Honoring our GSMNP veterans event announced

Marilyn Childress, president of the Veteran’s Heritage Site Foundation recently announced the date, time and focus of the annual meeting that honors veterans that are buried in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This year’s event will be held at 11 a.m. Jone 15 at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. The focus of this year’s event is World War II veterans. Attendees are encouraged to bring photos of their family members who served in World War II whether they are buried in the park or not.

The Veteran’s Heritage Site Foundation seeks to preserve and protect the memories and grave sites of the over 245 veterans that are buried within the boundaries of what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Their resting places are in over 63 sites within the park, and they are remembered annually at this event and by memorials on their gravesites at various times of the year.

This years event master of ceremonies is WVLT anchor Casey Wheeless.

Remarks will be given by Knoxville resident Sonja DuBois, author of “Finding Schifrah: The Journey of a Dutch Holocaust Child Survivor.” Born Clara Von Thijn, Dubois was barely two years old when her parents surrendered her to a friend to save her life. Her parents died at the hands of Nazi Germany at Auschwitz. As a child, she immigrated to America, finding her parental roots and their story years later.

Bernard Myers will tell the story of the Pearl Harbor tree. Brad Free, a park ranger, will also speak, along with Chris Magra, Director of the UT Center for Tennesseans in War.

Marilyn Childress, president of the Veteran’s Heritage Site Foundation is a veteran and served as a medic during the Vietnam era. She encourages all who are interested in preserving history and honoring veterans to attend this event. The program is free to the public.