Veterans honored at Memorial Day ceremony at Ebenezer Cemetery

Honoring those who fought for our freedom, Ebenezer Cemetery held its fourth annual Memorial Day remembrance on Monday.

The intimate gathering of approximately three dozen people began with a prayer before the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Event leader and veteran, William T. Sanders — who goes by his middle name Terry — noted that Ebenezer Cemetery is over 150 years old with 86 veterans buried on the property. Those include one from the Civil War, one from the Spanish-American War, 10 from World War I, 48 from World II, 7 from the Korean War, and 19 from the Vietnam War.

Sanders is a retired major and was on active duty as an Air Defense Artillery Officer in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He served in the National Guard for 25 years and was at one point the Commander of Jackson's National Guard unit from 1980 to 1983.

"Remembering those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice and didn't come home from war, so we have to make sure the younger people know the significance of Memorial Day," Sanders said.

Last Friday afternoon, a small American flag was placed on each of the grave sites for the 86 veterans and will remain for the following days.

As the event concluded, Malesus Baptist Church Reverend Mark Cagle led attendees in a closing prayer and Sanders finalized the remembrance by playing "Taps," traditionally played at military funerals or ceremonies, on the same trumpet he's had since high school.

"It's an old trumpet, just like me," Sanders said.

Guest speaker Madison County Mayor AJ Massey recited parts of former president Ronald Reagan's 1982 Memorial Day speech. Massey encouraged those in attendance to think back to that period of time and "what President Reagan was dealing with on the national stage during that time, negotiating with people that didn't see freedom the way we see freedom."

"I do not have the freedom to do what I love, which is serve the citizens of Madison County, without the sacrifices of the men and women of this community," Massey said.