The weather forecast for Tuesday, Nov. 11, called for clear, sunny skies with cold temperatures. Anticipating Sultan's Veterans Day Celebration and knowing what a dynamic effect a light breeze would have on the new American flags that were lining Main Street, Sgt. First Class Dave Sivewright wished for a little wind.
Mother Nature responded with enthusiasm.
The Main Street flags stood proudly at attention during Sultan's Veterans Day Celebration last Tuesday, wavering in the gusty winds and reflecting sun-streaked hints of red, white and blue throughout the ceremony. Over 200 people attended the event, which took place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sultan's All Veterans Memorial Wall.
The wall is located near 1st and Main Street in downtown Sultan. A reception was held at Sultan City Hall after the ceremony.
The celebration was emceed by Sivewright, who co-chaired the Veterans Day Committee with his fianc+¬e, Christina Nelson. Nelson was able to bring the first phase of her American Flag Project to fruition just in time for the event, and the couple got up before dawn with a few other volunteers to position 48 flags along Main Street.
Nelson fundraised and coordinated all aspects of the American Flag Project and will now work to accomplish phase two.
The celebration began with Sultan Cub Scout Pack 52, who posted the colors, and students from Sultan Elementary School, who sang the National Anthem. The opening prayer was given by Pastor Sean Wilkerson of Mountainview Fellowship, and Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick welcomed attendees and gave a brief speech.
Eslick thanked Sultan resident Amie Beisel for recognizing the need to bring back Sultan's Veterans Day celebration and strongly encouraging Eslick to reestablish the tradition.
Sultan's former mayor C.H. Rowe spoke, giving the history of the memorial wall, which he helped establish in 2002. Rowe shared that the he was able to complete the project in only five months' time by keeping government out of it, and utilizing private funding only. Rowe thanked the Keeler family for volunteering to help keep the area around the memorial wall weeded and free from litter and debris.
To have names added to the memorial wall, Rowe can be contacted via Sultan City Hall.
"This memorial GÇô you don't have to die to get on it,GÇ¥ said Rowe. "We like to have a donation if people can afford it, but we don't turn anyone down.GÇ¥
This year's guest of honor, Virgil Morgan, served in World War II in the United States Army Air Corps. Morgan, who just turned 93 on Friday, Nov. 7, addressed the crowd.
"My World War II experience was pretty short. I only spent a year oversees as a B29 flight engineer flying off of the little island of Tinian,GÇ¥ said Morgan. "If you've never heard of Tinian, that's where the A-bombs were hauled from GÇô that's where I was based GÇô and it was a scary proposition.GÇ¥
"I can't believe, at 93 years of age, I survived all of that,GÇ¥ he continued.
Fifth-grade Sultan Elementary School student Chloe Chenoweth read an essay that she wrote about her grandfather last year, when she was asked to write about her American hero. Chenoweth explained that, since her grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer before she was born, she never had the opportunity to know him. Her grandfather, Sgt. John Maxwell Campbell, served in the United States Army and fought in the Vietnam War.
After he retired from the service, he served as a law enforcement officer.
"My grandpa was a police officer after he retired from the Army,GÇ¥ said Chenoweth. "He saved good people from the bad people and I think that is a good thing. Saving people's lives and saving us from danger is pretty cool. He had a colorful police badge GÇô I have that badge GÇô I feel like he's always right next to me when I look at the badge. I know he is.GÇ¥
"My grandpa was a good person and was a funny person. He was a good dad to my mom,GÇ¥ she continued. "My mom says that he would have loved being my grandpa, and that he may not be here in person but he is in spirit, and he loves us and is watching over us.GÇ¥
"I am thankful for people like my Grandpa John,GÇ¥ said Chenoweth. "I am very thankful to our veterans and for all they have sacrificed. I would like to say thank you to my grandpa and all the veterans for all you have done protecting our freedoms in our country. Also, thank you to Dave and Christina for asking me to be here today.GÇ¥
After Chenoweth finished her essay, Joe Slick sang a moving rendition of God Bless the USA. Slick is the owner of J.D. Slick's Bar & Eatery located in Sultan.
Next, Sultan Veterans Bob Klement and Jerry Gibson were honored. Gibson was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968, and spent one year on deployment in Vietnam before being honorably discharged from the Army in 1969.
Klement served in the United States Army for a total of 15 years, and was stationed in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield. During Desert Storm, Klement crossed over into Iraq and fought in the 100-hour ground war.
Following Sivewright's veteran recognition presentation, Sultan VFW Junior Vice Commander Joe Stone, a 15-year United States Army Veteran, gave an eloquent speech.
"You veterans are the one percent of the one percent. You are the courageous ones. You are the ones courageous enough to take the call to arms and act as our shield, and for your bravery I personally thank you, my family thanks you, and our community thanks you,GÇ¥ said Stone.
Stone explained the origins of Taps, a musical piece which is typically played on either a bugle or a trumpet, and is performed during flag ceremonies and military funerals. Taps was composed during the Civil War by Union Army Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield, who hummed the tune to his bugler, seeking a way to signal the day's end.
"From that moment on in July of 1862 what we now know as Taps, was used to signal the end of the day,GÇ¥ said Stone. "Not long after it was composed, it was also used for the first time in a military funeral. Normally, a three volley rifle squad would be fired over the graves, but not wanting to give away their position to the enemy, it was decided that Taps would be played instead. This tune did not take sides, as it was soon adopted by the Confederate Army as well.GÇ¥
Stone explained that, by 1891, Taps became required at all military funeral ceremonies.
"That tradition, along with the call being played to signal the day's end, still exists in our military installations around the world,GÇ¥ said Stone. "Today while we celebrate veterans' service to our nation, it is important that we take a brief moment to also remember and honor those brothers and sisters that are no longer with us, the ones that sacrificed so much more.GÇ¥
"The Minstrel BoyGÇ¥ was played on the bagpipes by Monroe Police Department Sgt. Brian Johnston, and Sultan High School Drum Major Valorie Meischke performed Taps.
The ceremony's heartfelt closing remarks and prayer were given by Pastor Aaron Day of Crosswater Community Church. Day talked about his brother Jason, who enlisted in 1990 after he graduated from high school, and was deployed to Saudi Arabia. Jason, who served for eight years in the United States Marine Corps, lives in Monroe with his wife and three children.
Day presented at the ceremony wearing his brother boots GÇô the same boots he had worn while in Saudi Arabia. The boots were brand new when Jason left and within three months they had been completely blasted by the sand. His brother told him, "Aaron, that is not all the sand blasted.GÇ¥
"As I wear these boots today, I want to remind you that we may not be able to literally walk in the shoes like I am right now, of somebody who's been in the service, but we can honor something that has been so great and has been so wonderful for so many years and that's this; love your neighbor as you love yourself,GÇ¥ said Day. "Veterans, you have shown us how to love neighbors. In John 15:13 Jesus said, "No greater love hath a man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.'GÇ¥
"Veterans,GÇ¥ he continued. "You have done that. We are so grateful. To say thank you seems so shallow, to have a wonderful experience like this is not even enough, but we say you are one of us, we love you, you are home, and we appreciate you so very much.GÇ¥
After Day's prayer and closing remarks, celebration attendees gathered at Sultan City Hall to enjoy cake and cupcakes baked by Kathryne Paz of Galaxy Chocolates. United States Military memorabilia was on display and Cub Scout Pack 52 and Girl Scout Troop 44590 passed out hand-written notes of thanks to veterans.
To find out about getting a name added to Sultan's All Veterans Memorial Wall, contact Sultan City Hall at 360-793-2231. To inquire about joining the committee to help plan next year's Veterans Day Celebration, contact Sgt. Dave Sivewright at javajive47@gmail.com.
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