Relatives of fallen military veterans gather to honor fallen loved ones in Jackson County

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Community members came together to remember and honor Vietnam war veterans at the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Ocean Springs on Monday.

There, veterans and relatives were recognized with the official 50th Anniversary pins.

Two of those attendees were Diane Moore and Rhonda Cody. They are gold star daughters. They were very young when their fathers went to fight in Vietnam. They have never returned and remain listed as missing in action.

They said their pain is the same as it was over 50 years ago.

“He said, ‘you need to be my big girl,’” Moore said. “‘Take care of your mom and younger sisters and brother and I’ll see you when I come home,’ and he didn’t come back.”

Cody said her father loved flying and lost his life during a chain sweep mission.

“My daddy’s body was pulled from the plane,” Cody said. “Why do I call him daddy? Because I was seven. That’s what every little girl calls her dad.”

In Gautier, there was another remembrance ceremony.

The American Legion hosted the Memorial Day Avenue of Flags. There, families placed flags across the lawn of city hall, to give tribute to the ones they lost.

Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan said it’s significant that we remember those who lost their lives.

“You can carry on their lives with others, and honor them for what they did serving our country,” Vaughan said.

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It was originated in the years after the Civil War. It became a national holiday in 1971.

Veteran Paul Mohning, the event’s organizer said he wants affairs like this to teach the younger generations about the true meaning of the holiday.

“Some people think it’s because school is out it’s time to go have fun, but this is ultimately the most expensive holiday in the world,” Mohning. “It’s not expensive in money. It’s expensive in blood because of all those that did not come home.”

Click here to subscribe to WLOX News on YouTube: Keep up with South Mississippi news, sports, and local events on our YouTube channel!

Copyright 2023 WLOX. All rights reserved.