Memorial Day celebrations held in Antigo

ANTIGO -- Community members gathered at several locations throughout the city Monday morning for Memorial Day ceremonies both before and after the parade.

The largest crowd gathered outside the Langlade County Courthouse at 10 a.m., directly following the parade, for a ceremony hosted by American Legion Post #3 Commander Ron Krueger.

“They sacrificed their lives for America so we all may have freedom, liberty, justice for all. We give thanks and honor to these men and women who have given all for their families and the American people, so that we can enjoy our freedoms,” Krueger said.

Those in attendance looked on for a three volley rifle salute given by an honor guard, a rendition of “taps” by two trumpeters, and one local Memorial Day tradition, the placing of a flower wreath at the foot of the monument built in honor of soldiers that went missing in action or became prisoners of war, which was done by Antigo Police Chief Dan Duley, who made a speech at the event in which he emphasized maintaining sight of the real reason Americans observe Memorial Day.

“As I was getting ready for the speech, I came across some information on a recent poll that was done by USAA. Sadly, less than half of U.S. adults understand the true meaning of what Memorial Day is,” Duley said. “Memorial Day is not just the official start of summer, it’s not just about cookouts, and it’s not just about sales in retail stores. Memorial Day is an occasion for both grief and celebration, reflecting on the tragic loss of life and recounting courageous military service.”

One segment of the ceremony also paid tribute to those from the Antigo community who died in the Vietnam War, along with local soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was presided over by James Benishek, senior vice commander of Antigo’s VFW Post 2653, who himself lost a brother in Vietnam.

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press,” Benishek said during one of his turns speaking, reciting an often-quoted Memorial Day passage. “It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the church, that has given us the right to thank God. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the soldier who defends our God-given rights and serves the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag.”

The city’s Memorial Day observances began at 8 a.m. at the Hudson Street Bridge for the Lost at Sea Ceremony, which Mike Piller, adjutant at VFW Post 2653, said has been a tradition in the city for over 60 years.

“We are here today before this water to remember all veterans resting in watery graves without a marker,” Piller said during the ceremony, during which a wreath was dropped into the Antigo Lake for soldiers that perished at sea. “Unto Almighty God we commend the souls of our brothers departed. We commit their bodies to the sea in sure and certain hope of the resurrection unto eternal life.”

At the main ceremony at the courthouse, Mayor Terry Brand spoke in a portion of his speech about the history of Memorial Day.

“Although there are different versions of how Memorial Day began, one story goes that the grieving families from both the North and South began decorating the graves of their lost soldiers with flowers and wreaths during the Civil War. In one city in Mississippi, people decorated the graves of both union and confederate troops out of respect for the families of the union soldiers, and with the hope that someone would do the same for their lost loved ones in the North,” Brand said. “We have awarded medals to many soldiers, added their names to monuments, and made buildings for them, honoring them for their bravery. But nothing can ever replace the hole left by a fallen service member, and no number of medals and ribbons can comfort the ones left behind.”