Bluefield Memorial Day Ceremony honors those who have been lost
BLUEFIELD, WV (WVNS) – The City of Bluefield hosted its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday to honor those who paid the ultimate cost for our freedom.
Light rainfall and cooler temperatures were not enough to keep the citizens of Bluefield from showing up to pay tribute to those who lost their lives while fulfilling their duty to their country.
This year's ceremony featured several veterans who addressed those in attendance, as well as a powerful, patriotic musical performance from Mercer County Commission President, Bill Archer. Members of the Mercer County Veterans Honor Guard were on hand for the proceedings, reminding folks to look past holiday celebrations and commercial campaigns to recognize the true reason we observe Memorial Day each and every year.'I hear a lot about picnics and sales and things like that. If you start off the day right, for the main purpose of Memorial Day, and that's to take a moment to remember the people that gave it all in combat,' said retired U.S. Army Sgt. Paul Dorsey. 'They're the ones that didn't come home.''We're only one generation away from losing our freedom,' said Mercer County Veterans Honor Guard Chaplain, Tom Helton, paraphrasing President Ronald Reagan. 'We're trying to carry on that legacy and perpetuate that legacy for generations to come.'Nearly 600 American flags were placed throughout the field at Chicory Square to honor the 585 Mercer County veterans who lost their lives in the line of duty since 1835. One noticeably larger flag representing what Sgt. Dorsey called the unknowns – those who were not identified at the time of their passing.
The willingness of local residents to brave the less-than-ideal weather conditions to pay tribute to these brave men and women speaks to the patriotism of the community, according to U.S. Army veteran and Bluefield City Manager, Cecil Marson.
'I think it's very symbolic of Bluefield and our citizens here in West Virginia, how much they care about this country and care about our veterans,' said Marson. 'It's just another great example of why this is the best place in the world to live.'
The Mercer County Veterans Honor Guard is currently recruiting and encourages anyone interested in donating or getting involved to reach out to MCVHG Commander, Bob Christian at (304) 800-7018 for more information.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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