Honoring Our Fallen Heroes at Hillcrest Cemetery

May 31, 2010 | Story by: Matt Young | Categories: News

Story & photos by Matt Young.

Cary, N.C. – I walked past a hundred cars up Page Street this morning, up the hill to the Hillcrest Cemetery. 

Local Boy Scouts handed out program pamphlets at the cemetery entrance.  There, amidst a hundred versions of Old Glory and tombstones sat 300 people in lawn chairs – half of them were in U.S. Military, Boy Scout and VFW uniforms. Nearly all others were in red, white and blue.

Bob Fudulski, of the Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 67, kicked off the services, followed by a Color Guard ceremony, the National Anthem, and Cub Scouts leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moving speeches were given by Daughters of the American Revolution representative Ann Burns, several local political figures including Jack Smith (Cary TC District C), Jennifer Weiss (District 35 House), Nelson Dollar (District 36 House), Honorable Brad Miller (NC 13 – U.S. Congress), Honorable David Price (NC 4 – U.S. Congress) and WWII Veteran Hal Shook.

The ceremony culminated with a stirring Rifle Salute to Fallen Comrades by the Post 67 Honor Guard and a Benediction by the Post Chaplin.

In Flander’s Field
by John McCrae
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead.
Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw,
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us, who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow,
In Flanders Fields.

The Cary American Legion invited everyone to the Post Home for an open house after the Ceremony.

I was inspired.