http://youtu.be/lYjlt0lmIeg
Across the country, people took time out of their schedules to reflect on all those veterans who died while serving. Las Cruces held many events to remember those who’ve fallen.
Teckla McGuinness was one of many who attended a memorial service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery; she laid a wreath on the veteran’s monument to remember those she lost.
“In honor of all of our troops that have served and are serving now for our county and our freedom,” McGuinness said. “And for my dad especially who served in the Korea War, the ending, he served two tours in Vietnam and he retired from the Marine Corps in 1974.”
While all Veteran’s are remembered on Memorial Day, Dallas Landrem, Post Commander of the Las Cruces VFW says it is specifically to remember those that gave their lives while fighting.
“All the service men and women that have died have died for us,” Landrem said. “We have to remember this. Our country was born in battle and we’ve almost been in battle the whole life of the country. We need to honor the people that were willing to give their lives. A veteran is someone who at one point in life wrote a blank check to the United States of America for the amount up to and including their life, and it’s important we remember that.”
He says he remembers friends of his who died during the Vietnam War.
“Memorial Day I reflect back,” Landrem said. “And I think anybody who’s in a combat unit in any war always wonders why their friends died, and why they didn’t. That’s why a lot of the people that are coming back have problems cause you’re always wondering why were they killed and not me. Yes, your bringing tears to my eyes.”
Landrem says he is grateful to be part of such a supporting community.
“Las Cruces is a great town to live in,” Landrem said. “It’s a great town for veterans. New Mexico is actually a great state for a veteran to live in. We get many benefits here that we don’t get in other states that perhaps people don’t know about. But, the support is amazing and that’s what we need.”
Events were held across Las Cruces all weekend including the decoration of gravels of veterans and military personnel and a candlelight vigil.
