Wreath-laying ceremony pays respect to veterans

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

NORTH JACKSON

Brandy Hinkle’s memories of her late great-uncle, Walt Hamner, may be scant, but that in no way diminishes her gratitude for how he served the nation long ago.

“I knew him briefly as a child, but I really appreciate his service,” she said of the World War II Navy veteran.

Hamner is among more than 300 veterans buried in North Jackson Cemetery who were remembered during Saturday morning’s 12th annual wreath-laying ceremony when wreaths were placed next to the soldiers’ gravesites.

Accompanying Hinkle at the North Warren-Salem Road (state Route 45) graveyard were her sons, Blake, 9, and Brandon, 12, both of whom expressed their appreciation to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country.

“I’m very thankful for their sacrifices so that we can have this kind of freedom in America,” said Brandon, a Jackson-Milton High School student who plays the saxophone in his school’s band.

Brandon added he was honored to have played during a Veterans Day program last month at the school when Bradley E. Smith of Bradenton, Fla., a retired Navy carrier pilot, shared his story about having been captured during the Vietnam War and held as a prisoner of war for seven years.

“My grandfather [William Hamner] and my great-uncle are here, but we want to honor all veterans, and this is a wonderful opportunity to teach our children about what the vets did for us,” Hinkle said.

Also wishing to display her gratitude toward those who served the nation was Katie Armstrong, past auxiliary president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3538 in Struthers.

Armstrong and her daughter were on hand to place wreaths next to the veterans’ burial sites, including one atop the gravesite of John Osborne, who died in 1944, likely while serving in World War II. Osborne’s marker contained no information about him besides his dates of birth and death.

“We’re placing 300 wreaths here. We want to honor all veterans,” Armstrong said.

In addition, Armstrong comes from a strong military family. Her husband was in the Air Force, a grandson serves in the Marines and two brothers enlisted in the Coast Guard and Army, respectively, she said.

Also happy to pitch in for the effort on the cold morning were Alyssa Deak and Grace McDevitt, who were among members of the Jackson-Milton Livestock 4-H Club to participate.

“It’s nice to support all these veterans who served, and to spread some Christmas cheer to them,” Deak said.

“We want to let them know that we appreciate what they did,” said McDevitt, adding that her uncle, Tony Pechatsko, serves in the military.

Acting as the 45-minute program’s master of ceremonies was Hugh Earnhart, one of OSU Extension’s master gardener volunteers, who provided the wreaths.

The significance of laying the wreaths lies in the way it honors those who gave their lives in all wars to defend the nation’s freedoms, he said in his remarks. But the act also should remind young people that one day they might be called to serve, he added.

He also reminded the dozens of veterans and others who gathered that Saturday marked the 77th anniversary of when the gravity of the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack on Pearl Harbor began to sink in for many Americans.

More than 2,400 Americans were killed in Japan’s morning attack, and an estimated 1,000 were wounded. In addition, Japanese forces destroyed about 300 U.S. planes and 20 naval vessels.

Also during the somber program, members of American Legion Lake Post 737 in Lake Milton placed one wreath each on seven stands, five of which honored veterans of the five branches of the nation’s armed services: Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force. The other two were to remember those who were in the Merchant Marines and the estimated 93,000 Americans still considered POWs or missing in action.