A successful Memorial Day commemoration ceremony held at Veterans Memorial Park, Middletown

Ms. Melissa Legge-Mauck performing the National Anthem in front of the Colonel James Wood II Color Guard.

On May 25, 2020, Middletown conducted a commemoration ceremony for Memorial Day at the Veterans Memorial Park. The ceremony was held to honor the members of the US Military who lost their lives in service to their country. Participating in the event with the town were the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2123 and the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution. Because of the restrictions due to the Coronavirus, the event was live streamed via the town’s facebook.

Ray Steele as emcee welcomed all to the event. The Colonel James Wood II Color Guard presented the colors and remained in place for an invocation by Danny Hesse, a rendition of the National Anthem by Melissa Legge-Mauck and the Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by a presentation by Sheriff Lenny Millholland.

Memorial Day has its beginnings founded in the Civil War as remembrance of those gave their lives in that conflict. Starting out as Decoration Day, it was officially proclaimed in 1868 by General John Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic to be a date “with the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country in the late rebellion.” After World War I, it came to reprdecoratesent a day to remember the deceased veterans of all wars. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act which decreed the last Monday in May to be the National holiday Memorial Day.

Mayor Charles Harbaugh and Sheriff Millholland presented a wreath to honor all those who served and died the all of our wars. This was followed with a moment of silence. Taps was played by Andrew Paul which was followed by a rifle salute fired by VFW Post 2123 Honor Guard with support from the Colonel James Wood II Musket Squad. The ceremony concluded with a benediction from Danny Hesse to close out the event.