A Veteran’s Wreath is a sign of honor and respect for all the men and women who have served the United States of America in military service. This year on December 14, all across America, volunteers will respectfully lay Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans. The Chattanooga National Cemetery has 46,000 such graves. In the past, donations have made it possible to honor only about 10,000 of those 46,000 veterans. That is why we are trying to ensure that the 175 known Dade veterans buried there receive the honor and respect of Dade County’s citizens this year. Any funds received that exceed the amount needed will be contributed to Chattanooga for wreaths for graves of other veterans as all veterans deserve this recognition.
Thank you to all who have already helped us identify Dade vets, sponsored wreaths to be laid at their graves and volunteered to do the placement on December 14. The response in all three
areas has been heartwarming to those of us in the Dade County Historical Society, American Legion Post 106, American Legion Post 106 Auxiliary and Trenton United Methodist Church Mary and Martha Christ Group, who came together in this project for the first time this year.
We continue to ask for the names of your veterans, your generous donations and your voluntary service on December 14. We hope to have all of this information gathered by November 1 so that wreaths can be ordered and organization of volunteers can be accomplished in advance of the December date. If you have volunteered, you can expect to hear from the committee during the first week of December. There will be a noon ceremony, open to the public, on the 14th at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, followed by our laying of wreaths.
Anyone wishing to contribute names or sponsorships can find forms in the Dade County Public Library Hospitality and Information Room or in the History Room. You may also contact Gail Hedden (423-987-3713), Julie Williams (423-802-9160), or Rethal Alexander (423-364-4781) for more information.
Name of veterans with Dade County connections that have not been previously published include: Wayne Barger, Larry Lee Barron, Brinie Osbie Bethune, James William Brown, Clarence Andrew Carroll III, Kimberly Renee Castleberry, Stanley A. Conaway, Jerry Cook, William Glenn Davis, J. Gordon Earls, Jesse G. Carls Jr., Earl Leon Easley, Daniel Robert Foster, David Gardner, Paul Thomas Gaynor, Janet Ann Godchalx, Hurston Dewayne Harrison, Frank Jessie Holt, Rexford Lee Houston Jr., George Jensen, Maurice Talmadge Light, William Love, James E. Mathis, Marl Hoyt McBryar, Stanley Henry McCullough Jr., Maurice Winston McGuffey, Charles Ed McMahan, James Benjamin McMath Jr., Claudy Lee Michaels, Jack Monday, Laura Mae Mullis, Daniel Eric Murch, Jack Delano Murray Jr., Henry Newt Jr., Charles E Rounsaville, James D. Rouse, Melton E. Scott, Charles Grady Smith Jr., Johnny Rayford Suits, Leonard W. Sutton, Bruce Wayne Vangurp, John Frederick Warzecha, Roger William Weare and John M. Wilson.
--Gail Hedden
ghedden7@gmail.com
