Community honors those who paid ultimate price at Memorial Day ceremony
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Mayor John Royalty honored fallen veterans in his keynote address at Monday’s Memorial Day observance.
Monday, May 25, 2015, 3 p.m. — Despite the gray skies and steady rain, more than 50 people brought their lawn chairs and umbrellas to the annual Memorial Day ceremony Monday morning at the Bardstown Cemetery.
After a welcome by U.S. Air Force veteran and city councilman Roland “Coach Roe” Williams, the Rev. Ben Brown opened the event, speaking on his experiences as a combat chaplain in Iraq from 2004-5.
Brown told the crowd that as unit chaplain, he buried 11 soldiers and baptized 11.
“In my unit we had 11 KIA (killed in action) and I remember them today,” Brown said. “But its a profound irony I think that I also baptized 11 who came home and went on to live out the Christian lives they committed themselves to in the midst of combat.”
Before each baptism, Brown said he said sang Garth Brooks’ “The River,” which he performed for the assembly. Quoting the lyrics, Brown said those memorialized Monday chose “to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.:’
As keynote speaker, Bardstown Mayor John Royalty honored the nation’s fallen veterans for their bravery and unselfish actions.
The Rev. Ben Brown sang “The River,” a song that he also sang prior to combat baptisms when he was a chaplain in Iraq.
“These are our heroes, and we need to continue to say ‘thank you’,” Royalty said. “I can’t help but feel humbled that we stand today in the midst of patriots, family and friends of those who have nobly served.”
Our nation’s heroes served a cause larger than themselves, he said. Though as a nation, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, “nothing can ever replace the hole left by behind by a fallen service member, and the number of medal or ribbons can never comfort those who are left behind.”
As is done each year, a wreath was laid at the monument honoring local veterans by the commanders of the local American Legion Posts 42, 121 and 167, and the chaplains of each post read a list of their veterans who had joined their fallen comrades in the past year.
The annual Memorial Day observance has been held at the city cemetery since 1986. The editor’s father, James E. “Brooksie” Brooks, his brother Roy, members of American Legion Post 121, the Rev. Clarence Howard, and others contributed to make the flag police and marker at the cemetery gazebo a reality.
With the color guard of the Kentucky Air National Guard standing at attention, Fogle hoisted our national’s flag — which had been flying at half-staff that morning — to full-staff.
As the event concluded, Fogle extended an invitation to the crowd to join the three Legion posts for a complimentary lunch at American Legion Post 167 on Downs Lane.
The annual Memorial Day observance was started in the mid-1980s with the addition of a flag pole and permanent marker at the gazebo to give year-round honor to our local fallen soldiers interred at the cemetery. Roy Brooks, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, served as master of ceremonies until his death in 2003, after which Fogle stepped into the role.
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