James McLaughlin hopes everyone will live their lives in a way that honors the sacrifice of American soldiers.
McLaughlin, who is First District Commander of the TN American Legion, was the keynote speaker during Monday’s Memorial Day Service in front of the Hawkins County Courthouse in downtown Rogersville.
McLaughlin joined the Army at the age of 21 and served seven years with the 81st Airborne Division before he was medically retired.
He moved to Seveirville from North Carolina at the age of 48 and found himself, for the first time in his life, without a mission.
He was retired, didn’t have a job, and he said his intention was to “disappear from the face of the earth and never be seen again.”
“For the first time in my life I didn’t have a mission,” McLaughlin said. “I was retired. I didn’t have a job, and I was collecting a paycheck with nothing to do.”
But, his wife had a different plan and after four months she told him about a nearby American Legion. She told him he was joining because if he didn’t get out of her cabin she was either going to divorce him, or just kill him.
“I realized at that moment I was not living a life that was worthy of the sacrifice of the individuals who have served this great nation,” McLaughlin said. “I was sitting in my cabin sulking and doing nothing. … My wife made me see the light that there’s more to do than just relax, so I went to the American Legion, and I met a lot of veterans. And then I went to work for the American Legion.”
‘Worthy of the sacrifice’
McLaughlin noted that from Would War I through Operation Dessert Storm Tennessee lost 11,814 of its citizens during military conflict, and he felt he should honor their sacrifice.
He asked the audience during Monday’s service, “What are you doing to honor their sacrifice?”
When McLaughlin looks out into a crowd and sees people wearing their American Legion caps, he said it does his heart good because he knows they’re doing their part to support the children in their community, and the veterans in their community. They are honoring the sacrifice of the individuals whose names are carved into stone on the Hawkins County War Memorial.
“Ask yourself, what am I doing in my life that is of value and worthy of the sacrifice of our military service members,” McLaughlin said. “It’s a good question that each of us should ask ourselves. We don’t want to sit in the cabin, watching TV — especially the news — getting angrier and angrier and doing nothing to make our communities better.”
McLaughlin added, “I ask all of you to look at your community, and find something that you can do to make it a better community. We can all be a better country if we all just work together as a community. In doing so we will honor every name that is sitting on that memorial.”
Community participation
Monday’s Memorial Day Service was emceed by American Legion Post 21 Commander Eric Foulks, and opened with an invocation by Rev. Dale Hughes and posting of the colors by the Cherokee High School NJROTC.
Boy Scout Troop 101 folded an US flag which had recently been retired from flying above the Hawkins County Courthouse, and presented it to the oldest veteran in attendance — Robert L. Smith, 93, who is a Korean War veteran from Rogersville.
Local Daughters of the American Revolution member Tonya Katzin sang the National anthem accompanied by members of the Cherokee High School Choir.
Cub Scout Troop 100 led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Following McLaughlin’s remarks the names of Hawkins County’s fallen soldiers were read aloud by Post 21 Vice Commander Buddy Reeves, Post 21 adjutant Julie Martin, and Sons of the American Legion Post 21 Commander Davie Richards.
Flowers were places on the War Memorial by families fallen soldiers, after which wreaths were placed on the memorial by members of the Auxiliary Post 21, Auxiliary Post 231, the DAR, and Junior Post 21.
The service closed with the playing of Taps followed by a Rifle Salute by the Hawkins County VFW Honor Guard.
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