Volunteers Decorate Graves Leading Up To Memorial Day

Volunteers place flags at Forest Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – A small trailer containing flags to decorate military veterans’ graves was parked near the main gate to Forest Cemetery on Wednesday.

Volunteers from the local military organizations were already making their way through the many gravesites while members of the Oskaloosa Student Council gathered to take their turn helping out.

Curt Grandia was helping keep volunteers organized and on task, something that takes some practice considering the scope of the project.

The group flags not just Forest Cemetery but approximately 20 other cemeteries during the week. That equals about 2000 flags they place, and with the work others do from New Sharon and Eddyville, it’s almost 4000 flags that are placed during the week.

On Memorial Day, the Oskaloosa veterans groups will gather at Forest Cemetery, beginning at 10 am, to honor every veteran who served.

The flag for the ceremony is marched from the local legion post by the honor guard beginning at 9:30 am.

The keynote speaker this year is Larry Spencer. Spencer was a pilot that was shot down in Vietnam on February 18, 1966, and was held captive until his release on February 12, 1973.

He was awarded the Silver Star “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam on 25 September 1966. Lieutenant Commander Spencer’s captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion, Lieutenant Commander Spencer reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.”

In the event of rain, services are held at the Harry L. Anderson American Legion Post in Oskaloosa.