Memorial Day march
Hundreds of people packed Butler's Main Street, turning the city's thoroughfare into a standing-room-only promenade Monday morning as veterans, JROTC cadets and students paraded through the city to observe Memorial Day.
The day began with pomp and fanfare as members of the Butler Golden Tornado Marching Band joined veterans, service groups, elected officials and others marching along Main Street, to the delight of those standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the sidewalks.
Earlier in the morning officials with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had conducted a wreath-laying at the VA's New Castle Road campus.
In the city, as participants queued up for the parade, veterans spoke about how the national holiday, which honors the sacrifice of servicemen and women who died while serving in the country's armed forces, evokes sorrow and pride.
Scott McNeil, commandant of the Bantam Marine Corps League Detachment 743, called the day especially poignant for those who lost comrades-in-arms. He called on citizens to take time out of their day to respect the sacrifices of American soldiers.“We've lost a lot of veterans over the past year,” said Bill Barger, a group member and U.S. Air Force veteran who served from 1974 to 1982.Barger said the group was mourning the loss of 22 veterans over the last year, most of them younger soldiers who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.“Take a moment of silence; post the flag in an honorable way. Just show the unity of the nation, especially these days,” McNeil said. “Take a moment between the barbecues and the fishing — or however you celebrate today — to remember the fallen.”<em>Read the full story in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.</em>
