East Texas honors fallen troops

EAST TEXAS –Hundreds of East Texans gathered at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home to honor fallen members of the United States Armed Forces on Memorial Day. Several speakers and performers were there to pay tribute, including Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith and the Marine Corps League who gave a 21-gun salute. “We gather here today once again on this hallowed ground, to honor those men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving out country,” Sheriff Larry smith said. Musical performances included the National Anthem by the East Texas Men in Harmony and Taps by Tyler Police officer John Weaver.

On the morning of Memorial Day, Longview community members gathered at Teague Park, Veterans Plaza to honor the holiday. “The gratitude that we owe all of those who paid the ultimate price is tremendous for this county the values and what we have was paid for in blood, and it is always an honor to remember,” Ben Gurganus, outgoing Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars 4002.

According to our news partner KETK Gurganus gave a speech reminding people of that Memorial Day is truly about. “And I am so proud to be in America,” said Gurganus. “It’s wonderful to see the support of our community. We had a lot of our veterans come out, but we also had a lot of families and civilians come out as well just to show their support,” Grace Henderson. “The wall here in Teague Park is a miniature version of what is in Washington D.C., there are over 5,800 names of those that died in the Vietnam conflict,” said Gurganus.

The event included an invocation, a flag retirement ceremony led by Boy Scout Troop 201, and wreath presentations to recognize several groups of people. All about the love that the men and women displayed when they went to service and paid the ultimate price. “On this memorial day again we like, we ask for you to reflect on your life again and is it worthy of the sacrifice that has been made,” Lucero Harris, Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves.