Memorial Day 2024: Tuscaloosa honors those who died during military service

Dozens gathered Monday morning in Tuscaloosa to remember those who died while serving in the military.

The annual Memorial Day program was held at Veterans Memorial Park, 1701 McFarland Blvd. E. in front of University Mall.

The Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority’s Veterans Memorial Park Association organizes the program in conjunction with the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center and the University of Alabama Office of Veteran and Military Affairs.

Lt. Col. Stephen Kaye, a decorated Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer gave the keynote speech.

The Hillcrest High School Junior ROTC Honor Guard presented the colors and the Tuscaloosa County American Legion Honor Guard presented a 21-gun salute.

Veterans Memorial Park, the site of the Tuscaloosa program, was developed as a memorial for all veterans of the United States Armed Forces and as a tribute to Northington General Army Hospital, one of the largest military hospitals in the world at the end of World War II. The Army built the 2,005-bed hospital in Tuscaloosa in 1942 at the beginning of WWII.

The 1-acre Veterans Memorial Park site includes the mast and an artillery gun from the heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa, which was deployed in World War II battles at Normandy, North Africa, Okinawa and Iwo Jima, a UH-1 "Huey" helicopter, an M60 tank and more.

For more information about the park, go to www.tcpara.org/parks/veterans-memorial-park.