City remembers the fallen

Memorial Day event heavily attended

A crowd gathers inside the Municipal Building for the occasion.

Tom Joyce | The News

Paul Madren, left, a Korean War veteran and Monday's keynote speaker, appears with Rickie Cromer of Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Honor Guard Post 9436 from Pilot Mountain.

Tom Joyce | The News

Cadets with the North Surry High School Air Force Junior ROTC conduct a flag-folding ceremony Monday.

Tom Joyce | The News

Cadet 2nd Lt. Ethan Seals stands in front of a Memorial Day wreath.

Tom Joyce | The News

Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Honor Guard members are out in force.

Tom Joyce | The News

Melissa Vernon leads the singing of the national anthem.

Tom Joyce | The News

The city of Mount Airy did its part Monday "to honor the sacrifices of the brave men and women who gave their lives in defense of our great nation," as stated in a Memorial Day proclamation read by Mayor Jon Cawley.

"Our freedom is not free," reminded another person speaking at the Municipal Building, Korean War veteran Paul Madren of Mount Airy, who delivered the keynote address for the city's annual holiday program.

"We have been a nation of history and a history of war," said Madren, who lamented during his remarks the fact that names of some of those who have fought and died haven't always been properly documented for historical purposes.

A threat of rain had prompted the moving of Monday's event from an outdoor setting in front of the Mount Airy War Memorial inside to City Hall, where a crowd filled the council chambers nonetheless.

Attendees witnessed a patriotic program of music, color, ceremony and solemn words of remembrance for the fallen.

Pastor D.M. Dalton, Mount Airy Ministerial Association president, who delivered an invocation, set the tone for the gathering by mentioning that everyone was there to honor more than just those who have "made the ultimate sacrifice" in service.

"And to their families who have to carry on without them," Dalton said of a segment also touched by the tragedy of war, along with another who must live with the aftermath.

"Bless the walking wounded who are still among us," he added. "May we remember their sacrifices every day."

Thoughts for the unknown

In many cases, families and friends of the fallen can visit cemeteries or monuments that provide engraved names of their loved ones — which form a rallying or gathering point to remember the fallen in perpetuity.

However, Madren, Monday's special speaker, focused attention on those not as fortunate in discussing the presence of fixtures such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington or the Mount Airy War Memorial right outside the Municipal Building.

The former lists the more than 58,000 service personnel who died in Vietnam, while the local monument contains names of Surry County's war dead from all U.S. conflicts. But this is not the case for others, according to Madren.

"For some, there are no listings," said the Air Force veteran of four years, who will turn 92 on Wednesday. "And there's no place where they have been recognized for their service."

In telling those assembled Monday why Memorial Day occupies a special place in his heart, Madren pointed to America's history of wars spanning the past century including World War I, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, France, Germany, Russia and elsewhere in Europe.

He also mentioned the jungles and heat of Vietnam and later conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, the bitter cold faced by Americans during the Korean War was a point of reference for Madren Monday, recalling temperatures there of minus 15 degrees. He said the conditions endured there were not as cozy as portrayed on the television series "M*A*S*H."

Madren mentioned that there has long been a question mark surrounding the fate of hundreds of U.S. troops who were caught up in frigid conditions during the Pusan campaign who either suffered from frostbite or froze to death in Korea.

"We don't know whether those 700 really existed," Monday's speaker said of the number involved, saying this lack of accountability provides yet more evidence of the fact that "freedom is very expensive."

Local military groups represented

As is always the case with Memorial Day and Veterans Day services in Mount Airy, members of the North Surry High School Air Force Junior ROTC played key roles in Monday's program.

That was also true of other annual participants, Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Honor Guard of Mount Airy Post 2019 and VFW Memorial Honor Guard Post 9436 from Pilot Mountain.

The North Surry cadets raised the American flag, placed a wreath in honor of Memorial Day and conducted a flag-folding ceremony.

Meanwhile, a rifle volley salute was conducted (outside the building) by the VFW Memorial Honor Guard representatives, who also led the playing of "Taps."

Memorial Honor Guard member Arlis Thomas explained to the crowd that the three-round volley tradition dates to early European wars.

Battles would end with a truce so each side could gather its dead and wounded, leading up to a volley in remembrance of the fallen — a sound that signified love ones had been properly assembled.

Similarly, "Taps" is the gentle melody that has been played at night at military installations and during funerals of service personnel and other ceremonies to express the same basic thought of a time of rest being at hand.

City proclamation

The proclamation read Monday by Mayor Cawley, who called the proceedings to order and otherwise guided the program, mentions the need to always remember the fallen on such occasions.

"While we should honor these heroes every day for the profound contributions they have made to securing our nation's freedom, we should honor them especially on Memorial Day," it states in part.

"It is our solemn duty as American citizens to remember and honor the brave men and women who have made the supreme sacrifice for the cause of freedom and security of our nation."

Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.