MEMORIAL DAY 2016: Service honoring America's fallen heroes stirs hearts

An early afternoon downpour of sunshine brought out a surplus of attendees Sunday at East Memorial Gardens' 52nd Annual Memorial Day service.

But what really seemed to enthuse the larger crowd were the words of former U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Billy Fox, a veteran of the Word War II battle for Iwo Jima.

"Fellow veterans, relatives of veterans and friends of veterans, and veterans from wars of the last 75 years, it's important to set aside day like today each year to honor those who never returned from the battle fronts," Fox said. "I can still remember the smell of Iwo Jima's hot sulfur, the smell of dead men and the smell of spent shell casings. 

"Iwo Jima was just 700 miles south of Tokyo and its still easy to remember the carnage and destruction of that battle. Many of my fellow Marines remember it as being like a step through the gates of hell. It is so good to now take the time to remember our fallen servicemen on a day like this because not a subject that is well thought much anymore," he continued.

Fox then described Iwo Jima's heat.

"The volcanic ground of Iwo Jima was so hot, we had to empty our K-rations out of their packages and use the packages to line the bottoms of our foxholes just to keep the foxholes from getting too hot for us," he said. " 

Fox then spoke of the present lack of emphasis on history in today's public education system.

"I met a high school student who told me he heard of World War II but didn't know anything about it and he also told me he had never heard of Iwo Jima," Fox said.

"I also know one teacher (who evidently wasn't familiar with roman numerals) who referred to World War II as World War Eleven."

Fox concluded his presentation in fitting tribute to America's heroic war dead by reciting the heart stirring words to the song "Taps."

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the hills, from the lake, 

From the skies.

All is well, safely rest

God is nigh.

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,

May the soldier or the sailor,

God keep.

On the land or the deep, 

Safe in sleep.

Love, good night, 

Must thou go,

When the day, 

And the night

Need thee so?

All is well.

Speedeth all

To their rest.

Fades the light;

And afar

Goeth day,

And the stars

Shineth bright,

Fare thee well;

Day has gone,

Night is on.

Thanks and praise, 

For our days,

'Neath the sun, 

Neath the stars,

'Neath the sky, 

As we go,

This we know,

God is nigh.

Fox received thunderous applause.

Three local military veterans organizations and a funeral home will hold three separate Memorial Day services in Texarkana today.

Of the three services, two will be held on the Texas side and one on the Arkansas side.

The first one starts at 11 a.m. at the Miller County Courthouse and will be hosted by the local American Legion.

Following the courthouse service, there will be a Memorial Day Walk from the courthouse to the Korea-Vietnam Memorial hosted by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 278. This will start about 11:45 a.m.

The third and final service, hosted by Texarkana Funeral Home, will take place at 1 p.m. at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens on U.S. Highway 67 West.

For more information, call 870-773-8279.