STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. — To some, Monday was the most important day of the entire year.
“Memorial Day. We are remembering our fallen,” U.S. Army veteran Charlton Pitter said.
In Stockbridge, Monday’s ceremony was a solemn one, led by retired colonel and Mayor Anthony S. Ford, who served in the military for 30 years.
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“Freedom is truly not free,” Ford told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.
That sentiment was echoed by the dozens of veterans and family members in attendance.
“The men and women we honor today share a common dedication to duty. To lay down their lives for something greater than themselves,” Vietnam veteran Sgt. Bill Jones said.
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“It’s deep in my soul,” retired Navy veteran Marvin Russell said.
He said Memorial Day should always mean much more than simply a holiday, or a day for cookouts or sales on kitchen appliances. Army veteran Nina Cameron agreed.
“Those before us made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We have to take that very seriously,” Cameron told Channel 2 Action News.
This group did.
United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard---even joined by a veteran of the South Korean Navy, who was brought to tears as he paid his respects.
“For you to have freedom, you have to fight for it,” Army veteran Charlton Pitter said.
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