L-R: Class of '67,' Councilwoman Lourdes Galvan, AF Ret. Lt. Col. Larry Romo, Viet nam vets, Crowd, wreaths, monuments
Edgewood Memorial Day Ceremony, May 25th
On Monday, May 25th, John F. Kennedy High School had already set up the area, located on the northern end of the Frank Mata Stadium, for the annual Edgewood Memorial Day Ceremony.
The JFK Army JROTC was ready to start the ceremony before the school day had started on campus. The JROTC instructors were receiving reports from the cadets, especially from the JFK Army JROTC Color Guard by reporting, “We are ready to start at 0900 hrs.”
Lt. Col. Lawrence Romo, U.S. Air Force Ret., was excited about the event and said, “We are here early and the seats are completely filled,’…’is Lt. Col. Alfonso Mandujano JR. doing great over in D.C.”
Right before the ceremony started, LTC Romo introduced Brig. Gen. Alfred J. Stewart to the media (Walker Report), District #5 Councilwoman Lourdes Galvan and to many distinguished guests in the audience.
“Thank you for being here for this special Memorial day and it is great that Judge Stephen Walker is keeping busy,” said Councilwoman Galvan.
The microphone on the podium was turned on by Maclavio Perez, EISD Public Information Officer/Ceremony’s Emcee, by announcing, “The ceremony is about to begin by the current blessing of EISD’s Veterans Memorial by Marine veteran Crow, Mescalero Apache blessing.”
The audience was quite to hear SGT. Darrell L. Crumbling’s experience in the Army and during the Iraqi Freedom Tour. It became more silent before he started explaining that he was almost shot at, during a firefight, while a team member moved in front of him becoming a casualty with the enemy’s bullets.
He paused and then thanked, with much gratitude, the fallen heroes by saying, “I thank each and every servicemember for their service and I will place my life on the line the way a fellow comrade did out in Iraq.”The crowd stood after Crumbling’s speech and then the keynote speaker, Brig. Gen. Stewart, came to the podium and said, “This is amazing to see such a crowd at this event and I thank each and every one of you being here to remember those who have sacrificed themselves for our freedoms.”
Many seated or standing looked around to acknowledge his review of the audience. The General went on with his speech to bring in facts about how the U.S. Armed Forces works together for the future generations.
The event carried on, after the guest speakers accomplished their duties, with; Roll Call of Honor by Flowers & Flag Presentation, Presentation of Memorial Wreath, 21 Gun Salute, “Taps”, “America the Beautiful”, Comments, Scholarship Presentation, and ending with a Benediction.
Story & photos by Cpt Tony Mandujano
