Speakers remind Bellevue of the true meaning of Memorial Day
Hundreds followed the parade to Bellevue Cemetery to hear Mayor Kevin Strecker, Donn Rospert and Navy veteran Bill Strong.
Bellevue’s Memorial Day began with a parade through downtown of vintage military vehicles, the Bellevue Fire Department, the high school and middle school marching bands, Scouts and veterans. It ended at Bellevue Cemetery, where hundreds gathered for the ceremony. Several speakers said the holiday is about those who died in service, not the start of summer.
Master of ceremonies Ron Smith welcomed the crowd, and the Bellevue High School band played the national anthem. Mayor Kevin Strecker read a memorial poem and closed with, “Let us never forget the price they paid. Let us never forget to remember.”
Donn Rospert read a tribute called “They Gave Their All” from a Marine Corps program, changing it to include every branch. “To be in the United States Military is to be part of something that represents the best of our nation,” he read.
Guest speaker Bill Strong, a Navy veteran of 1958 to 1964, asked the question families of the fallen often hear: was it worth it? He quoted Marine Gen. John Kelly, whose son, 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. Kelly had said that only the young man or woman who gave their life has the right to answer. Strong also told the story of Pfc. Diego Rincon, 19, of Conyers, Ga.
Earlier ceremonies: veterans urged to tell their stories and the Rosperts honored. Holiday information: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More in Local News.