By Steve Stanec, American Legion Post 7
Memorial Day, May 31 began early as The American Legion Post 7, with the help of the Alliance Spartans Baseball Team and Legionnaire family members and friends placed the Avenue of Flags at the Alliance Cemetery and Calvary Cemetery.
At 10 a.m. at the Memorial on the grounds of the Box Butte County Court House, The American Legion Post 7 hosted a ceremony to honor our fallen heroes.
American Legion Post 7 Commander Steve Stanec welcomed everyone to the ceremony, with American Legion Post 7 Chaplain Dick Foland opening with a prayer. Members of the American Legion Post 7 Honor Guard, the Alliance Fire Department and the Fraternal Order of Eagles presented and posted the Colors, while Tara Stanec sang our National Anthem.
Alliance Vice-Mayor Brian Mischnick welcomed everyone to the ceremony on behalf of the City of Alliance.
Post 7 Commander Stanec read General John A. Logan's General Order 11, issued May 5, 1868 at the Headquarters of the Grand Army of the Republic in Washington, D. C., which designated the 30th Day of May, 1868 as a Decoration Day or as its now referred to as Memorial Day.
The American Legion Auxiliary President Luayne Wiesgerber read “In Flanders Field” to those in attendance.
Wreaths were presented and placed on the Memorial by Luayne Wiesgerber, The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 7, Audrey Hoerler, Daughters of the American Revolution, Ayzrie and Sydnie Waldron, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Ted Roznerek, Chaplain with the Alliance Fire Department, and Cindy Kusek, Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary.
Following Post 7 Commander's address honoring our fallen heroes and our Gold Star families. The American Legion Post 7 Honor Guard honored our fallen heroes with Military Honors. Military Honors consist of a rifle volley in which three volleys of shots are fired by usually 7 members using rifles, not guns, so they are not a gun salute. The three volleys originate from a custom in which battle would temporarily stop for service members to clear their dead from the battlegrounds. When a side had successfully removed their dead, they fired three rifle volleys to signify the continuation of battle.
The 3-Volley Salute which is performed a veteran's funerals is not a military 21 gun salute in which it is often mistaken. The three bullets represent the three words duty, honor, country.
The Memorial Day ceremony ended with a closing prayer from Post 7 Chaplain Dick Foland. The American Legion Riders Chapter 43 presented their usual flag line to honor our heroes and the Patriot Guard provided U.S. flags to the attendees and participate in the flag line.