the opportunity to post the colors of the American flag and American Legion flag. Members of a combined honor guard from American Legion Post 89 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1925, both in Seymour, fired a salute, and “Taps” was played at the end of the ceremony.
Kinzie, a retired National Guard veteran of 23 years, said the service at Riverview is a continued tradition of honoring the veterans who have risked their lives for their country.
“This brings the community together to remember and thank those for their service,” he said.
Korean War veteran Don Hill passed out cards to the community to make sure people never forget what is known as the “Forgotten War.”
The card said, “I wear the Korean War veterans cap because I can. I returned unharmed. Those on the other side of this card did not return or came home either wounded physically or mentally. I want to keep the memory of those alive.”
The back of the card listed the number of servicemen and servicewomen wounded, killed or listed as missing in action during the Korean War.
There were 36,574 Americans killed in action in that war that started in 1950 and ended three years later with a cease fire and another 103,284 wounded in action. Ninety-two additional Americans have been killed in action since the ceasefire, and 7,800 Americans are still listed as missing in action from the war.
Hill served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1955 as an aircraft dispatcher with the U.S. Air Force. Hill said there is no branch of military better than the other.
“We all needed each other and worked together during these times,” he said.
Hill said being in the service, he had to grow up fast.
“Sometimes, you have to do the worst thing in the world that no human should have to endure to be able to get home to your family,” he said.
Hill said without the military, he would not have been able to go to college and receive his master’s degree in education. After his service, he taught for 33 years.
“I wear this hat in honor for those who didn’t come back,” he said.
Before the laying of the wreaths, Kinzie thanked those in attendance and those who continued the tradition of this service.
Memorial Day was once referred to as Decoration Day and was widely observed in 1868 to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers.
“Today, the tradition continues in communities across America where volunteers spread about our towns, counties and townships and place American flags at graves of our service members,” Kinzie said. “Some were drafted, while others entered their desired branch. Some left home never to return, and others made it home to carry on with the families they left behind. But all served.”
Dyer said being part of this service is an honor in itself, and seeing the people gathered around the headstones of those who served touches his heart.
During his speech, Dyer touched on the importance of remembering those who gave their lives for freedom.
“For those of you that have been in combat know that probably every week, you never forget those men and women that paid that price,” he said.
Dyer said not only is Memorial Day a day to remember those who lost their lives, but it’s a day to honor those families that were left behind.
He recalled a time when he went to the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines capital city.
“When I got to the top of the steps, I froze in my tracks because I was standing in the middle of 152 acres of white marble crosses,” he said. “I began to weep.”
Dyer said it took all branches of the military together to fight the good fight.
The Apostle Paul was quoted during Dyer’s speech, “I have fought a good fight and I have kept the faith.”
Dyer said before coming to the service, he thought of a scene from the movie “Saving Private Ryan” when Tom Hanks talked to a fellow soldier while lying on the ground dying after being shot.
“When Tom Hanks pulled that man close to him, he said two words, ‘Earn this,’” he said. “I thought to myself, ‘Have I earned the right to stand here today to honor those men and women who gave their lives for this country?’”
Dyer finished his message by saying even though tears will likely be shed, Memorial Day is meant for a day of honor and healing.