Memorial Day events from around the Treasure Valley

Several Memorial Day events happened around the Treasure Valley Monday to remember and honor those who served our country.

AMERICANSHONORED ANDMOURNED THEMILITARY PERSONNELWHO HAVE DIEDFIGHTING FOR OURNATION.IN THE TREASUREVALLEY -- CIVIL WARVOLUNTEERSCONDUCTED AGRAVE-SIDEREMEMBERANCE ATMORRIS HILLCEMETERY TOHONOR OURNATIONS' SOLDIERSBURIED HERE INIDAHO."NATS OF GUNSALUTE"VOLUNTEERS --DRESSED IN CIVILWAR UNIFORMS --PERFORMED A 21-GUN SALUTE WHILEMEMBERS OF THE V-F-W PLACED SMALLFLAGS AROUND THEMAUSOLEUM.THEY RAISED A CIVILWAR ERA FLAG TOPAY TRIBUTE TOFALLEN SOLDIERSTHEN AND NOW."PEOPLE WILL DRIVEBY IT EVERY DAY ANDPROBABLY NOT EVENGIVE IT A SECONDTHOUGHT, BUT THEFACT THAT WE HAVEHISTORY RIGHT INFRONT OF US EVERYDAY SO THIS IS JUSTA SPECIAL DAY TOSTOP ANDREMEMBER THAT."MEANWHILE...HUNDREDS GATHERED ATTHE IDAHO STATEVETERANSCEMETERY FOR APERIOD OF QUIETREFLECTION ANDGRATITUDE.VETERANS GROUPSLAID WREATHS ATTHE MEMORIAL ANDTHE A-10 WARTHOGSFROM THE IDAHO AIRNATIONAL GUARDPROVIDED AFLYOVER.INSIDE MERIDIAN'SKLEINER PARK,PEOPLE PAIDTRIBUTE AT THEROCK OF HONOR --READING THE NAMESOF LOCAL FALLENSOLDIERS.BOY SCOUTS LAID AWREATH AT THEMONUMENT,FOLLOWED BY ARIFLE SALUTE.THE ROCK OFHONOR SERVES AS APLACE OFREFLECTION FORMANY ...ONE MOTHER SAIDTHE SERVICE IS AGREAT OPPORTUNITYTO TEACH CHILDRENABOUT WHATMEMORIAL DAYREALLY MEANS."WE WANT THEM TOEXPERIENCE IT.

TOCOME WITH US ANDREMEMBER AS AFAMILY WHAT THOSEBRAVE MEN ANDWOMEN DID FOR US-TO ALWAYSREMEMBER.

I HAVEGONE TO MEMORIALDAY CELEBRATIONSWITH MY PARENTS ASA CHILD AND WANTEDTO PASS THAT ON TOTHE NEXTGENERATION TOALWAYS REMEMBERHISTORY."A SYMBOLIC FACTABOUT THE ROCK OFHONOR -- THE FOURPANELS DISPLAYINGTHE NAMES OF THEFALLEN REPRESENTTHE FOUR ELEMENTS-- EARTH, AIR, FIREAND WATER.IT ALSO HOLDS ATIME CAPSULE THATWILL BE OPENED ONTHE 100THANNIVERSARY OFTHE START OFWORLD WAR TWO.OVER INNAMPA...HUNDREDSOF SMALL AMERICANFLAGS MARKEDVETERAN'S GRAVESAT KOHLERLAWNCEMETERY.BOY SCOUTS ANDLOCAL YOUNGMARINES PLACEDTHE TRIBUTES.THE CEREMONY WASHIGHLIGHTED BY ATOUR THATINCLUDED STORIESOF MANY OF CANYONCOUNTY'S HISTORICMILITARY MEMBERS.THE CEREMONYENDED WITH A 21GUN SALUTE TONAMPA'S HEROESWHO DIED IN BATTLE,INCLUDING HERBERTA.

LITTLETON WHO ISA MEDAL OF HONORRECIPIENT BURIED ATKOHLERLAWN.AND IN EAGLE...600FLAGS ON 8-FOOTPOLES NEATLY LINEDTHE "FIELD OFHONOR".EACH FLAG POLEHAS A YELLOWRIBBON TIED TOIT...BEARING THENAMES OF SOLDIERSWHO HAVE SERVEDOR ARE SERVING INOUR ARMED FORCES.DONATIONS ANDFLAG SPONSORSHIPSGO TO THE MILITARYORDER OF THEPURPLE HEART --WHICH IS ONE OFTHE SMALLESTVETERANSORGANIZATIONS INIDAHO.