Veterans honored in Barbourville Memorial Day service

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - Each year, the Memorial Day service held in Barbourville honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Lt. Colonel Jason Partin spoke at the event and said to honor them is important.

“It is an honor and a privilege to meet people that have already served and I am serving right now but, the people that have went on before me and served and just like the people that have made the ultimate sacrifice. That is the reason this day is dedicated is for so many flags that you see on these gravesites that we are honoring,” he explained.

He said by honoring those who died, it is a reminder of what freedom costs.

“Well we have to remember that our freedom was never free, our freedom comes at a cost and it comes at a cost of men and women in the armed forces service that have sacrificed their life for our freedom,” he said.

Partin said it was an honor to be chosen.

“I was glad to get the opportunity to come here, I was glad to be asked to come speak to the audience today and we honored three veterans, two from Vietnam and one from World War II,” he explained.

Of the three veterans that were honored, was Paul Jones, 100, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Paul Jones said he spent many years as a pilot in the Navy.

“One of my privileges was serving our country and being a naval aviator,” he said.

He said he is happy to be honored.

“It is easy to forget during the years, if you do not remind me occasionally, this is a great turnout, it is quite a privilege to be up here and be a part of it. I am very thankful,” he explained.

Partin said it is important to never forget where freedom comes from.

“We never need to forget why we have our freedoms. Our freedoms are because of these flags on these graves out here, that is the men and women that died for our country. We need not forget those, that is something that we have to pass on from generation to generation and remember this day,” he said.

Both Jones and Partin said that they will continue to serve the country in many ways.

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