While Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw recognized all U.S. veterans for their service, two special recognitions were handed out by Ken Locke.
Locke, Honor & Remember Committee member, presented the Meritorious Service Award to Oakwood Cemetery, represented by sexton Hal Heagy, and the Order of Kosciuszko to Michael R. Davis.
“Each year we try to recognize one veteran in our community who has given exceptional or extra service, and so we want to present these awards at this time,” Locke said.
He said the Meritorious Service Award doesn’t necessarily have to go to a veteran, but to someone who gives outstanding service to a veteran.
“We’ve actually given an award to this next (recipient) before, but we wanted to recognize them again for the service that they give to veterans,” Locke said.

    Ken Locke (C), Honor & Remember Committee member, presents the Meritorious Service Award to Oakwood Cemetery’s sexton Hal Heagy (L) and the Order of Kosciuszko to Michael R. Davis (R) during Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

On the plaque is a quote from William Gladstone that says, “Show me the manner in which a nation, or a community, cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness, the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the law of the land and their loyalty to its high ideals.”
Locke said they wanted to recognize Oakwood Cemetery a second time because this year is their 150th anniversary.
“On behalf of the Kosciusko Honor & Remember Committee, I don’t know how we can say thanks to Oakwood Cemetery for all of the work that you do,” Locke said.
In presenting the Order of Kosciuszko to Davis, Locke said, “The veteran that we want to recognize today served in U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era. He was a long-time adjutant of the American Legion, in fact people can’t remember how long he was the adjutant of the American Legion. He served as Post commander for the American Legion Post 49. He served as second district commander of the American Legion, and also the northern vice commander of the American Legion. So, today, we want to recognize somebody that I know does not like recognition, but we would like to ask Michael R. Davis to come forward to receive this award.”

    Keynote speaker Pastor Glenn Hall gives his speech at Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery Chapel. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

After handing Davis the award, Locke told him, “Mike, you’ve done so many things behind the scenes to serve veterans. It’s untold hours that you put down at the American Legion and all the other things that you’ve done. Thank you very much for your service to our country, your service to our community and your service to our veterans.”
In his speech, guest speaker Glenn Hall, pastor of Harvest Community Church in Pierceton, said, “I have the opportunity, as many of these young folks here today, to stand before the bravest of the brave. Men and women that served our country. To honor your service and the service of all those who have gone before. Those who have sacrificed so much for so many. And as we stand here in this chapel today, we are surrounded by hallow ground and it’s the resting place for many who have served.”
He talked about the time he grew up in when children in school were taught to honor the flag and the pledge of allegiance was embedded in their hearts and minds. It was also a time when students were taught to have the utmost respect for those who served in the military, and the priorities were loving God, country and their fellow man.
While he did not enlist in the military, Hall said he had several great-uncles, uncles, cousins and dear friends who did. He recalled the excitement of loved ones returning from service, and of the disrespect those returning from Vietnam were shown.
“As the years went by, I became so much more aware of just what our service men and women sacrificed to allow us to have this great country, and became more aware of the political turmoil that can change a solider’s life in a moment. Whether we agreed with war or not, our service men and women were there to serve and serve they did with honor and with pride,” Hall said.

    The Warsaw Community High School band performs Monday at the Veterans Day ceremony at the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

He said he became more appreciative of the freedoms he enjoys as an American citizen.
“In more recent years, I’ve presided over many veteran funeral services, right here at Oakwood included. And I’m always moved to tears when we hear what we call the 21-gun salute, watch the folding of our beautiful American flag, presentation of that flag to family members and then the playing of Taps. I always wonder why we wait until they’re gone before we let their families know just how much they have meant to our country,” Hall said.
He then compared being a solider in the Armed Services to being a soldier in the army of the Lord. They both involve three similar steps: obey the commander, engage the enemy and fight till the end.
Toward the end of his speech, Hall said, “It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us the freedom of religion. It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to assemble. It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us a right to a fair trial. It is the veteran, not the politicians, who has given us the right to vote. It is the veteran who salutes the flag, who serves under the flag, who gave his oath to support and defend the constitution of our nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. And, who, when their life is over here, whose coffin is draped by the beautiful flag that they fought for. It is the veteran, with faith in God and country, who has given us our freedoms.”
He said the U.S. is still a blessed nation and the greatest nation on this planet.

    Johnny Butler gives the history of the Honor & Remember and Honor & Sacrifice flags during Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony at the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

“All of our blessings are wonderful, but if it were not for those men and women who fought and continued to fight for the freedom given to us to do and be and pursue all the things that we have available to us, we may not and probably would not have had the opportunity to have the things we have, to do the things we do, to decide what job we want to have, or the people we want to choose to be. It is those men and women, the veterans, we honor here today,” Hall said.
Opening remarks for the ceremony came from Bud Long, commander of American Legion Post 49, along with leading the national anthem and the pledge of allegiance.
Warsaw Community High School band provided the music for the ceremony, including the “Armed Forces Medley,” “America the Beautiful” and “Badge of Honor.”
Johnny Butler, commander for Squadron 49 Sons of the American Legion, John C. Peterson American Legion Post 49, gave a speech about the histories and purposes of Honor & Remember and Honor & Sacrifice flags.
The “Bells of Peace” also were rang as part of the ceremony.
“There’s a movement across this country to ring the bells on Veterans Day across the nation, obviously on Washington, D.C., to have every courthouse in the nation ring the bells on Veterans Day. And also at the same time, to pray for peace,” Locke said before giving the history of Veterans Day, which previously was known as Armistice Day, and the bells.
Locke also recognized 102-year-old World War II veteran Bob Gast, Warsaw, who was not in attendance at the ceremony. Locke said he believes Gast is the oldest veteran in Kosciusko County. Locke said Gast told him, “I would go and do it all again if my nation called me.”
The ceremony closed with a prayer by Chaplain Rex Rife from VFW 1126.