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In memoriam: A day of remembrance in Parkersburg

A day of remembrance in Parkersburg

Photo by Jeff Baughan Stan Null of American Legion Post 15 holds the American flag prior to raising it during the Memorial Day observance at City Park.

PARKERSBURG — American Legion Post 15 Commander Bill Shepherd walked around greeting people after Monday’s Memorial Day observance at City Park in Parkersburg.

Military service flags and a POW flag flapped in the wind on the strength of new flag poles at the military memorial. People walked back and forth to the memorials on the solid walkway reaching from the road in the park to the memorials. On either side was land, and a few muddy puddles, waiting for landscaping and finishing touches.

Shepherd talked about how much work was left to the memorial’s completion and the amount of funds needed to finish. He stopped talking for a few seconds and looked to the ground. He remained silent for a number of seconds before looking up and saying “I wish people would stop saying this is a Memorial Day celebration. It’s not. This a day of remembrance. We remember those who died to defend this country. Today is not a celebration. You can do that other days. Not today.”

Approximately 200 people ventured to City Park for the annual remembrance. Words were said, the National Anthem played, veterans honored with each raising of a flag of one branch of the armed forces, and then the names of the Post 15 members who passed away in the last year were read as the remembrance closed.

Embraces happened, tears wiped, noses rubbed, veterans saluted, little children grabbed a parent’s hand or leg as they heard grandpa’s name. All stood silent. No one celebrated anything. But it seemed like everyone remembered someone.

Shepherd said afterward Post 15 loses about 70 members a year. He said he would like to see the younger veterans join the ranks of the service fraternities.

“I hope the younger generation gets it,” he said. “Gets what it means to be a veteran and gets what it means to be a member of the American Legion or another service group, which ever one it might be wherever. They need to be a part of this.

“The only way we continue to do things for our community is to have the younger generation join,” Shepherd said. “Without them, these organizations will eventually die off. The American Legion has been around for a long time. It’s important. We want them to be a part of us.”

Shepherd did a quick about-face as he changed subjects, reverting back to finishing the war memorial.

“The projected schedule is about two weeks to finish,” he said. “There’s going to be shrubbery and landscaping put down in these two bare areas, well, bare except for the mud holes, and then we’re going to have sod rolled out to finish the work.

“We’re going to do the sod instead of trying to plant grass,” he said. “It won’t be nearly as much work and the birds and ducks won’t get fat eating the grass seed.

“I think we need about another $4,000-$5,000 to finish it,” he added. “It’s quite a different place than when we started.”

The walls which once surrounded the memorial will not return, according to Shepherd.

“It would have added considerable cost to the project,” he said. “It kind of separated the memorial from the rest of the park with that wall. Not anymore. Now, people are going to be able to walk into any part of the memorial from the park. Not having the walls will allow the memorial to feel more like the park.

“The veterans are very appreciative the memorial is being taken care of,” he added. “It was falling apart before. It was getting to be a dangerous thing and was not a good representation of our war dead. Now, when it’s finished, it’s going to be something to behold.”

Donations for the war memorial fund can be mailed to: American Legion Post 15, 2505 Ohio Ave., Parkersburg, WV 26101

“They just have to write in the memo space of the check that the money is for the war memorial fund,” Shepherd said.

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