Veterans honored and remembered as community gathers at the Tuscarawas County Courthouse on Veterans Day 2011
by Jennifer Kneuss
November 14, 2011
293
Summary: Solemn commemorative services were held on the square of the Tuscarawas County Courthouse as the community paused on November 11, Veterans Day, to remember the sacrifices made by the men and women of the U.S. Military.
Since 1775, over 800,000 American soldiers have perished in combat, from the American Revolutionary War to the recent and ongoing wars in the Middle East and the War on Terror. Hundreds of thousands more survived, but not without great personal sacrifice. To honor these brave men and women, the United States of America pauses every Nov.11 to commemorate Veterans Day.
The Tuscarawas County Courthouse saw veterans, family, friends, and community members come out on a chilled autumn day for New Philadelphias Veterans Day services. Special speaker for the event was Rev. Barry Walker, a retired Army chaplain with 31 years, 8 months of service in both active and reserve duty. Walker, from East Palestine, is currently a VFW chaplain and also has served as a National Chaplain for the past seven years. He accompanied units through many wartime and peacetime deployments, and in the process was also awarded many awards and medals of Honor.
Walker recalled his most intense experience during his years of service.
That would have been the Scud missile attack Feb. 25, 1991, in Teheran. I was with a fuel and water unit. One of my water units is the one that took the basic amount of the casualties. We had 28 killed and over 100 wounded, explained the chaplain. Thats where I got my valor award from. Pulling people out, putting people together. Somebody asked me what I did to get that honor. I said, I reacted before I thought. If I had thought about what I was doing, I would have said, youre nuts. I just acted. Walker later was also the emcee for a special memorial erected in PA to commemorate the sacrifices of those killed in the attack. After retirement, he stayed with the Reserves. I got called back as a reserve at age 51. I went, I had no choice. I was gone from 10 ½ months. I was a pastor at the time, and gave up a church of about 500 to do so, but I am now fully retired.
There are a declining number of veterans participating in these events, as well as graveside services for veterans, because were dying off. I wish to remember the WWII Veteran. Were losing 1,200 of them each day, and also 500 Korean War veterans every day, he continued. And the others, they have to work to pay the bills and cant always participate.
The Delphian Chorale sang several numbers during the Veterans Day ceremony, and students from York Elementary in New Philadelphia participated through a flag folding demonstration and explanation of the meaning of each fold. A folded flag is presented to the surviving spouse and family of fallen soldiers. New Philadelphia band members also gave a preview performance of the show they will be presenting at Pearl Harbor, HI in early December that recognizes sacrifices made by those in the military. Particularly meaningful were the customary Placing of the Wreaths and Salute to the Dead, conducted by veterans and accompanied by the playing of Taps by band members.
Local dignitaries were on hand for the ceremony, which was emceed by Dennis Henke and members of local VFW posts. Many veterans were in the audience.
Rev. Walker left his audience with a stirring reminder of the price of freedom in the United States.
Freedom is not free. Weve paid with the price of the lives of the American men and women from our armed forces. Our privileges were obtained at great cost.
