Gustelia Scott lays a ceremonial wreath paying tribute to the over 93,000 servicemembers who are listed prisoners of war or missing in action at Saturday’s Wreaths Across America ceremony at Sugar Grove Cemetery.
John Hamilton | News Journal photos
Ed Brown speaks to the crowd and wreath presenters at Saturday’s Wreaths Across America ceremony at Sugar Grove Cemetery.
Ed Brown served as the emcee of the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Sugar Grove Cemetery on Saturday.
Paul Butler lays the ceremonial wreath paying tribute to those who are currently serving in or have served in the U.S. Navy at the Wreaths Across America ceremony on Saturday.
Charlie Shoemaker lays the ceremonial wreath paying tribute to those who are currently serving in or have served in the U.S. Army at the Wreaths Across America ceremony on Saturday.
WILMINGTON — Locals came out Saturday to lay wreaths and pay tribute to veterans buried at Sugar Grove Cemetery.
Ed Brown, of Wilmington, a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, was the speaker at the Wreaths Across America Ceremony Saturday afternoon. Brown shared his experiences as a veteran.
“When people ask me, ‘Did you serve in the armed forces,’ I usually just say yes and then just kind of let it go. I didn’t go into detail, ” Brown told the crowd, adding he assumed people already had their impressions on what he did in the service.
He followed that by recalling a troubling event after his second tour of duty. While he was in full dress uniform at an airport, he encountered a small group of anti-war protesters and how they asked insinuating questions about his service.
“But the reason why we’re here is to honor the fallen, those who could still be prisoners of war and unaccounted for … I know we need to impress upon our youth that our freedoms are valuable,” he said.
Following Brown’s speech, locals laid individual ceremonial wreaths honoring each branch of service (including the Merchant Marines) and for those still listed as prisoners of war or missing in action.
The event, organized with the support of the American Legion, has already seen an overwhelming response from the community, with over 1,500 wreaths donated for the occasion, according to Kirby Keltner, Sugar Grove Cemetery superintendent.
Keltner told the News Journal they had around 100 volunteers show up to help lay the over 1,500 wreaths on Saturday morning. He advised they were able to lay the wreaths out in about 45 minutes.
“I was pleased with the ceremony and hope to continue this every year and improve in the future,” Keltner told the News Journal.
He wished to thank the American Legion in Wilmington for their wreath donations, Jack Rose for helping to organize the event, Ed Brown for emceeing the event, and the color guard for presenting at the ceremony.
Wreaths Across America started as a simple gesture of thanks that has grown into a national, yearlong movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together to not only remember the nation’s fallen and honor their service but to teach the next generation about the value of freedom. The program was started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company in Maine. It is said it was inspired by his own experience of being deeply moved at 12 years old when he visited Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
