By Trish Svoboda
To celebrate Memorial weekend, the Kansas National Guard Soldiers and Airmen will be participating in numerous events across the sunflower state.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was first observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate Civil War soldiers. The inaugural event at Arlington National Cemetery saw 5,000 participants decorating over 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers’ graves.
Local observances honoring fallen soldiers had already begun post-Civil War, like the 1865 event in Charleston, South Carolina, organized by freed slaves. New York made Memorial Day a legal holiday in 1873, with other states following. Post-World War I, it honored all fallen American soldiers. Since 1971, it’s observed on May’s last Monday, with a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
Unofficially, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer.
These events will take place on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th:
Clifton – Cadet Jairub Constable, 250th Forward Support Company, 997th Brigade Support Battalion, will be the guest speaker at a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Clifton American Legion Post. The ceremony will take place at Berner Memorial Park, 634 E. Parallel Street, and will begin at 10 a.m.
Emporia – Retired Chief Master Sgt. Sherry Willard, Human Resources Supervisor, Adjutant General’s Department, will be the guest speaker for a Memorial Day service at the All Veterans Memorial, 931 S. Commercial, #913. The 9:30 a.m. service is hosted by Lowry-Funston Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 180.
Leavenworth – Maj. Gen. John Rueger, commanding general, 35th Infantry Division, will be the guest speaker for a service at the Leavenworth National Cemetery, 150 Muncie Rd. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m.
Manhattan – Lt. Col. Chris Coco, chief of plans, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Infantry Division, will be the guest speaker for a 10 a.m. Memorial Day service at Kansas Veterans Cemetery, 5181 Wildcat Creek Road. Chaplain (Maj.) Travis Forde, 635th Regional Support Group, will offer the invocation and benediction for the service.
Marysville – Sgt. 1st Class Preslee Fritz, readiness noncommissioned officer, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery, will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the city cemetery, 1410 N. 16th St. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Topeka – Lt. Col. Tom Warth, 69th Troop command administrative officer, will be the guest speaker for a Memorial Day service at Mount Hope Cemetery, 17th and Fairlawn Road. The service will begin at 10 a.m.
Lt. Col. Jordan Clark, commander, Army Aviation Support Facility #1, will be the guest speaker for a “Taps Across America” Memorial Day service at the Combat Air Museum, 7016 SE Forbes Ave., Forbes Field. The ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m.
WaKeeney – Col. Matt Oleen, chief of staff – Kansas Army National Guard, will be the guest speaker for a Memorial Day service at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery, 403 S. 13th Street. The service will begin at 10 a.m.
