“Indivisible. Rather than divide us, we need to unite us and in doing so, that’s how we honor the people who fought and died for this country,” said Mayor Sly James at the 30th Memorial Day Observance at the Vietnam Memorial Fountain.
People gathered to remember the lives lost during combat while serving in the armed forces.
“This country has remained great, not because of the politicians in Washington, but because of the men and women who made it great on battlefields all over this world,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.
Jim Beckner with the Westport Camp 64 Sons of the Union veterans was drafted during the Vietnam War. Just as he was getting ready to head to basic training, he was told to go home because the war was winding down, but it lasted longer.
“It’s really cool we have a three-day holiday but I’m really kind of upset with a lot of Americans who just go out fishing and skiing and having a good time and forgetting what real reason we have these three days off,” Beckner said. “I wish more people would get their things out of the way on Saturday and Sunday and come back and attend these kind of things because this is really important to remember our soldiers.”
Rodney Terry’s great-great grandfather, Rufus Van, was a member of the first Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry. He said he was “doubly proud” to be here representing his great-great grandfather and himself.
“Since I fought in the war and was wounded in the war, it’s a pleasure to be here and commemorate some friends. I have friends’ names on that wall that went to Vietnam and didn’t come back so it means a lot to me” Terry paused. “It’s just, you can’t describe it. It’s just, you can’t describe it.
“Whenever the opportunity arises, it’s always an opportunity to present the actual facts to what went on and how the story transpired and how the people lived at that time and what they went through to gain what they did gain,” he said.
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