Memorial Day at Lexington Cemetery: Annual service to honor fallen heroes

First Class Airman Glen Datillo left Vietnam 53 years ago, but he can recall things that make it feel as if his tour had just ended.

“We had rocket attacks. Lost some people that way,” he said before this morning’s Memorial Day ceremony at Lexington Cemetery. “And the climate was rough on us too,” he said, recalling the 105-degree heat as if he was still baking in it.

Datillo and more than 100 others came to the cemetery this morning, as they do each Memorial Day, for a service to honor the brave men and women who’ve lost their lives fighting for our freedom. Many of those soldiers are buried here.

“All of these graves represent people who went overseas and gave their lives,” said Pamela Atkins of Lexington.

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Mrs. Atkins said Memorial Day is every day for the surviving family members of those who died while serving. Datillo hopes their valiant effort is remembered daily by everyone who gets to do the little things that aren’t so little in other countries.

“I can fly from here to California and not have to sign any papers,” he said. “It’s not like that in the rest of the world,” he continued.

That’s why they come here to honor those who helped make it that way.

“We need to appreciate the freedom these (people) gave their lives for,” Datillo said.