The Memorial Day Wreath is laid at the late morning ceremony that took place in the midst of the soldiers' monuments at the old Hempstead County Courthouse.

The Hempstead County Memorial Day ceremony began this morning at 11:00 a.m. near the monuments in front of the old county courthouse, with an assemblage of veterans, their families and their supporters. Among these were officials of the county with several more from the city of Hope. Army Colonel David Lively gave the keynote speech.

County Judge Jerry Crane acted as host of the ceremony. Referring to his own military service, Crane said he took pride in being in the same unit Lively had been in. “So listen, as we go into the service, let's stay reverent,” Crane said. “Because this is holy ground. These are men that did give up their lives. And I know I got the gift of talking too much, but I still hear the screams of the guys that died in front of me. And I wonder why am I here and they're not. And I always will.”

He went on to praise the community for coming together to address problems. “We have to remember we are servants,” he said. “But let's remember these men, they're more than servants.” He then called Eddie Thomas up to lead the assembled, whom Crane asked to stand, for prayer.

“Glory be to your name for the wonderful work that you have wrought upon lives of this community, family members and friends, those that have served, those who yet serve today,” Thomas said. “And I strive for that and I pray that you will help us as men and women of God who serve and are still serving, always be willing to give and take care and to share about love and our commitment to freedom, to democracy and to the freedom that we have to believe and choose life for ourselves, for our families, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  He also asked God to remember the nation throughout time and help its people serve in a way worthy of respect, prizing honesty and liberty, “amen.”

Next, Judge Crane introduced the presentation of the colors by Scout Troop 5, who served their part in the ceremony admirably.  Crane then introduced Tammy Calhoon to sing the National Anthem. Although on her approach to the podium, she seemed a little choked-up by the ceremony thus far, she contributed a strong rendition.

Afterward, Bonnie Raff of the John Cain chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution came to the podium to introduce the next regent of the chapter, Terrie James, and then to describe the symbolism of the items at the missing man’s table from the roundness of the table standing for the everlasting vigilance of the country in searching for the missing soldier to the Bible on the table, about which Raff said, “I would like to thank Judge Crane for his mentioning of God, because in some places they cannot put the Holy Bible on the missing man's table. And I'm very honored that we are able to still do that here in Hempstead County.”

Judge Crane, in introducing the ceremony’s keynote speaker, Colonel David Lively, described his career.: “Colonel David A. Lively joined the Army in March 1966. He spent 36 years serving in the army. Private Lively went to Vietnam November 1966, and served with a 101st airborne. He came home May 1968. His next assignment was the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Colonel Lively was commissioned May 1978 and served as an infantry platoon leader.” After a few more assignments, Lively found himself working at the Pentagon and directing 6,000 troops in Operation Jumpstart, a George W. Bush-era deployment of National Guard troops to the southern border.

Crane read Lively’s list of awards and commendations, which includes the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal Three Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commmendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Infantry Badge (from service in combat with the enemy), Presidential Unit Citation (1967) and many more. He retired in 2007 but continued to work at the Pentagon until 2009.

When Lively took the podium, he stated the importance of Memorial Day. “I saw something on TV this morning that reminded me that unfortunately, not many people know about it anymore. They don't understand what it is.  So we the elders, we've got to make sure that they understand and learn what it is about.”

At that point, Lively introduced members of the assemblage who are in Gold Star families, the families of departed soldiers Staff Sergeant Carlo Montel Robinson, First Sergeant First Class Sergeant Ricardo DeYoung, and Sergeant Thomas Chad Rosenbaum. “Those folks live this every day,” Lively said. “Not just once a year.”

Memorial Day, Lively said, is “set aside, as we remember the fallen heroes, and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others. The Day of Remembrance for the splendor of America and those children who rest in cemeteries was officially named Memorial Day in 1887.”

Lively read a letter his father received dated January 16, 1951 while his father served as a company commander in the Korean Conflict from a mother asking for the whereabouts of her son whom she would later learn was killed the previous December in heavy combat against the Chinese invasion that year. “He left his mom with nobody else, just her.” Lively said.

Lively then turned to those sacrifices not as often mentioned. Those still serving in far-flung posts throughout the world. Of those dead in training accidents, Lively said, “Just over 100 plus a year die. From 2006 to 2020 5,600 died in training accidents, helicopter crashes, airborne jumps if somebody died, whatever. It could be a live fire range and somebody got shot, it happens. The reason why it happened? We train the way we fight, because they're doing exactly everything they do in training that they do in combat, and just don't have somebody normally shooting at them.”

Lively also mentioned that those who died of chemical exposures in Vietnam due to the Agent Orange defoliant and those exposed to hazardous fumes from burn pits should be remembered. He told the story of the forward observer during the Korean Conflict who stayed to help guide artillery fire and as his position was overrun, called for indirect fire, which he knew would likely destroy his own position.

He neared the end of the speech by reciting all but the last line of a poem by Army Veteran Charles Province, author of The Unknown Patton “It is the Soldier:”  “It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,/Who serves beneath the flag,/And whose coffin is draped by the flag.” He closed by reciting John 15:13, “’No one has greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.’ God bless all of you and God bless our wonderful country.” The speech was much applauded.

The next part of the ceremony was the placing of the wreath. Following that Hope Mayor Don Still said a prayer of thanks for the “the selfless commitment that these people have had for the country for our freedom.”  After his prayer, the 21-gun salute was given and “Taps” was played.

Judge Crane then thanked Donna Rosenbaum, mother of Sergeant Thomas Chad Rosenbaum, for her work organizing the ceremony.

American Legion Post 427 Commander, 1968-70 Army Veteran and Arkansas National Guard serviceman from 1977-2004 Herbert Ross asked those present from the Legion to stand and be applauded. He made mention of those who go fight in conflicts who return but still suffer, reminding those assembled to thank any veteran they knowingly ran into for their service. He ended by saying if he had the decision of whether to join the military in front of him now, “Gladly, if I was eighteen, I’d do it again.”

Crane, at the podium now said, “The colonel just reminded me. Anyone that’s a veteran, will you please stand. And let’s give them a hand.” About a half dozen stood and were applauded.