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Coronavirus kills traditional Memorial Day observances but not honoring of dead veterans

Patriot-News - 5/21/2020

The coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on many summer celebrations and gatherings including Memorial Day – the unofficial start of summer and the day on which people in the United States honor men and women who died while serving in the armed forces.

While the parades and public ceremonies, won’t be held, central Pa. organizations are offering different ways to honor those who died while serving in the military.

The annual Memorial Day ceremony at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery is canceled. It was supposed to be held on Sunday, May 24.

People can still visit graves at the cemetery and the staff will hold “a solemn wreath laying” and taps will be played on May 25 but there will not be a public ceremony.

Parades also are canceled in Derry Twp., Camp Hill, Hummelstown, Marietta, Gettysburg and Linglestown.

The Friends of Midland Cemetery have canceled their program that was supposed to be held on May 23.

Some places are recognizing Memorial Day in other ways.

Derry Twp. will present video clips of “What Memorial Day Means to Me” that were submitted by residents. The clips will air on Memorial Day on the township’s Facebook page.

In Linglestown, the Robert H. Hoke American Legion Post 272 will conduct a Memorial Day Salute at 1 p.m. on May 25. The salute, led by the Legion Honor Guard, will start at the Linglestown Firehall and will travel through the community. Residents can watch the salute from their homes while maintaining social distance. The route will be similar to the Christmas route the fire department conducts in December.

The Carlisle Joint Veterans Council will air a special Memorial Day video at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 25. The program will include a message from Congressman Scott Perry, the Armed Forces Medley, the reading of the Roll of Honor of Carlisle-area veterans who have died in the past. Year and a special presentation of the Pledge of Allegiance. According to writer and director Kirk Wilson, the video is 30 minutes and is produced by Southeast Media Productions of Carlisle. Wilson did not yet announce on which websites the video can be seen.

The National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., also is canceled. Instead, the American Veterans Center will offer a nationally-televised special, “The National Memorial Day Parade: American Stands Tall” at 2 p.m. on Memorial Day on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

The Lincoln Fellowship, which sponsors the sounding of taps every evening in the summer, will hold its opening ceremony virtually at 7 p.m.May 25 on Facebook and YouTube.

The opening ceremony will include remarks from Wendy Allen, vice president of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania; Jari Villanueva, musical director and coordinator of “One Hundred Nights of Taps, Gettysburg 2020”; the Rev. Stephen R. Herr, president of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania; and guest speaker, retired Lt. Gen. Christopher F. Burne.

The program will also feature musical performances by The United States Army Trumpet Ensemble and Lincoln Fellowship board member, Wayne Hill; a recitation of the Gettysburg Address by Dana B. Shoaf, editor of Civil War Times magazine; the unveiling the 2020 “One Hundred Nights of Taps, Gettysburg, 2020” commemorative coin by Christopher Gwinn, chief of interpretation and education, Gettysburg National Military Park and Fellowship board member; and recognition of veterans and active service members by Lincoln Fellowship board member and Archivist, Ken Kime.

The virtual program will stream at 7 p.m. every night from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

According to the Lincoln Fellowship, “Buglers from more than 17 states across the nation will be sounding taps for the virtual ceremony. They are professionals, veterans, teachers, students, re-enactors, and other talented individuals who assist in the taps ceremony at military funerals.

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