SHERBURNE – Veterans’ Day services in Sherburne began like any other. Master of Ceremonies Ray Lawrence and Commissioner William Chase led the masses in a prayer. A local scout troop gathered with flags in hand, and a color guard stood with rifles at the ready. But this ceremony was different, because Sherburne’s American Legion Post 876 used it to honor the veterans of Vietnam.
“We’ve been working on this event for a long time,” said committee member Angela Jones. “We really started thinking about it in January of 2006.” The Veterans’ Day services acted as a counterpart to Memorial Day Services, in which veterans of the Korean War were honored. A plaque was dedicated to veterans of the two wars.
Forty-three Vietnam Veterans were assembled in Sherburne’s Historic Park. As part of a ceremony that left many on-lookers with tears streaming down their faces, each veteran was given a carnation and asked to place it in front of the Vietnam plaque. Family members of four deceased veterans placed carnations in their memory. “The dropping of the carnations was very emotional,” Jones said. “It was a hard thing for some of the guys to do.”
Once the flowers were placed, the color guard fired three shots, and the somber melody of Taps drifted out over the crowd.
According to Jones, there are no other plans for future celebrations as of yet. “I’m sure future plans will be in the works,” she said. The group has worked very hard on the Memorial and Veterans’ Day services, and are looking forward to a little break before the next project. “I’m sure we will go on to honor the veterans of other wars,” Jones said.