For 10 years now, U.S. military veterans and their supporters have been gathering for Veterans Day at the Putnam County Veterans Wall of Honor Park at the west end of downtown Eatonton.
More than 120 people – including many veterans from almost every branch of military service – were there again Monday morning for a Veterans Day ceremony that began promptly at 11 a.m. and lasted a little more than half an hour.
Among local dignitaries and officials in the crowd were Eatonton Mayor John Reid and his wife, City Councilmember Janie Reid, County Commission Chairman Bill Sharp, newly elected county commissioners Richard Garrett and Tom McElhenney, County Manager Paul Van Haute, and Putnam County Fire Chief Tom McClain.
U.S. Army veteran and VFW Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Nicole Barker spoke first, welcoming and introducing everyone before Putnam County Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) members presented the nation’s colors.
Reverend Troy Daniel then gave a heartfelt opening invocation, followed by Loretta Hampton's stirring a capella rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” as all veterans in the crowd stood and saluted.
Reverend Sidney Jackson, a Vietnam-era Marine Corps veteran, adjutant for Eatonton’s American Legion Post 583, secretary of the Putnam County Veterans Wall of Honor, and vice commander of the 10th District of the American Legion, then addressed the crowd as the event’s featured speaker.
After quickly tracing a history of U.S. military service, Jackson called “love for this country” the common thread that bonds all veterans, from the early days of the nation’s founding to those serving today.
“The people here are veterans, friends of veterans, family of veterans, coworkers of veterans, and neighbors of veterans,” Jackson told the crowd before him. “It is up to us to ensure the area veteran believes that their fellow Americans respect his or her service to this country.”
Barker next introduced the Putnam County High School Chorus, which sang a couple of patriotic songs before the event concluded with a 21-gun salute by seven members of the Eatonton Police Department Honor Guard, followed by Taps played on the trumpet by Putnam County High School student Katie Pittman.