It was a pretty day last Saturday as veterans, families and friends gathered in Gazebo Park in Marlinton for the dedication of the All Veterans Memorial.
In his opening remarks, Pocahontas County Vietnam Veterans of America president Norris Long reminded those present that residents of West Virginia and Pocahontas County have a long history of military service.
Long also thanked members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter, Pocahontas County Commission, Glades Building Supply, Town of Marlinton and Randolph Memorial Company for their assistance in completing the project that led to the day’s dedication.
Veteran and Pocahontas County native Kent Leach was the keynote speaker for the day.
“Today is a special day,” he said. “It is a day that we honor all veterans for their service with this memorial. I count it as a real honor to be able to speak at this ceremony. We gather today to dedicate this veteran’s memorial to honor those men and women who have served this country, those who continue to serve our country, those who will continue to serve our country in the future and all of those who have taken that sworn oath to defend our country and our Constitution that begins with, ‘We the People of the United States… And to protect same from all enemies, foreign and domestic… so help us God.”
Leach said that those who served and are serving never know where their career will lead them and whether they will serve during wartime or peace time. They follow the where they are needed – whether is in the most freezing arctic temperatures or the hottest of tropics, they leave behind their friends and family to lay their lives on the line to protect America.
“So, today, and every day, let’s take the time to show our support for our service members, military families and veterans who keep this nation strong and safe,” he said. “To every soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coast guardsman who proudly served and serves in the armed forces of the United States of America, thank you for your service and your sacrifices. We are so proud of you.
“To quote President Abraham Lincoln, ‘Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause,’” he continued. “‘Honor also to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause – honor to him, only less than to him, who braves, for the common good, the storms of heaven and the storms of battle’ and ‘that we highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.’”
Leach ended with the following prayer:
“Holy and Eternal God, we give you thanks for our nation’s veterans as we come here to dedicate this veteran’s memorial on this most honored and cherished day. Even as we celebrate our freedom and remember the sacrifices it cost, we are mindful of the rest of the world, especially those places where people continue to suffer. We pray for your children around the world suffering from war, for victims of terrorism and for refugees fleeing violence and seeking the kind of safety and security we enjoy today.
“Please protect those deployed in foreign places, remote areas and areas of conflict where they are in harm’s way. Keep them alert and safe. Strengthen them and guide them.
“Our fervent prayer is that all of those in our Armed Forces will be guided by a strong faith in you as their Protector, Provider, Leader and Friend. With them, we look forward to the day when the threat of war will cease and our soldiers will rest from their duties as God’s perfect peace at last reigns over all humankind.
“Accept our humble thanks for the opportunities that abide in our land, for your guidance in hours of peril and for your tender love in times of need. Bless this gathering today, and hear our prayer of hope and gratitude as we remember and reflect today. All this we pray in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
The ceremony concluded with a 21-gun salute presented by the Pocahontas County Veterans Honor Corps, and the collective voices joining in the “Pledge of Allegiance.”
