A large crowd made a nice showing Tuesday morning at Veteran’s Memorial Park in The Villages to honor active duty military and veterans from all the military services. The Col. Phillip C. DeLong Marine Detachment honor guard presented the colors, and representatives of many county, state and national organizations also posted their flags. The Sounds of Scotland played the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard hymns on their pipes and drums as the assemblage applauded each flag.
Chaplain Don Goddard’s invocation was inspirational.
“We honor and ask for God’s blessings for all those who have fought for our freedoms — those who have laid down their lives. We ask you to lift up all those men and women who are in harm’s way and those brave heroes who still suffer today in mind and body. We pray,” Goddard continued, “you will keep them in your love and protection until peace comes — the peace that can only come from the Prince of Peace.”
Cheers went up when the Marine Corps 239th birthday was mentioned, and Commander Fran Pagliarulo (USN Ret.) sang the National Anthem.
“Veterans’ Day is the best attended ceremony of its kind in The Villages,” Pagliarulo said. “Thank you to those who came out to celebrate with us this morning. We are grateful to those who gave their all, and those for whom their military service has taken a number of years from their lives.”
Villages resident, Sgt. Kevin St. Amant (USMC Ret.), was the key speaker amid the pageantry of the annual Veteran’s Memorial Park remembrance. “I am humbled and honored in front of several generations of veterans and their unwavering service to defend our great nation across the world,” St. Amant began. “We appreciate their sense of duty and sacrifice over the past 230 years of American history.”
The speaker gave an account of how, starting with the 1918 World War I Armistice, we expected peace to last, only to be drawn into conflicts again and again — World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East conflicts which continue today. “Our military veterans have carried the torch of liberty for all to see, during peacetime, and when the dark clouds of war descended upon us,” St. Amant continued, “and we pray they will find peace. Lend them a hand, oh God, in their time of need and get them the treatments they need. Please look out for our POWs and those missing in action; for those who are wounded and suffer with PTSD.”
“Our veterans have always been there for our citizens, defending the Constitution of the United States — those who served during peacetime and those who have seen the horrors of war. Let us never take them for granted. Every day is Veterans Day.” St. Amant served in Marine Corps. special intelligence global operations in 1982-87 in our battle against Communist countries toward the end of the Cold War. He was injured while conducting a non-combat mission, and retired to The Villages in 2012.
Terry Fields (CSF Ret.) presented a brief descriptive monologue of American history, beginning with the first colonies, the first Continental Congress, and Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner, written during the War of 1812. He progressed through brother fighting brother and neighbor fighting neighbor during the Civil War; battles in the new century and Pearl Harbor — to Korea; Vietnam and the black granite wall erected in Washington with 58,000 names of the fallen engraved. Grenada, to protect our students; Panama, Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm and the World Trade Center tragedy. Afghanistan and Iraq. “You will see our stars and stripes flying proudly over the national cemetery with its rows of tombstones in perfect white lines and the symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.”
A 21-gun salute rang out and taps were played — but several things were done differently this year. There were additional speakers. There was a walk-around prayer to dedicate the bricks at Veterans’ Memorial Park and the Honor Guard passed in review around the circle as well to honor all the veterans present before the event ended.
A group of retired Women Veterans, Carol Southfield, Fran Antal, Vivian Chiasson and Jeri DeYoung, enjoyed the morning and found the proceedings a very positive start to their day.
