Oskaloosa Stops To Remember
Members of the Oskaloosa American Legion present the colors for Monday’s Memorial Day Service.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The sky threatened rain over Oskaloosa on Monday morning, making it a tough call to hold the Memorial Day service inside the American Legion Post 34 building. As the service began, the sun came out.
The service began by presenting the Colors. The flag flown during the days ceremony was in honor of 2nd Class Petty Officer Roy Edwards, United States Navy serving in the Pacific Theater during WWII, and was an active member of the Oskaloosa Honor Guard for many years.
Andrea Dursky lead those gathered in singing the National Anthem. The Pledge of Allegiance was lead by Nicholas Koening, Boy Scout Troop 77, and the invocation was lead by Pastor Bruce Wittern, Central United Methodist Church.
Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt said, “As we gather here, it’s good to take a moment to quietly reflect on the freedoms we have as a country.”
“We’re here to pause with respect and honor those who served, those who gave up their life. Those who stand ready today to do the same without question when defense of freedom calls on them.” Added Krutzfeldt.
This year, it was announced that Andrea Dursky was retiring from singing at the Memorial Day programs.
Dursky said she has appreciated being part of the Memorial Day program. “I started as a little girl putting the wreath up because my dad was a disabled American Veteran. Worked my way up to doing the Pledge of Allegiance and being a good Girl Scout and doing the John A. Logan address. And then when I was about 19, I started singing for the service, and since I’m going to be 70 next year at Memorial Day Weekend, I figure it’s time for me to hang it up.”
Andrea Dursky informed those present that this would be her last year of participating in the Memorial Day Service. She has been a part of the service for over 50 years.
Dursky thanked everyone for allowing her to be a part of the service “all of these years”.
The wreaths were placed near the podium by the local Junior Auxilliaries.
Nickolas Den Hartog, Boy Scout Troop 77 Oskaloosa, read John A. Logan’s Order for the First Observance of Memorial Day.
Per the Library of Congress. In 1868, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the grand Army of the Republic issued what was called General Order Number 11, designating May 30 as a memorial day. He declared it to be “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.”
Pastor Mike Omundson, Pastor of First Christian Church and U.S. Navy veteran, gave the keynote speech. Omundson was a medic who served with various Marine units and Navy Seebees in the South Pacific from 1969 to 1973.
“The annual Memorial Day holiday evokes a range of emotions for many of us. For some, it’s nothing more than a long weekend, the unofficial start of summer and the chance to fire up the backyard barb-b-que. But for others, like yourselves, it’s a day to express, and to honor and to remember our war dead.”
In closing, Omundson said that we should try to be worthy of the sacrafices made on our behalf.
“What do we owe the ones who have died in previous wars? Not just rememberance, and not just thanks. Not a shrine like the WWII Memorial. We owe great care to these comerades, the soldiers who are still living, our veterans. We owe them and we have to care for them. We have to treat them right and attend to them as they return. We owe swift and complete care to our veterans who need it. Today, as we remember and give thanks as a grateful nation, let us also remember the teachings of Jesus and work every day at the things that make for peace.”
Report of the graves registration was given by Joe S. Crookham. Forty veterans were listed as laid to rest. They served the armed forces in peacetime, WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
The day ended with the playing of Taps and the 21 gun salute by the Legion Honor Guard.
