23-05-2025
Sister of fallen Blountville soldier reminds people of true meaning behind Memorial Day
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Memorial Day weekend is the 'unofficial start' to summer, with many taking the extra day to go out on the water, get together with friends, or spend time with their family.
But Joyce Crosswhite wants people to remember what the holiday is all about – honoring people like her twin brother, Roy Neal, who was killed in the Vietnam War.
'He never questioned when he got his draft,' said Crosswhite. 'Our father died when we were in high school. So he was the man of the house.'
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Neal had a full ride to Milligan on a basketball scholarship. He worked for Mason-Dixon during the summer to help provide for their family.
'Mother was a teacher. We lived off of a teacher's salary,' Crosswhite said. 'When the quarter started back, he didn't go because he was going to work another, you know, work a little bit longer, save some money. That's when they drafted him.'
May 28 marks 57 years since Neal was killed in action.
'He went down fighting,' she said. 'It's horrible. They shot a rocket at 'em and killed all three of them.'
Neal, a military policeman, was in a Jeep with two other soldiers following behind a convoy.
'He and two other gentlemen were following a convoy. And the Vietnamese, they attacked the convoy,' she said. 'Well, the convoy got through.'
She remembers the day the military sent people to give her family the news.
'It was my sister and my mother, myself. And we all three just kind of passed out,' she said. 'Worst day of my life. The worst day of my life.'
As this year marked 50 years since the Fall of Saigon, which effectively ended the Vietnam War, Crosswhite is still grieving.
'I'm angry, I mean, of course hurt, but I'm angry and, I don't know how my mother lived through this,' she said. 'His life was wasted. Those people that died over there, their lives were wasted. What came out of that war? Nothing. Nothing.'
Crosswhite is proud of her brother and his service to our country. She has channeled her grief into honoring him and other fallen military members like him. Recently, she spearheaded the effort to create the Sullivan County Veterans Memorial Park.
'I think he would be proud,' she said. 'It's all about him.'
There is also a bridge dedicated to him in Sullivan County.
'At the bridge dedication, [several members of his unit] came in from New York, South Dakota. I mean, he was well thought of in his unit,' she said. 'I fell in love with every one of them, fell in love with every one of them because they praised him.'
And on this Memorial Day, she is encouraging people to take time to reflect and think about the sacrifices service members, like her brother, made.
'He truly was a good person, well-respected in his community. So he's missed every day,' she said. 'I wonder what life would have been, what he would have been. I don't know if I'd be doing this if it hadn't been for him. And then I wonder what he would have brought to this world.'
Crosswhite says Memorial Day is a hard holiday for her. However, this year, she is helping to put on a ceremony at the Sullivan County Veterans Memorial Park.
It's Monday, May 26, at 4 p.m. The park is located at 1575 State Route 394 in 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
