The day's ceremonies began in Chillicothe at historic Grandview Cemetery
Fallen veterans were commemorated with a rifle salute and musket volleys, laying of wreaths, speeches, historical notes...and the flag risen and then lowered to "half mast."
After speaking at the flag raising that started the day's ceremonies, Jack Clark recalled the friends he lost in the Vietnam War, and the sacrifices by all veterans.
Clark is Judge Advocate for the 7th District of the American Legion, which is only one of many veteran's group that participate.
hear Jack Clark recall sacrifices by all veterans and their families in his speech
hear a chat with Jack Clark after his speech
hear three rifle salutes and taps [caution with volume! gunshots]
Huntington 8th grade history teacher, and retired Army officer, Lt. Col. Bob Leach is a regular speaker in the Memorial Day ceremonies at Grandview Cemetery.
He spoke at the grave of the highest-ranking Civil War veteran buried in Grandview, area native General Sill. Sill was reburied in one of the largest funerals there.
A name well-known in area history...and prehistory...is of a Civil War veteran who owned a farm with some prehistoric earthworks on it. Although Virginia's Captain Mordecai Cloud Hopewell was not native to Ross County, he rendered service to his departed neighbors...even though he may have fought against some.
Leach encouraged his students to come to the event, even after school has ended.
hear teacher and retired officer Bob Leach on local Memorial Day history
John Bowling is the commander of the local "Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War." His remarks were followed by a few troops in authentic wool uniforms firing musket salutes.
One of his stops was at the grave of Colonel Richard Enderlin, who was a successful businessman after dragging President Nixon's great-grandfather out of no-man's-land and earning the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Bowling also spoke at two burials that have the "stars and bars" flying over them...for Confederates who moved to Chillicothe after the war, Major Mason and Captain Hopewell.
But this Memorial Day saw two additional decoratings and Civil War musket salutes, where Bowling helped honor both Union and Confederate soldiers...as well African American veterans of that war.
hear John Bowling on Civil War heritage in Grandview Cemetery
hear a Civil War era rifle and musket salute and taps [caution with volume! gunshots]
Kevin Coleman regularly reports on Chillicothe & Circleville councils
Casings fly as a rifle volley salutes the flag
Muzzle-loaders spit fire in a Civil War rifle and musket volley
The statue of a Civil War soldier gazes west into the shadowlands of the fallen, with flags in front of the soldiers' monument in in Grandview Cemetery for Memorial Day 2012
