Opening Memorial Services started at the Miller County Courthouse

May 28, 2019 at 2:10 a.m. | Updated May 28, 2019 at 8:51 a.m.

by Greg Bischof

Wendell Van Hook, Past Commander Post 25 Texas, and Patrick McReynolds, First Vice Commander Post 58 Arkansas, salute the American Flag as the Texarkana Civil Air Patrol hoist the flag up the pole for the Memorial Day service hosted by The American Legion Post 25 TX and Post 58 AR at the Miller County Courthouse on Monday, May 27, 2019, in Texarkana, Arkansas. Following the service was the Memorial Walk from the courthouse to the Korean-Vietnam Memorial for a second service.
Wendell Van Hook, Past Commander Post 25 Texas, and Patrick McReynolds, First Vice Commander Post 58 Arkansas, salute the American Flag as the Texarkana Civil Air Patrol hoist the flag up the pole for the Memorial Day service hosted by The American Legion Post 25 TX and Post 58 AR at the Miller County Courthouse on Monday, May 27, 2019, in Texarkana, Arkansas. Following the service was the Memorial Walk from the courthouse to the Korean-Vietnam Memorial for a second service.

Although Memorial Day has existed officially for more than 50 years and unofficially as far back as 150 years, American Legion Post #58 First Vice Commander Patrick McReynolds said it needs to be rescued.

"Unfortunately, Memorial Day has been commercialized as a way of increasing sales. I want to say that Memorial Day isn't for sale," McReynolds said Monday during a Memorial Day Service at the Miller County Courthouse.

"While many Americans celebrate and shop, they need to stop and consider the reason we have the lives we enjoy today is because others have set down their lives for us," he said."We should make Memorial Day an everyday event. People need to know the U.S. Constitution inside and out, so may God bless you and God bless our republic and the Nation.

Following the service at the courthouse, about 70 Memorial Day service attendees walked to the Korea-Vietnam Memorial in downtown Texarkana to continue remembrance of the nation's fallen service men and women.

Once at the Memorial, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #278 president Greg Beck delivered an exact mortality count of the numbers that each war involving the U.S. cost and what the U.S paid.

Memorial Day isn't a holiday, it's a remembrance day," Beck said. "Fifty years ago, it was 1969, but for many of us it seemed like it was yesterday."

That year was when 11,614 servicemen and women were killed in the Vietnam war. 

Following the downtown service, many of the service attendee headed for the Hillcrest Memorial Garden service.

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